How to make a bean bag?

[WhoTheHellisDave]

I want to make a bean bag in this sort of shape here and just wondered if anyone can tell me how to do it.

I was going to start with two circles for the top and bottom and a long thing rectangle for the sides. I thought I'd do a zip where the two rectangle ends come together. I can't decide what order to do it in to make sewing it easiest.

Sew the rectangle side to one of the circles, then the next circle and do the zip last?

Also, what do I do about the beans? Do I have to make an inner bag - will that need a zip too? It will won't it? I hate putting in zips!

for the inner you could just use one of those fine mesh/netting bag things? we have a beanbag and it has one inside which is just knotted at the end

Thanks, I didn't know about those, where would I get them?

it depends on how big you intend to make it, & in what kind of fabric -

ie: will it wash & will it fit in you washing machine -

if the answer is YES - then you don't need the net lining & you don't need a zip - if you fill it with poly beads it will wash fine at 40 degrees & air dry quite quickly.

if the answer is NO - then you do need a zip & you do need a removable bead holding inner layer - in this case I make a plain Calico (cheap & sturdy) to house the beads & the outer with a zip in my chosen cloth.

you for that style you DO need to stiffen your fabric though - this can be done with a heavy weight iron on fusing/interlinging - I find the heavy gauge type you would use for handbags works best -

I've made several of these & this is what I've found works - good luck :)

should have read ^ in this case I make the inner one in calico

Thanks, thats so helpful. I'll have fun shopping this weekend for the bits and pieces I need.

personally, I put a large zip across the diameter of the bottom circle. makes it an awful lot easier to put the bag of beans in!