Come Learn and Share Information about Recycling, Crocheting & Green Crafting


Satchel Styled Tote Bag

June 18, 2010 12 comments

I am back sharing another free recycled plarn pattern that I created. I used a satchel style strap design in this crocheted tote bag using plastic bags. The white bags are just regular grocery sacks and the pink ones are plastic newspaper bags that I have been getting from my local library. I used the combination to craft this satchel styled tote which I hope you will enjoy.

Best wishes and happy crafting to all!


Satchel Styled Recycled Tote Bag Pattern

Materials needed:
One large ball of plastic bag yarn “Plarn” in white (approx. 40 bags)
Small ball of pink plarn (approx. 20 bags)

Hook: “J” U.S. size metal hook

Description: Tote bag
Bag measures 14” wide and 10” long with 14” handles

Directions:
Using pink plarn, Ch 26. […]

Spike Stitch Tote Bag

May 29, 2010 2 comments

Here is my latest recycled tote bag which features spike stitch striping. I added the recycled pink newspaper plastic bags in an effort to spice up my mainly white tote bag. It’s amazing how just a few brightly colored bags can add a nice touch to a plain-looking bag.

So if you only have a few colored bags, you might want to try this crochet pattern to add some diversity to your tote bag project. Should anyone be interested in purchasing this bag, it is available on my products page for sale. For all those crafters out there who make their own recycled tote bags, please enjoy my free plarn pattern below.

Spike Stitch Recycled Plarn Tote Bag Pattern

Materials needed:
One large ball of plastic bag yarn “Plarn
Approx. 50 plastic grocery bags – white in color
One smaller amount of pink plarn – Approx. 8-10 bags

Hook: “N” (9 mm) metal crochet hook
Description: Recycled Plarn Tote Bag
Bag measures 14” wide and 13-1/2” tall with 12” handles

Directions:
Ch 26 with white plarn. […]

Crocheted Plarn Basket

May 14, 2010 6 comments

I crocheted this plarn yarn basket using recycled plastic trash. The sides are made with recycled plastic bags that I make into yarn which is known as plarn. The base is a recycled plastic frozen dinner tray I fished out of the garbage at work. I cut the rim off the dinner tray and punched holes all around the outside as shown in this picture below.

Next using plarn (plastic-bag-yarn), I crocheted a single crochet base round through the holes and around the complete base. Once you get the base row done, it’s much easier crocheting into the plarn of each stitch as you work the additional rounds for your basket. I changed colors several times and used up some of my unique colored stashed plastic bags.

These trays work wonderfully to provide a nice sturdy base for the basket. You could crochet more rounds with the plastic yarn to make your basket taller or add a handle for a cute carrying basket. Either way recycling these plastic trays is a great way to keep them out of our landfills and provides a useful purpose in the recycled crafting field.

Free Pattern for Recycled Plastic Basket

Materials needed:
Plastic bags cut into 1” strips into plarn is several different colors
as desired for stripes
1) Plastic frozen dinner entrée tray with the rim cut off
(One used in project was 6” long)

Hook: “J” US sized metal hook

Description: Recycled Plastic Yarn Basket

Basket measures 6” long, 4-1/2” wide and 4” tall

Directions:
Using the tray after cutting off the rim, punch holes around the base as shown in the photo. I used heavy duty hole punch to put my holes in the plastic base. […]

Recycling Plastic Six Pack Rings

April 24, 2010 7 comments

This project involves recycling those plastic six pack rings you get from cans into useful towel holders. The rings are cut apart and trimmed with scissors. You may not have noticed but once the rings aren’t around the cans anymore, they aren’t completely round. Using the shape as a towel holder worked out great. It has a natural bend in the ring which accommodates a folded towel over the ring.

Of course I wanted to keep this a recycled crocheted project, so I used t-yarn or tarn to make this towel holder. T-yarn is the yarn created from recycled t-shirts and cut very thin into strips to cover this plastic ring.

Once you crochet a few rounds, you can slide your towel handle around on the plastic ring. The last photo shows about where you want to place your center over the curve in the plastic so your holder is centered. I used a thin tea towel to insert in the ring as it fits better than thicker towels.

Here is the free crochet pattern below. Enjoy!

T-Yarn Towel Ring Holder

Materials needed:
2-3) ozs of white T-shirt cut into ¼” wide strip and stretched to curl into t-yarn
Here is my t-yarn or tarn tutorial on how to make yarn from recycled t-shirts.
1) plastic ring cut from a plastic six-pack holder
1) 5/8” button
Small amount of fingering or thread yarn for trim

Hook: “J” U.S. size metal hook

Description: T-yarn Towel Ring Holder
Holder measures 4” wide and 7-1/4” long when buttoned

Directions:
Row 1
Attach your t-yarn with Sl St around trimmed plastic ring. Sc loosely around the ring and join with Sl St to beg Sc. (Approx 34-36 Sc)[…]

Recycled Plastic Fat Bottom Bag

April 15, 2010 18 comments

I present my plarn fat bottom bag that I crocheted using recycled plastic newspaper bags. You may remember me saying that it is difficult for me to obtain pretty colors in plastic bags for my crafting. Well thanks to a suggestion from a blogger friend, I asked my local library to save their newspaper bags for me. They have been giving me one pink and one orange plastic bag daily from their newspapers. Anyway I saved up the plastic bags and crocheted my first fat bottom bag.

You may notice that the pink shade on the last few rounds of the bag and handles are darker. That was because the newspaper company changed the color of bags they were using. At first I was upset that I couldn’t finish my recycled bag using all the same color of pink but then once I was forced to use the darker bags, it turned out to be a nice contrast for the finished project.

As I mentioned this is my first fat bottom crocheted bag. The original pattern in written only in Portuguese. But there is an English chart and a wonderful tutorial including the lining over at Bend Beanies Blog which is a life saver. She has great pictures and helpful tips to help translate this awesome free pattern.

Below you will find some pictures I took as I worked the pattern. […]

Earthtone Crocheted Kitchen Sets

April 11, 2010 4 comments

I finished up this crocheted earthtone kitchen set for my Mom’s birthday. It includes a round ripple dishcloth that I made using Julee’s RR dishcloth pattern. I changed it up a bit and made the center flat.

Below is my open mesh magic dishcloth along with a scrubbie dot I crocheted using recycled plastic bags.

Click on photos to supersize them

Next is a hostess gift I put together for a friend. It includes another RR dishcloth and a plarn scrubbie dot. The little flowered tag is cut from a recycled greeting card. I thought it matched the gift and look perfect for a Spring gift so I used it as my gift tag.

Anyway just wanted to check in with everyone and show some of my recent crocheting. I’ve am busy finishing up a fat bottom bag I am crocheting from pink plastic newspaper bags and just started a special order purse being crocheted from vcr tape for a repeat customer of mine. I will be back soon to share all those recycled craft projects with you as soon as I get them done.
Happy crafting everyone! […]

Recycled Easter Basket Parade

April 1, 2010 4 comments


I present this years recycled Easter basket parade. Each basket has either been crafted with recycled materials or could be made using recycled materials. This cute basket with the monkey was crocheted by my friend Carmen using recycled plastic bags and an ice cream lid ring for her top edge. Both of these Easter baskets above were crocheted using my Easter plarn pattern here. […]


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Hello, I’m Cindy or aka RecycleCindy. I love to learn and share information about crocheted and other items crafted from recycled materials. This is a green, eco-friendly website that is dedicated to recycling and crafting.
This blog and my life have taken on a new journey when on March 10, 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I have added a special area on my blog in which I chronicle my journey into the pink.
Thank you for stopping by to visit and for your interest in My Recycled Bags!

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