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DIY Bean Bag Tutorial

By: Author Sara McClure

Posted on  - Last updated:

Categories Crafts, Gross Motor Skills, Play, Sewing

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Bean Bags are a childhood staple. As a teacher, I often used bean bags in my elementary classroom for lots of different learning activities. The possibilities are truly endless! DIY Bean Bags are a perfect easy beginner sewing project and can help use up fabric scraps. The materials are practically free, and even if you have to buy a bag of beans for the filler, each beanbag only costs pennies to make. Make a set for the kids in your life and enjoy hours of fun!

red with white polka dots fabric bean bag with beans spilling out of a hole onto a green cutting mat with yellow lines. A white bowl with beans is in the background. DIY Bean Bags sewing tutorial

 

DIY Bean Bags Tutorial

Sewing level: Beginner
Time: 5 minutes
Cost to Make: $0-$5

Materials:

Square scrap fabric
Sewing machine
Thread
Beans (any will do!)
Hand Sewing Needle (optional)

How to Make DIY Bean Bags

  1. Cut your fabric to a 4x4 square. You will need 2 squares per bean bag. (Mine were 3.5 inches square in the photo. They were fine, but a little smaller than I wanted.)
    Two red with white polka dot fabric squares on a green cutting mat with yellow lines and measurement markings, yellow and black rotary cutter with a round silver blade for cutting fabric, yellow and clear quilting ruler in upper right hand corner
  2. With right sides together, sew around the square. Make sure to start halfway down one side and stop sewing early, leaving a 2 inch space.
    Closeup of hand holding two squares of red fabric together on a white sewing machine with the needle and sewing foot attachment down to make DIY beanbags
  3. Clip corners, making sure not to clip the thread.
    Closeup of red fabric squares with corner fabric clipped and sharp sewing scissors with a grey handle on a green fabric cutting mat with yellow lines and measurement markings.
  4. Turn the bean bag right side out through the hole. Use a pencil to push the corners out.
    Red fabric squares with white polka dots on a green fabric cutting mat with yellow lines and measurement markings, yellow pencil is partially inserted in a hole in the red sewn beanbag to push out the corners while turning the beanbag right side out after clipping fabric corners
  5. Place beans inside the bean bag. I used regular dry pinto beans that I've had in my cabinet forever, but whatever kind of beans you have at your house will work.
    red fabric beanbag with beans falling out of a hole in the side and a white bowl with beans in the background, both are sitting on a green cutting mat with yellow measurement lines
  6. Sew the small opening shut. I used a needle and did a quick whipstitch by hand, but you can also use a sewing machine.
    closeup of a red and white polka dot fabric beanbag with a needle and thread sewing the beanbag shut after filling with beans

That's it! So easy. Now, you're ready to hand these to the kids and make up a game!

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