Hacky Sack

Hacky sacks are fun and easy to make. A hacky sack, like my Snowball Fight pattern, is a stuffed sphere, with the difference that a hacky sack has a standard size and weight. According to Wikipedia, a hacky sack is usually between 2.5 and 3 inches in diameter and weighs between 40 and 65 grams. It’s important to make the hacky sack tight, full, and on the smaller size of this standard as it will loosen and stretch with use. This pattern works up to 2.5 inch diameter and with recycled plastic pellets, weighs around 45 grams, but can be made heavier with sand. To complete this project, you will need to know how to: • Chain • Start a project in the round • Increase (work two stitches in the same space) • Decrease (work a stitch across two spaces) • Do a single crochet • Finish off • Weave in ends • Change and carry colors (optional) Difficulty level: Beginner to Intermediate – pattern uses chain (ch), single crochet (sc), slip stitch (sl st), increasing (inc), decreasing (dec), and working in the round (rnd). Stitch count is included at the end of the line for each round. Finished size: roughly 2.5 inches in diameter Materials: • Light worsted or heavy DK cotton (roughly 12-15 grams per hacky sack). I used Hobbii Rainbow 8/8 cotton. Acrylic might work up smaller and will stretch out really quickly! • Filling: I use Poli Recycled Plastic Pellets (roughly 30-33 grams). Some people use uncooked rice, beans, or popcorn kernels. These will work well short term, but since hacky sack is usually played outside, the sack will inevitably get wet, leading to a potential issue with mold. • Nylon footy (Also called “try socks” for trying on shoes) • Needle and thread for sewing sock closed • 3.5 mm crochet hook • Stitch marker to mark first st of each round • Yarn needle for closing sack and sewing in ends Gauge: Instead of working a gauge swatch, I suggest measuring the diameter (across) of your sack after round 6. It should be around 2.5 inches. If it is too big, use a smaller hook. If it is too small, size up or add another increase round. Errata: In the version first posted, I mentioned that if the sack seems too small, you can add an increase after round 5 to bring the rounds to 36. I mistakenly typed this as a repeating inc, 5 sc, when it should have said inc, 4 sc. The pattern on the website and pdf have been corrected.