Denim Tic-Tac-Toe Game: A Sewing Tutorial

Things you will learn

The game board is pieced from nine denim squares, 13 cm on a side (plus a 1 cm seam allowance), stitched to a 39x39 cm lining and interfacing.
The board's edge is bound with a 4 cm strip of denim, folded at 90 degrees at each corner.
For the pieces, you'll cut 18 square blanks; the X's are made from 3x15 cm strips, and the O's from rings with an 11 cm outer diameter and a 5 cm inner diameter.
The pillow pieces are lightly stuffed and the opening closed with hidden stitches, while the board's seams are topstitched in a zigzag with contrasting thread.

What you'll get

A portable denim tic-tac-toe game with soft pillow-style X and O pieces.

Materials and tools

Materials

Jeans in different shades of blue, 2-3 pairs, The main material for the board and the pieces.
Fabric for the board's lining, For the back of the game board.
Interfacing, Gives the game board some body.
Sewing thread, For the machine seams and topstitching, plus contrasting thread for the zigzag stitching.
Stuffing, For filling the pillow pieces.

Tools

Scissors, For cutting out the pieces.
Dressmaker pins, For pinning pieces together before stitching.
Sewing machine, For all the machine seams and topstitching.

Cut the pieces for the game board

Cut the squares for the board

Cut squares for the game, 13 cm on a side plus a 1 cm seam allowance. For the back of the board and the lining, cut two square pieces — one from cotton fabric and one from interfacing — each 39x39 cm plus a 1 cm seam allowance.

Rectangular denim pieces for the game board

Squares in different denim shades for assembling the board

Assemble the game board

Pin the fabric and interfacing together

Pin the fabric and interfacing together and stitch along all four sides. Sew the nine denim squares together.

Press the seams open

Press the seams open on the wrong side of the piece.

Pin the front and back together

Pin the assembled squares together — the right side (denim) and the wrong side (interfacing with fabric).

Bind the edge of the game board

Sew on the binding strip

Cut a strip of denim 4 cm wide. Sew it around the perimeter of the board, folding it at 90 degrees at each corner and stopping the stitching 1 cm short of the corner.

Patchwork base of the game with seam allowances at the edges

Close-up of the edge of the denim game board

Fold and topstitch the binding

Fold the fabric over to the opposite side, pin it in place, and topstitch with a straight stitch.

Finished denim board for the tic-tac-toe game

Finish each square with decorative stitching

Finish each square with decorative stitching, as shown in the photo.

Marking the squares on the denim game board

Sew the pieces — X's and O's

Cut the pieces for the game pieces

For the pillow pieces, take square blanks (18 of them) in the same size as the ones for the game board. Cut strips of denim for them: 3x15 cm for the X's, and for the O's, rings with an outer diameter of 11 cm and an inner diameter of 5 cm. Sew them on.

Sew and stuff the pillow pieces

Sew the top and bottom of each pillow piece together (right sides in), turn it right side out, stuff it lightly, and close the opening with hidden stitches.

Add the finishing touches

Topstitch the seams in a zigzag

Topstitch the board's joining seams with a zigzag stitch in a contrasting thread.

The game is ready

Your tic-tac-toe game is ready!

Finish and variations

Finish

Check that the seams hold

Before handing the game to kids, check that every seam on the board and the pieces is stitched securely — the game will get folded up and carried around a lot.

Variations

Different shades of denim

You can use jeans in any shade of blue, or even other colors — the nine board squares don't have to match.

Extra pieces for backup

You can sew a few more than 18 pieces if you'd like some spare X's or O's.

Troubleshooting

The binding strip's corners come out uneven

Problem

The binding strip puckers or looks messy at the board's corners.

Likely cause

The strip was stitched all the way to the corner, without leaving 1 cm to fold at.

How to fix it

Stop stitching 1 cm short of the corner before folding the strip at 90 degrees — that gives you a clean corner.

The pieces come out too firm or shapeless

Problem

The finished pillow pieces don't sit well on the board's squares, or lose their shape.

Likely cause

The pieces were stuffed with too much or too little filling.

How to fix it

Stuff the pieces lightly rather than firmly — that way they'll sit neatly on the board's squares.

The seam on the pieces is visible after stuffing

Problem

The stuffing opening on a piece is visible after it's sewn closed.

Likely cause

The opening was closed with a regular stitch instead of a hidden one.

How to fix it

Close the opening with hidden stitches — they're almost invisible on denim.

FAQ

What do I need for a denim tic-tac-toe game?

2-3 pairs of jeans in different shades of blue, lining fabric, interfacing, stuffing, scissors, dressmaker pins, sewing thread, and a sewing machine.

What size does the game board come out?

The board is pieced from nine squares, 13 cm on a side, on a 39x39 cm lining.

How many pieces do I need to sew?

You'll need 18 square blanks for the pieces — used to make both the X's and O's.

What size are the pieces for the X's and O's?

The X's are cut from 3x15 cm strips, and the O's are rings with an 11 cm outer diameter and a 5 cm inner diameter.

How do you finish the edge of the game board?

The edge is bound with a 4 cm strip of denim, folded at 90 degrees at each corner, with the stitching stopped 1 cm short of the corner.

How to Sew a Portable Tic-Tac-Toe Game from Old Jeans: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Things you will learn

What you'll get