Today I want to share some free patterns from a few friends of mine over at Crochetville. Crochetville is a crochet forum where ideas, patterns, friendships, and finished projects are shared among all the craft members.
Here is a scrubbie I made using Rachel’s pattern that she calls her all purpose scrubbie. As soon as I saw this handy scrubber, I knew I had to crochet it and add some of my recycled plastic to the project. So I added some recycled lettuce netting along with Sugar and Cream Country Stripes cotton yarn on rounds 2-5 on the bottom only. And because I’m lazy and don’t like to sew, I just put my two round disks together and worked SC sts around to join the two together. Rachel’s pattern calls for using a yarn needle to join the two rounds together so use whichever method you desire to complete your scrubber.
If you need a tutorial on how to make and crochet with the recycled plastic lettuce netting you can find it here. Here is Rachel’s free all purpose scrubbie pattern link.
Next I present Rhelena’s dishcloth that features a granny style stitching. Here is the free pattern link. The only thing I added to her pattern was a sl st around the center circle to tie in my yarns as I used up a bit of scrap yarn I had for the center. The main dishcloth was crocheted using the same Sugar and Cream Country Stripes cotton yarn that I used in my scrubbie project. I really like this yarn as it naturally provides you a type of striping to your crochet items.
Well this wraps up my latest addition of crocheting with recycled materials here at My Recycled Bags. By adding the recycled lettuce netting, my scrubbie is extra durable but gentle enough to use on non-stick pans. My dishcloth completes the kitchen set which I will be saving for a future gift-giving idea.
Recycled your old tee-shirts into a cute handbag. I crocheted this purse using two t-shirts and a part of another for the striping. I added a flower as an embellishment and here is my final result.
Click to supersize photos
Here is a photo showing how I cut around the tee-shirt to create “yarn” to crochet with. You just continue cutting in one continuous strip and go around corners as shown. If you do need to join two strips, either overlap and weave under your ends or join splicing strips together by either hand or machine stitching the ends together. Another method that doesn’t require sewing the strips together is to make a small slit hole at the end of the two strips you need to splice together. The slit should be cut lengthwise only about 1/2 inch from the end of the strip and should only be big enough to allow the next strip to pass through it. Hold the two strips with the holes together then take the uncut end and lace it through two holes. Pull the strip completely through the holes and pull tight to make the splice as small as possible.
Have fun with this project by recycling your tee-shirts into a charming eco-friendly handbag. The materials are free and so is the crochet pattern below.
Free Crocheted Recycled Tee-Shirt Bag Pattern
Bag measures 10 inches wide and 9″ long with 8″ handles.
Material: Three different colored tee-shirts cut into 1/2″ to 3/4 inch strips
Hook: Metal N (9 mm) crochet hook
Chain 12
I have been saving grey plastic bags for several years until I had enough to crochet this recycled plastic bag (plarn) net market bag. I’m happy to say that I was finally able to finish the bag using this unique colored plastic bags. You may recognize this open netted bag as it is a variation of another market bag I crocheted that had long straps. Both recycled bag patterns feature an expandable sturdy bottom and an open netting look for the main body of the bag.
If you prefer the longer straps on your market bag, here is the free pattern link for the white market bag with 18 inch long straps that is pictured below.
So mix and match the straps or bag colors as desired to create your eco-friendly market tote bag. Below is the pattern for the grey market bag with 8 inch handles. Enjoy the project and happy recycled green crafting to all!
Free Recycled Plastic Net Market Bag Pattern
Bag measures 14 inches wide and 14″ long with 8 inch handles
Materials: One large ball of plarn (plastic bag yarn) Appox. 45 bags
My picture tutorial is found here on how to make plarn yarn from plastic bags
Hook: Metal N (9 mm) US size hook
Chain 24
I’m excited to share with you all my recycled plastic bracelet that was crocheted from bread bags and plastic packaging material. I just love the colors and look of the bracelet. I added this blue button but then I found this cool pink glittery button and had to try it on the bracelet too. Which one do you like better? I really love them both!
Click to supersize any of the photos
I also want to mention that I used one of those big plastic packages that toilet paper rolls come in to complete this project. It had such pretty blue and pink colors and I was able to cut it into 1/2 inch wide strips and joined the ends just as I do here with my regular plarn (plastic bag yarn) making projects. So roundup some plastic and upcycle yourself this fashion bracelet. I guarantee that yours will be one of a kind and be a definite eco fashion statement when you wear it. Enjoy!
Free Crochet Pattern for Recycled Plastic Bracelet
Materials needed:
One small ball of plastic bread bags cut into 1/2 inches to 5/8 inches strips
Approx. 4-6 bags
1) 1/2 inch button
Hook: N (9 mm) size metal hook
Description: Recycled Plastic Bracelet
Bracelet measures 1-1/2 inches wide and 10 inches long
with wrist opening appox. 8 inches around
Directions:
Ch 21
Well today I can say another chapter is closed in my pink journey story. For those readers who may not be familiar with what I dubbed my pink journey, I am referring to my breast cancer fight that began in March 2008. If you’d like to read the blog posts you can find them all here. Last week I finished my one full year of Herceptin that I had to have because I was Her2 positive for my cancer. And today, I had my arm port removed.
My arm port was removed by my surgeon in his procedure’s room at the doctor’s office. I was a little nervous as I have heard from several people that they go in a lot easier than they come out. Some people actually have them removed at the hospital under anesthesia but my surgeon assured me it would be fine to just have it removed in the office with a numbing to the incision area. I think the most painful part was the numbing as he had to stick the needle in several areas and the medicine stung as it went in. Then the port didn’t want to pull out very easily. He had to pull, tug, and do a few other things that I didn’t want to look at so I just looked away. He said I had quite a bit of scar tissue that had developed around the port. After several minutes of pulling, the port and the long plastic tubing all came out. I didn’t feel anything really other than a bit of pressure.
My arm is a little sore where the port was but it feels wonderful to have it gone. I always had to worry about not bumping it and had to be careful not to do anything very strenuous with that arm as not to damage the port or line into my chest. But that chapter after one full year is done. I am feeling almost normal or at least my new normal now. My hair has grown back, my scans are clear, and my doctors tell me that my long term prognosis is excellent. So tonight I take a deep breath, say a prayer of thanksgiving, and now move on with the knowledge that I have victoriously finished this chapter in my pink journey.
This recycled bag project is a request from Moonshadow. She suggested I craft a waterproof sit-upon (SitUpon) like what the Girl Scouts use to sit on. I crocheted this from recycled plastic bags or plarn first. Then I added 4 layers of plastic that I fused onto the back side of the sit-upon to completely waterproof it. I added a handle to the sit-upon so you can carry it around easily too. And as an option I added a layer of recycled denim to soften up the sit-upon and give it a unique look.
Here is my plastic only sit-upon without the denim. This is my basic recycled plastic sit-upon that is crocheted using plastic bags made into plarn and with a fused plastic backing. This fused plastic backing makes the sit-upon waterproof.
Click to supersize photos
Here is the back side of the finished sit-upon and also another version of how you can decorate your finished denim side by adding a denim jean pocket.
I tried to keep this project simple so a young Girl Scout or anyone could make this sit-upon without a bunch of sewing required. You can just glue the hearts on or even hand decorate the denim. Handwriting your name on the denim may be another embellishment a Scout could add. Needless to say, you can decorate as much or as little as you like. I’ve included several different ideas and here is the free crochet pattern and tutorial on making a recycled sit-upon.
Free Sit-Upon Crochet Pattern
Materials needed:
One large ball of plastic bag yarn aka Plarn – approx. 35-40 plastic grocery bags
Four plastic bags cut into large pieces to cover back for fusing
Waxed paper for the fusing
Option for denim cover: One large piece of recycled denim from an old pair of jeans
appox. 15 inches x 15 inches
Hook: N (9 mm) metal crochet hook
Description: Plastic Sit-Upon with fused plastic backing
Sit-Upon measures 13 inches wide and 13 inches long with 5 inch handle
Option with recycled denim cover measures 14-1/2 inches x 14-1/2 inches
Directions:
Ch 32 […]
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