When attending a market one spring, I had a young man (9 yrs old) ask me if I had any hacky sacks and I was quite surprised. They were extremely popular when I was in junior high and I didn't realize that, almost 30 years later, they had made a resurgence. So I sat down the next day and started working on a quick to make pattern so I could have some available for my next couple of markets. Imagine my surprise when I sold out 2 weekends in a row! Dads were buying them to teach their kids and then their friends were buying them too. Goes to show, all trends seem to follow a circuitous route.
And now I will share this simple, quick pattern with you. Worked in the round, each ball is approximately 6.3 cm (2.5 inches) in diameter and weighs around 60 gm (2.15 oz) when finished. It takes me about 30 minutes to complete 1 hacky sack.
YOU WILL NEED:
Worsted weight cotton yarn (1 small skien will make 2 or more)
4.00 mm (G) hook
50 gm Lentils, popcorn kernels or small dried beans (to fill hacky sack). Poly pellets can also be used but I prefer to use dried foods as they are more environmentally friendly in the event that your hacky sack becomes lost in said environment.
CROCHET TERMS:
MC - magic circle - a good video tutorial of this can be found at the following link... https://www.thefriendlyredfox.com/crochet-magic-circle/
sc - single crochet
inc - 2 sc in one stitch
sc2tog - decrease 2 sc using the invisible decrease method (put hook through FRONT LOOP ONLY of next 2 stitches [3 loops on hook], yarn over and pull through 2 loops 2 times)
TO MAKE:
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MC
Rnd 2: inc in each st (12 sc)
Rnd 3: (sc 1, inc in next) x 6 (18 sc)
Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc in next) x 6 (24 sc)
Rnd 5: (sc 3, inc in next) x 6 (30 sc)
Rnd 6: (sc 4, inc in next) x 6 (36 sc)
Rnd 7 - 12: sc around
Rnd 13: (sc 4, sc2tog) x 6 (30 sc)
Rnd 14: (sc 3, sc2tog) x 6 (24 sc)
Rnd 15: (sc 2, sc2tog) x 6 (18 sc)
At this point in time, fill your hacky with whatever fill you have chosen to use. Use caution as you continue so as not to spill your fill.
Rnd 16: (sc 1, sc2tog) x 6 (12 sc)
Rnd 17: sc2tog x 6 (6 sc). Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Using a tapestry needle, weave the tail through the last 6 stitches and pull tight to close. Weave the ends securely into the ball and enjoy.
This pattern can easily be adapted into an easy to handle, soft and chewable ball for infants by replacing the lentil fill with a stuffing material such as wool or polyfil.