I guess it’s inevitable that all good things do come to an end. My favorite recycled plastic bag tote is disintegrating. I crocheted this plarn tote bag back in 2007 so its 5 years old now.
I use this recycled bag for groceries and produce all the time. A few months ago, the stitching started coming apart below the handle so I spliced in a strand of plarn and repaired the hole. I could see then that the existing plastic bag yarn was very brittle and starting to disintegrate.
Here is the latest disintegration of my plastic bag tote. I actually found another hole after I took this photo. As you can see the ends are very brittle and when I tried to weave the ends under, they just break off.
So as my favorite recycled tote bag ends it useful life, I am crocheting a new plarn tote bag. I’m making it a bit bigger and with a strong handle. So until my new reusable tote bag is finished I will try and mend this tote bag again. It just has been my favorite recycled bag for years and it is hard to let it go. So as I type this I am preparing another repair to the holes that have appeared. A good thing is just difficult to let go of.
Tape measure covers or TMC are a new and fun project that Delights has been working on over at Ravelry. She has crocheted some adorable covers that with her permission I will share a few photos of her work below. You can follow the TMC Happening here over at Ravelry.
Delights and I teamed up and crocheted a few plarn TMC projects together. I made a few shells from recycled plastic bags and sent them to her to add her beautiful flowers and other decorations that she is so skilled at doing.
Here is Delight’s TMC picture tutorial. For the plarn TMC shell, I used a H hook and did only 10 HDC stitches for round 1.
Here is the long awaited recycled plastic bag sandals. Many people have been asking for just such a pattern and with the help of another recycled crafter Tera, I was able to finish up this sandal pattern. Tera’s original design has a back strap and I’m still working on that version. I will be adding that option later on another pair of sandals that I will crochet in a smaller size so that I will a few different sizes in this sandal project.
This version of the recycled sandals could also be used as an indoor/outdoor type slipper. I like it because I can just slip it on and go. Kinda like flip flops but I can still wear my socks too.
As always I hope you enjoy the free crochet pattern and happy crocheting to all!
Recycled Plastic Bag Sandals
Materials needed:
One ball of plastic bag yarn aka plarn cut 1 inch wide – Approx. 40 plastic grocery bags
Here is my picture tutorial on how to make plarn from plastic bags
Hook: J (6 mm) metal crochet hook
Description:
Recycled Plastic Bag Sandals – Women’s Size 9-10 M
Directions:
Make 2 soles for each sandal.
Rnd 1
With plastic bag yarn (plarn) Ch 23.
I have been saving these pink plastic grocery bags for a special project. I finally decided to crochet a pink purse and donate it to this year’s Relay for Life fundraiser. In case you are wondering about these beautiful pink bags, they are special and very hard to find. A dear on-line friend sent them to me and I am so happy to be able to recycle them into a cool new purse.
Here is a closeup of the cable stitching at the top and the strap. Just click to super-size.
I have named this purse Pink Passion Plarn Purse and lined it as shown. Please enjoy the free crochet pattern below.
Pink Passion Plarn Purse Pattern
Materials needed:
One ball of plastic bag yarn or plarn cut 1 inch wide – Approx. 25 pink plastic grocery bags
Here is my picture tutorial on how to make plarn from plastic bags
1 oz worst yarn for trim and strap – Red Heart light raspberry used
Hook: J (6 mm) metal crochet hook
Description: Recycled Pink Plastic Plarn Purse
Bag measures 10-1/2 inches wide and 8-1/2 inches long with 28 inch strap
Directions:
With plastic bag yarn (plarn) Ch 26.
I’m happy to present my crocheted laundry basket. This laundry basket project is made from recycled plastic bags or plarn. In case you are new to the idea of crafting with plastic bags, here is my picture tutorial showing how to make the plastic yarn from the plastic retail bags.
This laundry basket project has been a huge undertaking. It is the largest recycled plastic bag project that I have ever crocheted. It has well over 150 bags in the finished product. When I set out to crochet a laundry basket, I wanted a large enough bag that I could use for a clothes hamper as well as a carrying bag for transporting the laundry to and from a laundromat.
The basket has a round base and while it looks funneled-shaped at the top, its really round in it’s overall shape. The photo above has 6 large beach towels in the bag and as you can see it still has room for more. You can also roll down the top and handles when using it for a hamper so it stands up if the basket isn’t full.
Plarn Laundry Basket Pattern
Materials needed:
Approx. 150+ white plastic grocery bags for main bag and
20 grey plastic bags for stripe and trim
Hook: N (9 mm) U.S. size metal hook
Description: Plarn Laundry Basket Bag
Bag measured flat: 22″ wide and 28″ long with 14″ strap and
22″ tall standing with 17″ wide bottom
Directions:
Rnd 1
Using a magic circle, Sc 6 times into circle with white plarn. Don’t join but work in rounds unless advised otherwise. Use a stitch marker to mark rounds.
I don’t normally share a project in progress but this crocheted laundry basket is just such an enormous project that I have to post about it even though it’s not completed yet. I’m guessing its about half finished and I believe I’ve used already over a hundred recycled plastic bags.
I have had a recycled plastic bag or plarn laundry basket on my to-do list for a long time. I eventually get around to creating most of the things on my list but it does take time. Speaking of which, this recycled bag may end up being the largest one I have ever crocheted and it’s taking a lot of time.
Here is a picture I took of the base which is about 15 inches wide.
Here is a new twist on recycling those plastic produce nets that lettuce comes in at your grocery store. I crocheted using cotton yarn along with the netting to create these handy diagonal scrubbies.
You probably have seen the double thick diagonal potholders before. You basically single crochet in the back loops only in the round until the ends begin to curl around and then the sides close in to each other if you continue. Here is an excellent crochet pattern and picture tutorial that shows the method.
Ch 14 for a 3 inch scrubbie. I used a J (6 mm) crochet hook and 2 and a half lettuce nets. Ch 19 for a 4 inch scrubbie and about 4 lettuce nets. I used Sugar and Cream in psychedelic cotton yarn to crochet both scrubbies and still had enough left to make this small matching dishcloth using my open mesh magic dishcloth pattern.
You assemble the lettuce nets by cutting them about 1 inch wide across to make loops. Here is my picture tutorial on assembling the netting loops so you can crochet with it along with the cotton yarn. You just hold the lettuce netting strand along with the cotton yarn as shown here to crochet the scrubbies. I turned my work to the outside once the edges reached each other which creates the seed stitch look to the scrubbers. Weave closed the seam by using the tail of your cotton yarn to finish off the scrubbie.
The result is some great recycled scrubbers that can be used on non-stick pans as well as for cleaning your sink, bath or other cleaning needs.
This week’s recycled bag project is a crocheted plarn produce bag. I have had a reusable produce bag on my to-do list for some time now. And thanks to a request from a reader of my site, I was encouraged to finally get it done.
Here is my plarn making picture tutorial to help you get started. Crafting with recycled plastic bags is fun, frugal and a great way to recycle plastic bags into something new and useful like this reusable produce bag.
Plarn Produce Bag Pattern
Materials:
Plastic bags cut into 1 inch strips approx. 20 bags for small produce bag and 35 for larger bag
Hook: Metal J (6 mm) crochet hook
Description:
Small produce bag: 8 inches wide by 9-1/2 inches long with 13 inches strap
Larger produce bag: 10″ by 11″ long with 14″ strap
Directions are given for the smaller produce bag and then options for the larger bag given at the bottom of the pattern.
Round 1
Ch 20, Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in ea st and then working around the backside of chain, Sc in ea st along the other side of original chain.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought it might be fun to share some Valentine themed craft projects that I have been working on. Last month I participated in a cabled heart crochet along and here are the two heart squares I made.
The 12 inch crocheted cabled hearts square features 4 hearts.
This 6 inch cabled heart square pattern features just a single heart.
I just loved the 12 inch Yarncrazy Cabled Hearts Pattern (not available anymore) and thought it would make a wonderful center for a crocheted baby blanket. So I used the large square and then proceeded to double crochet around it to create this baby afghan.
Here are a few Valentine heart bookmarks I crocheted.
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