Puff Stitch Crochet Footbag – Easy Hacky Sack Pattern

Intro

Remember hacky sack circles at school and the park? This little crochet footbag brings them back — a squishy, colourful ball with a bumpy puff-stitch texture that is genuinely fun to kick, juggle and fidget with. It works up in about an hour, uses small amounts of cotton yarn (perfect for leftovers), and makes a great handmade gift for kids, teens and anyone who loves a quick, playful project.

Materials

• Cotton yarn, DK or worsted — about 25 g total (one colour, or 3 colours for stripes like ours: teal, coral and mustard)
• 4 mm crochet hook
• Plastic filler pellets (poly pellets) — about 45 g / 3 tablespoons (you can also use dry rice or lentils, but pellets last longer and don’t mind getting wet)
• Yarn needle, stitch marker, scissors
• Optional: a small piece of old tights/stocking to line the ball if your stitches are loose, so no pellets escape

Abbreviations (US terms)

MR = magic ring · sc = single crochet · inc = increase (2 sc in one stitch) · dec = invisible decrease · puff = puff stitch · FO = fasten off

Puff stitch (in this pattern): yarn over, insert hook in the stitch and pull up a loop — repeat this 3 times in the same stitch (7 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all 7 loops, then chain 1 to close the puff.

Step 1: The Base

Work in continuous rounds. Start with your first colour.

• Round 1: MR, 6 sc (6)
• Round 2: inc in each stitch (12)
• Round 3: (sc, inc) × 6 (18)
• Round 4: (2 sc, inc) × 6 (24)
• Round 5: (3 sc, inc) × 6 (30)
• Round 6: sc in each stitch (30)

Your piece should now look like a small shallow cup — that curve is exactly what we want.

Step 2: The Puff-Stitch Rounds

• Rounds 7–10: (puff in the next stitch, sc in the next stitch) — repeat all the way around (30 stitches, 15 puffs per round)

Change colour at the start of any round for stripes — our sample swaps colours every round (teal, coral, mustard). The puffs give the ball its bumpy, grippy texture, which is what makes it so satisfying to kick and catch.

Step 3: Close the Top

• Round 11: (3 sc, dec) × 6 (24)
• Round 12: (2 sc, dec) × 6 (18)
• Round 13: (sc, dec) × 6 (12)

Do not fasten off yet — it’s time to fill the ball first.

Step 4: Fill & Finish

1. Spoon the plastic pellets into the opening. Fill until the ball feels full but still soft and squishy — about 45 g. A hacky sack should give a little when it lands on your foot; if it’s rock hard, take a spoonful out.
2. Round 14: dec × 6 (6). FO, leaving a long tail.
3. Thread the tail through the front loops of the last 6 stitches, pull tight to close the hole completely, knot, and push the needle through the ball a few times before trimming — this hides the end inside so it can survive plenty of kicks.

Finished!

Your footbag is about 6–7 cm (2.5 in) across — the classic hacky sack size. Make a set of three in bright colours for juggling practice, or crochet one in your team’s colours. How long can you keep it up? Tell us your record in the comments — and save this pattern for your next park day!