Who doesn’t enjoy a good old fashioned bean bag toss? And in America a few rounds of cornhole is a popular must-do game too.
But did you know that there is a SUPER easy way to make your own bean bags?
You can whip up a few bean bags with your sewing machine and be outside playing already in less than half an hour!
Even sewing beginners can make these easily because there is so little stitching and just straight lines! Sounds good, right?
You don’t even need to go to the fabric store to buy new fabric like I have seen elsewhere online. Just dig through that lonely, left-in-the-corner collection of fabric scraps. You’re sure to find enough for this quick sewing project! I can tell you, I’ve got loads of leftover pieces, many of them from the latest DIY sewing kits in my Etsy shop!
So, are you ready to play? Then read on and follow along with this short sewing tutorial now!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you.
Now, quickly, I do have another blog post about making easy peasy bean bags 👈 here.
But I have decided to come up with a fresher sewing tutorial, with even easier **gasp** bean bags to make. AND you can get the instructions in printable form HERE.
The bean bags in this tutorial here are differently shaped and also a little smaller, which might be better suited to smaller hands 😉. Or maybe just a smaller fabric stash 😅.
What You Need to Make Your Own Bean Bags
Fabric scraps> a firm fabric works best, like woven cotton or even denim
Something for filling> rice, dried beans, dried corn and dried peas are good ideas. You get the idea… The key word being dry, not fresh! 😅
The usual essential sewing tools such as fabric scissors, measuring tape, pins and thread.
How to Easily Sew Mini Bean Bags: Sewing Tutorial
Step 1:
For each bean bag you will need one piece of your fabric.
In the photos of this tutorial you will see I have made 2 bean bags. 2 is more fun that just one, right?!? 3, 4, 5, 7, 10… is even more fun 😉.
For each bean bag measure and cut one piece 16cm x 9 cm. No “pattern” to print out needed!
Aaaannnd there is a 1cm seam allowance already included in this sewing project.
Step 2:
Fold the long side of the fabric in half, right sides together. Check that all the raw edges are aligned.
You will now have a doubled layer of fabric, approximately 8cm x 9cm.
Pin together the layers on the side opposite the fold along the raw edges.
Then pin together the fabric layers on one other side (it doesn’t matter which one), leaving one end open (for filling 😉).
Step 3:
Using a short stitch length on your sewing machine (or by hand!) sew those 2 pinned sides together.
Tip: a short stitch length will mean less chance of the filling slipping through any gaps!
Step 4:
Ultimately, this is just a super easy DIY toy and you don’t need to be a 110% perfectionist about it buuuuuut…
If you’d like to use an insider’s sewing tip to make the corners of your bean bag (or pillow cover, or….) more like a right angle than just a rounded blob 😬 LOL, just snip across the corners. This reduces the amount of excess material being squished on the inside of the corner when you turn the bean bag right sides out.
Step 5:
Flip the bean bag(s) right sides out.
Step 6:
Through the one open end of your bean bag, carefully pour in your filling of choice.
I used rice, and only needed about 1 ½-2 tablespoons to get a nicely-squishy-but-not-overly-bursting bean bag shape. It’s really up to you how full you would like to make them. Remember, you still need to sew it closed!
Step 7:
Around the top of the opening carefully fold the raw edge of fabric approximately 1cm inwards and pin in place.
Step 8:
Edge stitch all the fabric layers together along this fold to close the bean bag and keep those goodies inside.
Tip: Make sure that no stray beans/rice/corn kernels have wriggled their way up too close to that edge. Your sewing machine needle will not like it!
Step 9:
And that’s it! Bean bag success!
Hurrah!
See, I told you it would be a mega easy sewing project!
☝️Don’t forget! ☝️ Grab the free printable sewing instructions for these bean bags HERE.
Now to decide what games and activities to play with those bean bags….
What activity are you going to try first? Drop your suggestions in the comments below 👇.
