Foot Bag - Silkysteps - Early learning resources and childcare activites for the early years

Sewing patterns and stitch projects for all ages: Preschool through to home use ..

Footbag

Footbag or Hackysack is a fantastic game of skill

The official site, has a lot of video demonstrations that you can watch and see how the moves are performed.

http://www.footbag.org/

We played around with some hacky sack/footbag patterns but soon found out that the younger children may have a problem keeping hold of the sack on their foot!!
So we decided that to begin with, it may be easier for them to begin the tricky process of hand /foot eye coordination needed for this great game by practicing with a circular bag more like the old conventional bean bag.

Download the PDF

Check out these links for other Footbag patterns

Footbag Patterns
A crocheted frog hacky sack

To make our bags you will need

Some T shirt fabric (stockinet -in various colours, depending which animal you want to make!)

Needle and thread

Filling – this can be rice or lentils but these can deteriorate. If you think you will play around a lot with your bags it may be worth investing in some plastic pellets – the type used to fill some soft toys.

Scour your local jumble/yard sales for toys you can gut and reuse the beads from.
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Print out the large circle pattern and 1 ear pattern.....

CIRCLE PATTERN HERE

Ear pattern

Cut 2 large circles from your fabric – this will be the head or body of your animal footbag.

Cut 4 ears – in contrasting colours if you want them to have the pink inner ear effect! Place 2 ears (right sides together) together and stitch around the outer edge. Turn the ear right side out and then repeat with the other ear.

Pin the curved edge to the outer edge of the large circle. You may have to stretch the fabric a little to fit the edges together.

Place the 2^nd large circle on the top (with right sides facing) and sew around the outer edge. Leave the bottom open – where shown on the pattern.

Turn the whole thing right side out and manipulate the ears back into position.

Turn it upside down and using a funnel, pour the rice etc filling inside.

Once it is quite plump and full turn in the raw edges of the opened seam and ladder stitch the gap tightly closed. Once complete use fabric pens paint or more fabric to create the features of the animal. A permanent marker pan works great if you haven’t got any paints.

These are some ideas that you can do to liven up your designs!