Pool Toss Game

Pool Toss Game
By Bernadette Noll and Kathie Sever
Future Craft Collective

If you joined us last week, you know we headed out of the sewing room and into the pool! It’s hot here in Austin, and when it’s hot here in June, you know you’ve got three months more to go of the forecast being nothing but hazy, hot, and humid. So what can you do but hang out at the pool? And if you’re hanging at the pool for hours on end, you’re going to need something to do. Last week we made the pool diving toy. And this week we’ll be making a Pool Ring Toss Game in two parts.

Materials:

Tech T-shirts If you don’t know what these are, think running or bicycling shirt. Ours were of course thrift store purchased.
Polyester stuffing We ripped ours out of a neglected and unaware stuffed animal. Every house has at least a dozen of these cheap-o stuffed animals that nobody wants. And if you don’t, the thrift store usually has scads of them.
Sewing machine
Thread
File folder or cereal box
Vinyl event banner You can find these in the discard pile at most running stores, cycling stores, etc. Or your local sign shop will most likely have seconds or cutoff pieces up for grabs.
Packing peanuts not the ones that dissolve!

Directions for Pool Ring:

Step 1: Cut two 16″ circles out of the vinyl event banner.

Step 2: Cut the center out of the circles, leaving a 3½” ring.
Step 3: Sew the 2 pieces together along the inside of the ring, face to face.

Step 4: Sew along the outside of the ring, leaving a 3″–4″ opening on each side.

Step 5: Stuff the packing peanuts down inside the ring. Stuff from each side.

Step 6: Sew the outside of the ring shut. Have a handful of packing peanuts nearby so you can stuff a few more in as you sew.

Directions for Pool Ball:

Step 1: Draw and cut the shown pattern piece out of a piece of old file folder or cereal box. Note the dimensions in the photo (8″ long, 2¼” at the narrow point and 4″ at the wider ends).
Step 2: Trace the pattern piece onto the tech shirt fabric, one of each color for fun or both the same if that’s all you have. Cut out.

Step 3: Lay one piece on top of the other, as shown.

Step 4: This is tricky to describe and a little tricky to do but once you start, you’ll get the hang of it. Using about a ¼” seam allowance, start sewing the pieces together at the point where the 2 edge pieces meet — the top of the “T” basically. Keep working your way around, joining up the 2 pieces as you go along. Sew and slide the pieces together in one continuous seam. At the end, leave a little hole open for turning and stuffing.
Step 5: Turn your ball inside out.

Step 6: Remove the stuffing from a neglected stuffed animal.

Step 7: Stuff your ball nice and tight, more than you think you can.

Step 8: Tuck the open end in and hand-stitch it shut using a whipstitch.

Now let’s play Pool Ring Toss!!!
Be sure to come back next week because we’ll be making a really cool mesh-bottomed swim bag to carry all your new pool toys. And in the meantime, race you to the bottom!
About the Authors:

Future Craft Collective is brought to you by Kathie Sever and Bernadette Noll. Kathie is an accomplished seamstress, creator of Ramonsterwear Custom Western Wear, artist, and mother of two. Bernadette is a writer, co-founder of Slow Family Living, and mother of four. They have found renewed energy in their collaboration and are continuously amazed by the ideas, inspiration, and a-ha moments that have come from this shared effort.