diy: juggling rag balls

Welcome to day 3 of the circus! Juggling under the Big Top is a must.  My mother's vintage rag balls were the inspiration for making some modern juggling balls with simple materials.

A little rice, an old t-shirt and a few stray socks are all you need to make your own set. They're firm, don't bounce and can be customized to the hands of the juggler!

Need:

• Old small sock (toddler size is just right)
• Rice
• Needle and thread
• Scissors
• 1-2 inch wide strips of t-shirts cut against the grain.

Make:

1. Cut toe off sock. Fill toe with rice and sew opening shut. 
2. Fold over excess seam allowance to create a ball.
3. Wind strips of fabric around and around the rice ball. Keep it tight and even until it’s the size of a tangerine. It will look wonky, at first. Keep going.
4. Tuck in the last few inches of fabric in several different spots to secure. Add  few stitches in varying spots for added durability. It's done!!

Make a set of at least three and learn how to juggle... an older child can master it, too!  Juggling has a long and rich history. Check out Annekata's latest post for more facts and links.

During these busy times, it seems like we all  have so many "balls" in the air... learning at least one way to juggle them would feel so satisfying... wink. wink.

A big thank you to Casey Benson for playing circus with us. More details on this amazing woman next week!