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.