Who doesn’t love playing Tic-Tac-Toe!?! Want a fun, quick craft that you can put together in 30 minutes? Look no further! Kids of all ages will love making this entertaining version of tic-tac-toe to take on-the-go, and is perfect for the summer!
You can cinch up this simple bag, snap it closed or velcro it to contain your playing pieces (which are simply rocks) and carry it wherever you need an enjoyable game – in the car on road trips, at the park, to the beach, at the cabin/lake house, on a camping trip or even to play at the kitchen table on a rainy summer evening! These also make wonderful gifts, and is also a great game to enjoy all winter long. No matter where you play it, it will be certain to bring hours of merriment!
Let’s get started!
Do these not look so charming!?!
You will need fabric, ribbon, 2 wood beads and rocks, plus to either hand sew or use a sewing machine (like I did).
For the fabric, you will need your piece to be 6″ wide and 10″ long. I leave the fabric doubled up, so you have the 2 pieces of fabric that is needed! I am also cutting on the fold so I only need to sew the sides! Super simple. First off, we are making the pouch, cinch-sack style.
If you are opting for velcro or snaps, then these first few steps of sewing the ribbon for the cinch-sack can be skipped. Instead, at the top, you will fold in and sew a 1/4″ to 1/2″ seam to keep the edge nice, then attach your fastener of choice.
I cut the ribbon 26″ long. I make sure part of it is sticking out (which is where we will pull to close it) and lay it on the top edge of the fabric, on the “bad” side, for the top of the cinch-sack. I then fold the raw edge over, pulling the ribbon closest to the fold line, and pin where the ribbon is (so I do not sew it), and sew along the raw edge. Be careful to not sew the ribbon because otherwise you will not be able to close the cinch-sack. Back stitch.
Keeping it pinned, (second picture below) I place the ribbon along the other side of the fabric, fold the edge of the fabric over and sew along the raw edge, just like we did for the first side. Careful to not sew the ribbon. I find this is easier than sewing the top seams and then struggle to get the ribbon through!
Now that the ribbon is in the top, and the ribbon is able to cinch the bag closed, we are going to sew the sides to form the bag. If the ribbon cannot close the bag, seam rip and sew again.
Fold inside out so it is “good” side to good side. I kept the pins in the ribbon to stop the ribbon from moving and the excess ribbon, I folded over and pinned it at the top so I did not accidentally sew it. Pin the sides and sew along the edges.
Be sure to back stitch and be careful to not sew through the ribbon, or the bag will not be able to be closed.
I go up to the ribbon, but not through.
Now that the bag has been sewed, trim excess material if need be and trim any threads. The excess ribbon (that will be used to pull the bag closed) is still pinned.
This is how it looks after it has been sewed. Be sure to sew both sides. Since the fabric was cut on the fold, I did not need to sew the bottom. If you are sewing two separate pieces of fabric, be sure to sew the bottom now.
Next we will trim the bottom corners at an angle so the bag sits more flat and is not so bulky.
Corners are trimmed which help give the bag a nice corner.
Remove all pins. Flip the bag right-side out.
Next, it is time for the x’s and o’s grid! I used fabric glue and glued on the ribbon for the grid. I placed a piece of cardboard inside the bag so the front fabric does not get glued to the back fabric! You can also sew this part on, hot glue it, embroider it or draw it on with a sharpie. It is totally up to you!
Next, place a wooden bead on each ribbon and then tie the ribbon together. This will stop the beads from falling off and prevent the ribbon from slipping out. This will also help the bag stay closed!
Next, it is time to paint rocks for the game pieces. You can also make them from clay if you so choose.
We went for a walk and looked around for small rocks. We found the perfect size in a nearby dirt pile. You will need 10 in total – 5 for what will be the “x” and 5 for what will be the “o.”
Kids will love painting the rocks! I know I sure did! Paint anything you like onto the rocks – shapes, designs, bugs, cars, animals, rainbows, clouds, unicorns, birthday cake, snowmen, pumpkins, characters of your choice — anything you like! You can choose a theme or have no theme at all! You can also paint the whole rock, just as long as you have 5 of each design.
We opted to paint a small design to showcase the rock because we like the organic look of rocks! The beauty is you really can do anything – that is what makes all of our projects unique!
I painted lady bugs and bees. They are so cute!
My daughter did honey hives and bees.
Once the rocks are dried, you can glaze them with something like mod podge which will help the design stay on the rock much longer.
Doesn’t this look like fun?
This is my daughter’s bag and rocks. She especially enjoyed this project because she is a rock collector, so she naturally gravitated towards this craft! We have had tons of laughter while playing this old fashioned game for hours! It really is a great way to pass the time!
And this is my other daughter’s bag with rocks. She went with a dairy/milk and cookies theme.
You can take this old fashioned tic-tac-toe game anywhere with you! It can also be made from scrap material and crafting supplies and the best part is that it is reusable!
No more wasting paper (which is what my kids did when their sheets were full of x’s and o’s!)! When you are finished playing, simply toss the rocks inside the bag and cinch it closed. When you are ready to play again, pull the ribbon gently to open, dump the rocks out, flatten the bag and play! You can also paint another design on the back of the rocks so you have “more” game pieces!
We have enjoyed playing this version of Tic-Tac-Toe and have had hours of enjoyment – and I am sure you will too!
Please feel free to share your old fashioned tic-tac-toe creations with us! We love seeing what you created!
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours