presents...

Footbag Pattern FAQ

Also, don't forget the Technical Notes on the PostScript Files and How I Use the Patterns where more detailed information is presented about how to use the patterns.

I hope this is useful. If you have additions, corrections, or comments please send them to etiffany@williams.edu and I'll get them into the FAQ.

1. I downloaded one of your patterns, but when I print it out all I get is a bunch of symbols and letters. How can I print the patterns so I can read them?

2. Why PostScript?

Postscript is a page description language, and it's the easiest way for me to draw what I want very precisely. I can specify the exact dimensions of the patterns, and I am guaranteed that the dimensions will be reproduced accurately no matter what computer or printer the files are printed on. This is part of the language specification.

Another nice thing about PostScript is that you can change the patterns to be the size you want. This is all described in the Tech Notes section mentioned above.

If you want to learn more than you ever thought possible about PostScript, check out A First Guide to PostScript, or the comp.lang.postscript FAQ.

3. What's wrong with GIF/TIFF/XBM/PPM...? Do you have these files in any other format?

I have provided GIF renderings of the patterns along with the PostScript files. These are rendered at 72dpi, so they will look pretty bad when you print them on a printer, but they look mostly OK on the screen. However, if you can get the GIF files to scale correctly when you print them (i.e. both of the "one inch" bars are actually one inch long) then you should be able to use them.

Your browser may not print the GIF files at the correct scale. For example, Netscape on my Sun prints them wrong, but Netscape on my Mac works OK. If your Web browser can't hack the files, I would suggest that you download the GIF files and find some shareware image processing software and print the files at "original size". You could also fool around with copying the printed files on a fancy copy machine that can enlarge or shrink documents (but you'd have to be pretty desperate).

4. How can I print PostScript if I don't have a PostScript printer

Using GhostScript has the advantage over just using the GIF files I have posted because you can alter and print the patterns just as if you had a PostScript printer.

(Note: GhostScript is a generally useful thing to have, because it effectively makes your printer into a PostScript printer)

5. Can you mail me the patterns? All else has failed.

Eric Tiffany
171 The Knolls
Williamstown, MA 01267

6. What should I use to make the footbags?

Some of the facile lasts much longer than others. The red stuff and the blue stuff, for example. But it all comes from the same manufacturer so go figure. It may have to do with how the dye affects the material, or just different lots of fabric made at different mills.

Other people use real leather, but I have no experience with this.

The important thing is that you use a material that is not woven, because woven (or knitted) fabric will unravel and the seams will pull out. Unless you hem all your your seams, and you'd be crazy to do this much work.

7. Where can I get Facile or UltraSuede?

B & J Fabrics
263 W. 40th St.
New York, NY (sorry, no zip)

212-354-8150 or 212-221-9287

It has been noted on the e-mail list that Britex Fabric Store in San Francisco has facile, and their phone number is 415-392-2910.

Scott Davidson reports the following:

Vogue Fabrics
732 Main Street
Evanston, IL ????? (yellowpages)
(708) 273-2025

Vogue Fabrics
621 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 606??
(312) 829-2505

Great price, normally $42. Go to the 1/8 yard at smallest.

8. What do you use to draw on the material?

9. How do you sew the bags? Do you sew the bags inside out?

It's important to be precise when you sew. I use about 12 to 16 stitches/inch, which are much smaller stitches than commercial bags. I typically pull the seams tight so that there is a slight puckering of the fabric. I also double stitch the last stitch at both ends of each seam (the corners) because these have a tendency to become loose.

I'm pretty sure your first bag will come out lop-sided, but you'll get the hang of it. Remember that the lines you draw are on the outside of the pattern; if you sew to the inside of the notch instead of the point, your bag will come out bigger than you expect.

10. What should I use to sew the footbag?

11. Why do you cut off the excess flange material?

I think that most commercial bags have small flanges left on the seams (at least the bags I performed autopsies on did). But I also wonder if the flanges inside the bag might prevent the bag from rolling as much due to the drag on the filling as it sloshes around inside. In this case, longer flanges would be better.

If you don't like cutting off the flanges, or if you don't use binder clips to hold the pieces together while you sew (and I'm probably the only one who does), the flanges on my patterns may be reduced by changing the flangewidth parameter as described in the Tech Notes section.

12. How do I close the last seam? How do I get the knot inside?

For some bags, such as the 32-panel soccer or the 62-panel, you will probably need to leave the last two seams loose, because the hole will be too small to turn the bag rightside-out otherwise.

I haven't figured out a great way to pull the knot inside, but here's something that will work. After you tie your knot, leave the extra thread hanging (you should plan ahead and leave about 6 inches after you tie off). Thread the loose ends through a blunt needle with a big eye (like a needlepoint needle), and push it through the vertex next to the knot (but not through the material), and out through another vertex. Then you can pull the thread through, tug a little to get the knot inside, and cut off the excess thread. [The needle idea is from Brent Welch, I think. I use a tiny crochet hook, which I push into the bag through an adjacent vertex and out through the vertex next to the knot, and use the hook to grab the thread and pull it through.]

13. What do you fill the bag with?

I have no idea where to get this stuff, but check the yellow pages for Plastics and see if people will give you free samples; usually, they sell this stuff by the boxcar load. Some people say they have found similar stuff in craft or sewing stores (used for filling stuffed animals, etc.)

14. How do I get those damn pellets inside the bag? How much should I fill the bag?

15. What program did you use to model the bags? Is it public domain?

If you just want to see something cool, look here to see the basis for pretty much all of the multi-panel footbags you have ever kicked with.

Geomview has all the data files for all the Archimedian solids (all possible polyhedra with equal edges), amongst many other cool things. If you don't want to hack the trig for the design of a 62 panel rhombicosidodecahedron, you can run a Perl script over the datafile to get the edge length for a unit radius example, then scale to suit your particular needs.

[Note: Scott Davidson writes: "Did I mention that I was the first to do a 62-panel design? I gave the pattern to the Danes, who years earlier, had taught me to sew. They mastered it and brought it much honor."]

16. So what's the best way to clean 'em?

Other people have suggested hand washing, but (possibly?) to avoid Woolite. Don't wring out, and air dry.

With Sipas and other crocheted bags, you can just throw them right into the wash and dry (and this is a good way to break them in).

17. Does anyone else have any footbag patterns?

From: R.SJOERDSMA@elsevier.nl
Date: Mon, 10 Jul 1995 07:56:53 +0200

Subject: footbag patterns

Yeah, I got them all. That is, 4, 8, 12, 14, 32, panel patterns.
I promised the guy that told me how to make 'm, that I'd teach someone 
else.
Of course, if it's only for the patterns, you could tear apart an old 
footbag

Ruud

18. What about crocheted bags?

Laurie's Footbag Recipe

Equipment:

• Crochet hook (I use a #3 size, but a little bigger makes for a little looser feeling bag)
• Yarn (cotton yarn is nicer, but costs more)
• Filler (I've tried using organic filler like lentils or barley, but they all eventually break down to dust, so I broke down and now use plastic "poly pellets")
• Big (not sharp) needle with a big eye
• Scissors
• A quick guide to show you the "crochet basics" (how to start, chaining, and the actual crochet.) You can get a cheap book where you get the rest of your stuff OR your grandma might be able to show you!

Key:

SC =

Single (1 in each existing 1 to 1 ratio)

DC =

Double (2 crochets in each existing 2 to 1 ratio)

RC =

Remove (skip over one existing 1 to 2 ratio)

• Chain 4
• Connect chain ends to form a circle
• 8 SCs around circle
• DC (1 row)
• SC (1 row)
• DC (1 row)
• SC (1 row)
• 2 SCs (1 to 1) and 1 DC (2 to 1) (continue pattern for 1 row)
• 10 SCs and 1 DC (continue pattern for 1 row)
• SC (3 rows) (Here you can change colors for the Sipa look)
• SC (3 rows) (change colors again)
• SC (3 rows)
• 8 SCs (1 to 1) and 1 RC (1 to 2) (continue pattern for 1 row)
• Decrease the number of SCs by 1 per row until the hole is about the diameter of your pinky (big enough for you to still fill it).
• Fill it with pellets
• Now for the closing. It is difficult to close a footbag. You must make sure that it will not re-open, and you still want it to look good. The method I use is to take a large needle and thread the remaining yarn through the loops around the opening TWICE. Now when you pull the end of the yarn, it cinches the hole closed. Then I will criss cross stitch a little bit depending on how well my close looks, and tie the end off.

Good luck!

- Mike

  __/ _ _/  Eric Tiffany            Ascent Technology, West   413-458-0284
 __/   /   erict@ascent.com        171 The Knolls            FAX 458-2163
__/  _/   etiffany@williams.edu   Williamstown, MA 01267    617-225-0850