Stars & Stripes Hacky Sack

The design of this hacky sack was was first drawn as a picture by my 13 yr old step son after he found the pellets in Wal-Mart for me. I guess I owe him one so I let him draw a picture of what he wanted his hacky sack to look like. This is the result of that drawing. In order to be able to get the right look, I made the sack slightly bigger than normal. A normal size hacky sack is around 2" in diameter and this one is 2.5" in diameter. But my stepson still likes it!

Materials Needed:
.5" cup poly pellets or other similar stuffing.
An old sock which has no holes or nylon stocking.
Sewing needle and thread
Southmaid size 10 crochet cotton in Victory Red, White and True Blue
Size 7 steel crochet hook
Tapestry needle

Yarn Thickness: 10thread
Gauge: 10 hdc = 1"
Finished Size: =2.5" diameter
Skill Level: Intermediate

Instructions
Make the pellet form.
STEP 1. Using a half cup measure, pour pellets into the toe of a child's sock. Around shoe size 4 or age 5-8. Do not cut the sock yet. Make sure to have all the pellets crammed into the toe.

STEP 2. Thread needle with 36" of thread, double up the thread and make a knot at the end of it. Stitch a running stitch around sock just above the pellets and make sure to leave the knotted end hanging out about 4 inches. This will make it possible to tie the threads together easily and make the gathers tight. Once the stitching around is done.

STEP 3. Grab a hold of both ends of the thread and draw up the gathers tight and tie into a knot. You may need to tie it a few times. Leave needle on an do not cut threads yet.

STEP 4. Trim the sock to about 3/8" above the stitching line. With the bottom end of the crochet hook, poke the seam alowance into inside of the form. Secure an close the hole with more stitches worked randomly back and forth across the hole drawing up each stitch tight. Trim threads to .5". Set aside Ball.

With Red,
RND 1: Ch2, work 12 hdc in 3rd ch from hook. Join w/slst to first hdc.

RND 2: Ch2, hdc in same st as slst. 2 hdc in each st around. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 3: Ch2, 2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next st. Rep from * around. 2 hdc in last st. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 4: Ch2, 2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next 2 sts. Rep from * around. 2 hdc in last st. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 5: Ch2, 2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next 3 sts. Rep from * around. 2 hdc in last st. Join w/slst to top of ch2. Drop red. Do not fasten off.

Tie white on to same st as slst.

RND 6: Ch2, 2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next 5 (yes 5) sts. Rep from * around. 2 hdc in last st. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 7&8: Ch2, hdc in each st around. Join w/slst to top of ch2. Drop white. Do not fasten off.

RND 9&10: Pick up red and rep RND 7. Drop Red pick up white.

RND 11-15: Rep RND 7. Drop white pick up red.

RND 16&17: Rep RND 7. Drop red pick up white

RND 18 & 19: Rep RND 7.

RND 20: Ch2, hdc in next 4 sts. Yo insert hook in next st, yo draw up lp, yo draw thread through 2 lps on hook, insert hook in next st, yo draw up lp, yo draw thread through all three lps on hook. Dec made. *Hdc in next 5 sts. 1dec. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to top of ch2. Drop white, pick up red.

Slip ball form into cover. Now work on the form from here.

RND 21: Ch2, hdc in next 2 sts. 1 dec. *Hdc in next 3 sts, 1 dec. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 22: Ch2, hdc in next 1 sts. 1 dec. *Hdc in next 2 sts, 1 dec. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 23: Ch2, hdc in next st. 1 dec. *Hdc in next 2 sts, 1 dec. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 21: Ch2. 1 dec. *Hdc in next st, 1 dec. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 22: Ch2, dec all the way around. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 23: Ch1, sc in same st as slst. Sc in each st around. Join w/slst to first sc. Break off and weave ends into work. You will need to bring the thread through the stitches at the beginning and the end and draw the threads up tightly to close the little holes at each pole. Make sure to weave the ends in alot or they may work themselves out.

Stars
With blue
RND 1: Ch4, join w/slst to first ch to form ring. Ch1, work 10 sc in ring. Join w/slst to first sc.

RND 2: Ch1, sc in same st as slst. *Ch4, slst in 2nd ch from hook. Sc in next ch, hdc in next ch. Sc in next 2 scs. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to first sc. Fasten off and leave an 18" length of thread. Weave the starting thread in. Use the ending thread to sew the stars to the ball on the center white stripe spacing them evenly. Work one stitch in each st around star.

Stars & Stripes Hacky Sack

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