Hi friends! Welcome to my little corner for my very first project of October!

I’m so excited to share my latest creation with you: a fantastic, slightly spooky, and utterly charming crow made entirely out of repurposed materials. I’ve named him Mr. Crow, and he’s going to be a gorgeous centerpiece for both my Halloween and Thanksgiving décor.

I just love a good crafting challenge, and this one was so rewarding because it transformed a simple, flat concept into a wonderful three-dimensional friend!

1. The Canvas Creation Concept

The idea for this crow came from a two-dimensional canvas design I saw in an old Halloween book from an art shop called Prims. I loved the look—it was meant to be flat with a wooden post and a few little bubbles—but I wanted to elevate it. My vision was a full-bodied, freestanding crow!

The main material I chose was canvas. Not store-bought canvas, but the leftover canvas bags my son brings home from conferences. They’re perfect! They give you a sturdy, durable base and a blank slate that loves to take paint.

2. Gathering My Tools and Transforming the Pattern

To start, I cut up the canvas bags. Since some of the canvas can be a little flimsy, I backed it with some cheap interfacing to give it that much-needed stability. This is a great trick for working with recycled fabrics!

Next came the pattern. I took an existing seagull pattern from a master class I attended and decided to rework it completely. It took a bit of time, but I successfully reimagined it to create my crow:

• Elongated the Beak: To give him that distinct crow look.
• Redesigned the Tail: I wanted a beautiful, fanned tail that would sit out flat.
• Added Gussets: This was the key to making the bird three-dimensional. Gussets create depth and dimension, which is essential when turning a flat shape into a plump little bird!
• Adjusted the Body: I cut the pieces slightly smaller than the original pattern to make my crow thin and narrow, rather than full-bodied.

3. Stitching, Painting, and Bringing Him to Life

Once the pattern pieces were cut out, I started the assembly! I stitched the pieces together using a backstitch for the binding and then reinforced the seams on my machine.

The painting process was simple but impactful. I gave the canvas about three good coats of dark black acrylic paint. I find the canvas really soaks up the color beautifully and gives you a durable finish.

For his eyes, I used beaded glass eyes and pulled them in tight to give him a bit of that spooky stare! I also crafted him an adorable little wardrobe: a knitted sweater/scarf for his front and a pointy witch’s hat to complete the look.

For the beak, I cut out two canvas pieces, glued one underneath, and one on top so that his beak is slightly open, ready to hold his little treasures. I painted it black and added a gloss finish for extra stability and shine!

4. Creating the Seasonal Décor Ensemble

Mr. Crow started as a general harvest project, but he quickly evolved into a dual-purpose Halloween and Thanksgiving friend! I’m absolutely thrilled to use him as my table centerpiece.

To complete his little autumnal scene, I added a few more touches:

• Little Sock Pumpkins: I found a simple design online and created these adorable little gourds. I used cinnamon sticks for the trunks, which adds a wonderful scent and rustic touch, and tied them off with rope.
• A Canvas Basket: I found a template for a curved harvest basket in a magazine. I made it out of two pieces of canvas, backed it with cloth using heat and bond, and then blanket stitched the two pieces together to form a sturdy little bag. It’s the perfect size to hold the pumpkins and tie the whole centerpiece together!

I even tucked a few fall leaves into Mr. Crow’s beak to make him feel right at home. I’m so thrilled with how this project turned out, especially turning that two-dimensional image into such a wonderful, sturdy, three-dimensional object!

Happy crafting, friends, and let me know if you try your hand at a canvas crow!