Spiral Hackysack

Spiral Hackysack by Joyce Yu

What Is Being Made

The Spiral Hackysack is a small, spherical crocheted toy designed as a quick project perfect for using up yarn scraps. These finished hackysacks measure 2.5 inches (6.5 centimeters) across and are ideal for children's play. Each hackysack can be stuffed with polyfill or pony beads to create soft, throwable balls, making them excellent handmade gifts.

Yarn and Materials

This project uses approximately 10 yards total of worsted weight yarn, divided between a main color (MC) and a contrast color (CC). The minimal yardage requirement makes the Spiral Hackysack an excellent choice for using up leftover yarn from other projects. Additional materials include a size G crochet hook, a split ring marker or scrap yarn for marking rounds, a tapestry needle for finishing, and pony beads or polyfill for stuffing the finished sphere.

Crochet Techniques and Stitches

The Spiral Hackysack employs fundamental crochet techniques suitable for intermediate-level crocheters. The pattern utilizes the following stitches and techniques:

• Single crochet (sc) – the primary stitch used throughout the construction
• Single crochet 2 together (sc2tog) – a decrease technique used to shape the sphere
• Chain (ch) – used to begin the project
• Color changes – the pattern incorporates two colors worked in spiral rounds, requiring careful color management and loop tension to prevent unraveling between color changes
• Round-based construction (rnd) – the hackysack is built in continuous rounds rather than rows

Construction Notes

Gauge is not critical for this project; however, stitches must be worked tightly enough to prevent stuffing from showing through or falling out of the finished sphere. The pattern includes a tutorial for the first two rounds to assist crafters. When switching between colors, the designer recommends pulling the working loop out an inch or two to prevent accidental unraveling of the dropped color.