When I made a heap of "Peek-A-Boo" Toy Sacks to combat the toy clutter, I just wasn't sure what to do with the Lego. It continued living in a plastic box, but I would cringe every time I heard that long c-r-a-s-h and saw Lego strewn all over the floor. Oscar is pretty good at packing it up, but it was getting rather tedious. Then the Lego box was being used as a boat and it broke. So we started storing the Lego in a Toy Sack, but it just wasn't working.
A short while later we were having a play date with our special friends and discussing various ways to store Lego (VERY important topic of conversation on a play date!) and one of my friends remembered a circular mat that turned into a bag in which Lego could be both played on and stored in. BINGO! Of course, if I used some more of my lovely Ta-Dot fabric it would blend in perfectly with the Toy Sacks! I told Oscar about it, he drew up some plans (I'll have to take a photo and show it to you soon - it is so cute!) and one weekend we sewed it together.
Ta Da! The all-problems-solved LEGO SACK!
When the Lego is packed away, it sits neatly like this:
Then, when the kids are ready to play all they have to do is untie...
...stretch...
...pull apart...
...spread it out...
...and build away!
The beauty about the Lego Sack, is that if as many blocks as possible are kept ON the mat when playing, then it will mean no packing up later on. All you have to do is pull the drawstrings tight and the mat gathers up into the sack!
We've had it for a couple of weeks and it is working really well. Oscar is quite careful to keep most of the blocks on the mat and happily packs up when he is finished aswell.
I plan on sharing a tutorial for the Lego Sack in the next week or two so if you have Lego issues (or any other small toys that are a pain to keep clean) then maybe this would be helpful for you?
29 comments:
We have SERIOUS Leggo issues so can't wait until the tutorial. It seems like the most perfect solution. I wonder if we can combine a little toy sack window as well? Thanks
this is such a great idea! legos are great, but they are hard to contain! :)
yes, please! Between the legos and the k'nex, the boys floor is like a minefield.
Perfect! I need to try this right away! Legos and K'nex everywhere. And with a toddler who puts everything in his mouth, my oldest has been confined to the playroom w/the door shut. This is better for everyone.
Please share the tutorial! I don't have Leggo issues. I do have small toy issues! This is fabulous!! Thanks for the brilliance of your friend and for you and your son to draft and sew the idea!!
Can't wait! Our legos are in 3 boxes!
oh such a nice idea.... Although my kids are no more lover of legos, but it will work on many issues. thanks for sharing..
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Ohhh...I would love a tutorial for this sack!!! We are drowning in Legos (and other figurines)!!! :)
We too have serious issues here, but with K-nex pieces and a small baby who is soon to crawl! Would LOVE to see a tutorial as I've been thinking of making one of these lately too! If only lego and K-nex were magnetic and you could just pick it all up quickly with a magnet!! :o)
BRILLIANT you~!
Great idea Toni. I made a toy mat like this for my nephew about 3 years ago and my friend who saw mw making it commented that it would be a great Lego playmat! Might be a good Christmas gift idea!
Hi Toni, I'm wondering if Simone was your friend as we had a denim one when we were kids, and I still have our lego in it, so that means the idea is roughly 35 years old! Obviously it didn't take off way back then, but maybe it was before its time and now...... yours looks great!
that is a fantastic idea. I think the lego would still get strewn all through the play area, but having to just put it in a pile and pull the strings would be great! I cant wait for the tutorial ;)
I remember those! We had one as kids, and it worked brilliantly. Great for hours of lego fun and easy clean up! Also an easy way to travel with lego as it squashed down in the holiday - packed car easy!
Ahhhh, that's really clever! Can't wait to see the tutorial!
Woohoo! Glad all that brainstorming eventuated into something! We can count on you to follow through with the goods Toni! Look forward to the tutorial! x
Great idea! Ofcourse, with all the lego my husband saved from his childhood and the serious collecting of lego that my son does I would have to make an enormous sack. Or.. I could make multiple sacks. Maybe even colour organized...hmmm... I think there is an idea growing here.. thanks! :-D
Would love to see a tutorial! What a fabulous idea!!
What a great idea tone!
Yes, yes, lego issue in our house! So i am looking forward to the tutorial! Thank you and your husband! Great!
willemijn
Toni..this one is INGENIOUS. From the first pics it looked like a trendy, sturdy bag to keep lego in..and then shazam your picture of the sack opened and acting as a base.. you should go on the new inventors show on ABC! and we all totally get you on that comment "i cringe when i hear the long crash' of the lego collection hitting the floor!
yeah, these are way cool.
our solution to the lego 'issue' was to get a play table (a train table). the legos go in bins underneath when not in use - but because of the lips of the table they can stay out for more than one day and not get everywhere.
This would be perfect to make for my husband's nephew. He is a lego fanatic! We even have a stash of legos at our house for him.
This is such a smart idea, why haven't I thought of it before? Thank you for sharing!. I am afraid though I have to have a bag which is about 2 meters big since we have so much!
LOVE it!!! You are TOO clever... i love the lego sitting neatly in the centre!! might have to work on that one! xx
Yes yes yes I remember my cousins had stacks of Lego and they had a circular drawstring mat like this (about 25 years ago?), I have wanted to make one ever since my kids accumulated Duplo! Can't wait for your tute...
Ingenious idea!! Those little pieces can get all over the place if not corralled. Thanks for sharing!
Wow! Fantastic, can't wait to make a few, cos we will need a few! Tried the lipped table solution - it just seems to store tubs and lego mats, and creations that they don't want to destroy just yet - so then they just tip it out onto old trays (from the op shop) - but the floor is when it gets scattered. I think it would solve a lot of issues, picking up seems almost impossible for my boys - but they might be able to manage this. A couple of years ago i was at a friends and she dragged out a sack of lego from her childhood. I was very impressed by the large canvas sack that turned into a playmat. Yours looks so lovely, and softer on the knees. The old one had metal eyelets and a rope draw string. Can't wait for the tutorial!
Hey - You should make a few of these and sell them in your Etsy store. So many toy uses even beyond Legos. I love them so much - I am just not a good seamstress. I'd love to buy some from you.
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