Here is my recycled plastic bag tote that features a crocheted sunflower. The tote bag is crocheted using recycled plastic bags or plarn and then the sunflower embellishment is added. I created the sunflower crochet pattern using both plastic bags and regular cotton yarn so it could be done in either type of material. Here is the recycled plastic tote bag pattern and below you will find the free pattern for the sunflower. […]
This week I present a variation of my cluster stitch bag that I made recently. The main body of this bag is crocheted using recycled plastic bags that have been cut into plarn using the looping method. I have a picture tutorial here for making plarn from plastic bags should you need instructions. Just click on the green link.
I wanted to add a gift bag type closure to the original pattern to create a reusable gift bag. I used some Christmas cotton to top this plarn bag and created a looped handle to finish off my little gift bag. The looped handle works wonderfully for closing the bag. I plan on crocheting several of these bags to use for gift bags for Christmas. They work up quickly and with the looped handle, you have a ready-made gift bag that doesn’t even require a bow.
Special thanks to Helen over at CrochetN’Crafts who was my inspiration for this project. So grab a few of those plastic bags laying around and whip yourself up a beautiful recycled gift bag for Christmas!
Cluster Stitch Plarn Gift Bag Pattern
Materials needed:
Plastic bag yarn “Plarn” – about 10 plastic grocery bags
1/2 oz Bernat Holidays Red Sparkle cotton yarn for trim and handle
Hooks:
“J” ( 6 mm) metal crochet hook for bag
“H” (5 mm) hook for top trim and handle
Description: Recycled Plastic Bag Cluster Stitch Gift Bag
Bag measures 6” wide and 4-3/4” tall with 12” handle and 5-1/4″ wide at base
Cluster Stitch Details:
Beg Cluster: Ch 2, (Yo, insert hook into sp indicated, yo and pull through, yo and pull through 2 lps on hook) 4 times, 5 lps on hook, yo and pull through all 5 lps, Ch 1.
Cluster: (Yo, insert hook into sp indicated, yo and pull through, yo and pull through 2 lps on hook) 5 times, 6 lps on hook, yo and pull through all 6 lps, Ch 1.
Directions:
Using J hook with plarn, Ch 11 […]
Many of my recycled bag projects involve taking traditional yarn patterns and converting them into items made from recycled materials. This little cluster stitch bag is just such a project. One of my on-line friends Helen created this adorable gift bag pattern using a medium weight yarn.
With Helen’s permission, I used her pattern for the basis of making this cute little bag project using recycled plastic bags. I then used some scrap yarn to make the top trim and handles to finish off this recycled bag project.
Here is a closeup photo of the handles that I crocheted onto the bag.
Click to supersize
This little plarn bag would make a great gift bag or purse. By adding a ribbon or bow to the bag, you create a re-usable gift bag that can be used over and over. The pattern works up very quickly and because of the pretty stitch pattern, I think it makes an adorable purse too.
Enjoy the free recycled crafting pattern below and happy crocheting to all!
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Cluster Stitch Plarn Bag Pattern
Materials needed:
Ball of plastic bag yarn “Plarn” – about 10-12 plastic grocery bags
Here is my picture tutorial on how to make plarn from plastic bags
1/2 oz worst weight yarn for handles
Hooks:
“J” ( 6 mm) metal crochet hook for bag
“H” (5 mm) hook for handles
Description: Recycled Plastic Bag Cluster Stitch Gift Bag or Purse
Bag measures 6” wide and 5” tall with 7” handles and 5-1/4″ wide at base
Cluster Stitch Details:
Beg Cluster: Ch 2, (Yo, insert hook into sp indicated, yo and pull through, yo and pull through 2 lps on hook) 4 times, 5 lps on hook, yo and pull through all 5 lps, Ch 1.
Cluster: (Yo, insert hook into sp indicated, yo and pull through, yo and pull through 2 lps on hook) 5 times, 6 lps on hook, yo and pull through all 6 lps, Ch 1.
Directions:
Using J hook, Ch 11
Rnd 1
Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in ea chain st down to end. Work 3 Sc in end st, then continue around other side of chain by working a Sc in ea st to other end then work 2 Sc in end st. Join with a Sl St into beg Sc st. (24) […]
Using these orange plastic bags to create a trick or treat bag was a great way to recycle my newspaper bags. Here is my picture tutorial for cutting the newspaper bags to create plarn so you can crochet with the material.
For this project, I wanted to create large comfortable handles that could be put over a child’s arms for easy carrying of this basket type bag. I recycled a microwave dinner tray and cut the top rim off. I then hole punched around the base evenly so I could crochet into the plastic tray for the base of this bag. The dinner tray provides a flat and sturdy bottom to the bag which allows the bag to stand up nicely on its own.
Enjoy crocheting this recycled bag project and happy Halloween everyone!
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Free Crocheted Pattern for a Recycled Plastic Trick or Treat Bag
Materials needed:
Orange plastic bags cut into 1” strips for plarn (approx 25 newspaper sacks used)
1) Plastic frozen dinner dinner tray with the rim cut off
(One used in project was 6-3/4” long & 3-1/2″ wide)
Hooks:
G (4.25 mm) sized metal hook for base row only
J (6 mm) sized metal hook
Description: Recycled Plastic Halloween Trick or Treat Bag
Bag measures 7” long, 5” wide and 6” tall with 8-1/2″ handles
Directions:
Using the tray after cutting off the rim, punch holes around the base as shown in the photo.
I used a heavy duty hole punch to put the holes around the base.
[…]
I present my latest creation — Variegated plastic bag yarn or plarn as it so commonly is known as in the crafting world. Pink, orange, and white plastic bags were used to crochet this variegated recycled bag. The pink and orange bags are plastic bags that newspapers are delivered in and the white is from just regular retail bags. I used these 3 colors to create my variegated look by assembling 3 loops of pink plarn, 2 white loops, 3 orange loops, and 2 white loops, then repeat this order for the variegated look. Here is my plarn making tutorials for creating yarn from newspaper or retail plastic bags should you need to see how to make plastic yarn.
This plarn ball was made using newspaper and retail bags together to create the variegated colored yarn. As I outlined below, if color pooling becomes a problem just add another white strip of plarn to offset the pooling. I found if I added an additional white strip to the 2 white ones, it solved the pooling issues with the tote bag as I crocheted it.
Enjoy the free crochet pattern below and happy crafting to all!
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Variegated Plarn Tote Bag Pattern
Materials needed:
Plastic bag yarn “Plarn” – Approx. 50 white plastic grocery bags along with 20 pink and 20 orange plastic bags for the variegated yarn
This variegated plarn is created by assembling 3 loops of pink plarn, 2 white loops, 3 orange loops, and then 2 white loops, repeat pattern for variegated look.
Hook: “N” (9 mm) size metal hook
Description: Recycled Plastic Tote Bag
Bag standing up measures 14” wide and 11” tall with 12” handles
with measurements flat 17″ across, 12″ high, and 11″ long base.
Directions:
The bottom of bag is crocheted with just plain white bags. Using just white plarn, Ch 20.
Rnd 1
Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in ea chain st down to end. Continue around other side of chain by working a Sc in ea st to other end. […]
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