How to Make a Hacky Sack

Hacky sacks are simple little bean bags. Usually ranging between $3 and $10, they are rather pricey for what they are. Hacky sacks can be made at home for a fraction of the price, costing only about 25 cents each.

To get started, you'll need a little fabric and something to fill the bag with. For the fabric, you will need something sturdy. You can go to your local fabric store and buy a small piece of fabric. If you're only making one or two hacky sacks, you don't need very much. An eighth of yard would be more than enough, or you could check out the bargain bin of remnants. I prefer to scrounge around the house for something interesting. An old pair of denim jeans or corduroy pants are perfect. Any old clothes that are worn out in spots, or no longer fit, are fine ...as long as the fabric is not too loosely woven. Hacky sacks take a lot of abuse, and you need fabric that's going to hold up to all the stress it's going to endure.

OK, now for the insides. I use little plastic pellets in my hacky sacks. The pellets can be hard to find, but are usually available at large chain craft stores. A 32 ounce bag sells for around $6.00, and will fill approximately 24 hacky sacks. I know a lot of teenagers, so it's not a problem for me to go through a bag, or two, of the pellets. Another great place to get them is a local thrift store or yard sales. Many small stuffed animals have *squishy* bottoms and legs. What makes them squishy? You guessed it! Plastic pellets. I love to recycle and reuse, so I've started using this as my primary source of pellets. As a bonus, they are much cheaper than buying them in a bag. Alternatively, you can fill your hacky sack with small dry beans, such as lentils, but I think the pellets hold up better and longer.

The hacky sack you're going to make looks like a tennis ball or base ball. Using the light bulb shaped pattern, cut two pieces of fabric. The straight edge should be placed on a fold. After cutting them out, you are going to lay them with the right sides of the fabric together. Lay one piece horizontally in front of you, with the right side of the fabric showing. Lay the other piece on top of it vertically, with the wrong side of the fabric showing. The rounded part of the fabric on top should be in the "valley" of the fabric on the bottom. Begin sewing (1/4 inch seams) at the center point on the top, and work your way around the curves. This is rather tricky, because you will have to match up the curves which are going in different directions. Sew slowly and work your way almost the whole way around. Stop sewing when you see that you only have about an inch left to go. To make your hacky sack really strong, start at the beginning again and set your sewing machine to zig-zag. I use stitch width 6, and sew all the way around again, leaving that one inch space open. When you are done sewing, turn your hacky sack right side out and inspect the seams. It is very important that you have good sturdy seams.

To fill the hacky sack, I use a funnel. Slide the bottom of the funnel into the one inch opening and pour some pellets in the top. Most "hackers" like the hacky sack filled about two-thirds full. Don't be tempted to fill it any more than three-fourths full. A full hacky sack doesn't work as well, and will not hold up for very long.

When you have the pellets inside, it's time to sew the opening closed. Using a needle and thread, hand sew the opening closed. I usually go back and forth three times and make frequent knots along the way. This seam has to be extremely tight, so it doesn't burst open when it is used. Remember, these things take a lot of abuse. Not only are they kicked around, but they get scraped along the pavement under shoes.

These little gems make great gifts for pre-teens and teenagers. Whether you are a teen making them for your friends, or a grandmother trying to give cool gifts, this is a project that is inexpensive and appreciated.