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


Plarn Sunflower Tote Bag

January 25, 2012 7 comments

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. […]

Pointed Handle Towel Topper

January 15, 2012 2 comments

Here is my latest towel topper crocheted pattern. It is a double layer towel that is folded over and requires no cutting or sewing. The towel topper is simply added by working a base row along the top edge of the towel using a small steel crochet hook. I have a picture tutorial here that shows in more detail how I fold, pin, and crochet the first base row through both layers of the folded towel.

Here is another one I did using a printed novelty towel.

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Pointed Handle Towel Topper Pattern

Materials needed:
1- Kitchen towel or decorative towel (15” wide x 24” long used)
1- oz. Sport weight mercerized Cotton
1- ¾” button

Hooks:
#7 Steel hook
G (4.25 mm) hook

Directions:
This towel topper uses the double layered fold and pin method. See my picture tutorial on how to prepare the top of towel to begin Sc stitching along top edge if you are not familiar with this no-sewing or cutting method. All crochet terms are US as shown in this pattern.

Row 1
Fold the towel exactly in half and using the steel crochet hook to poke holes, Sc evenly along the top edge of towel. (You will be Sc’g through both layers of the towel along the top edge.) I had 60 Sc along the top of the edge but it will vary depending on your stitch placement and yarn weight used. Just try and have an even number of stitches along the top. Otherwise it doesn’t matter how many stitches you have along the top of the towel.

Row 2
Using the G crochet hook, Ch 2, turn. Dc in each st. […]

Reclaimed Yarn Round Ripple Lapghan

January 9, 2012 2 comments

Reclaiming yarn from old sweaters and other previously crafted items is a great way to obtain yarn for new projects. I was lucky and got a free crocheted vest at my local thrift store. The yarn was in good condition but the vest wasn’t the best looking item. So I unraveled the vest and got this pretty oatmeal yarn with little specks of color throughout it. Because it was a vest, there wasn’t a lot of yarn so I added some green worst weight yarn to compliment this round ripple.

I crocheted it to 42 inches wide and decided to finish this project off as a lapghan for my local nursing home. My pattern is 6 rounds for the center in the tan, then 5 rounds in green with 2 rounds of tan between the rounds of green after that. I reduced each round of green so it started as 5 rounds of green, two rounds of tan; 4 rounds of green, two rounds of tan; 3 rounds of green, two rounds of tan, two rounds of green, two rounds of tan; and the final round in green using the reverse single crochet stitch. […]

Men’s Crocheted Fingerless Gloves

January 2, 2012 5 comments

Now that Christmas is over, I can share my men’s fingerless gloves. I crocheted these for my dh out of wool. He saw my fingerless gloves and said he would like a pair so I whipped these up for him. I used one Patons Classic Wool skeins of yarn in the natural mix color. This yarn is a medium weight or ww yarn. Because of this, you can use my free pattern with any type of medium weight yarn for these gloves. You can be creative and use reclaimed yarn or even acrylic yarn if you’d like to crochet these fingerless gloves.

Here is a shot of the gloves being modeled. And another taken laying flat. Click on any of the photos to super size them.

Men’s Fingerless Glove Crochet Pattern

Yarn:
Patons Classic Wool – natural mix color. 210 yards or 192 m

Hooks:
F (3.75 mm) size crochet hook
G (4.25 mm) size crochet hook

Description:
Men’s Large/XL sized fingerless gloves
Measurements: 9-1/2” long, 3-3/4” wide at cuff & 4-1/4” across at palm.

Directions
Make 2 gloves as follows:
Using F hook for ribbing, leave a long tail and ch 15.

Row 1 (Cuff Ribbing)
Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in ea st down to the end. (14 Sc) […]

Mini Christmas Socks

December 19, 2011 1 comment

Merry Christmas! What better way to celebrate the holidays than with recycled crafting. Here is my latest using this ever so cute little Christmas sock pattern. I used a “H” (5 mm) crochet hook and worked the pattern using 8 recycled newspaper plastic bags and one large green retail bag for the trim. The pattern doesn’t state if you should join each round or just work in the round. I single crocheted in the round without joining except for the final round of each color. On the final round of each color, I did join with a slip stitch to keep each color edge smooth. My finished plarn mini stocking is 6 inches long.

Here is the same pattern crocheted with some ww Christmas yarn.

I made my yarn stocking a bit bigger than the pattern called for by adding a few additional stitches and rows. This 2nd stocking is about 7-1/2″ long. So whether your working with plarn (plastic bag yarn) or regular worst yarn, this pattern is super fast and easy. Enjoy![…]

More Crocheted Towel Toppers

December 14, 2011 2 comments

I have been on a crocheted towel topper kick lately. I have crocheted several different ones including ones with rings and those with button closures. I love doing the no-cutting and no-sewing toppers with double layered towels as they are so nice and thick.

Here is the free crochet pattern and picture tutorial for making double layered towel toppers. The method I use is to just fold the towel in half and using a small steel crochet hook, single crochet the base row through both layers along the top of the towel edge. Once this base row is complete, you switch over to a larger hook and the towel topper works up quickly using only about an ounce of yarn.

I added a jingle bell for the button closure on this towel. Just chain 2-3 stitches for a larger button opening than the original pattern calls for when you crochet the buttonhole.

So if you need a last minute gift idea, grab a towel and some yarn and crochet one of these pretty towel toppers. They really are a wonderful handcrafted gift. […]

Triangle Ring Towel Topper

December 6, 2011 5 comments

My triangle towel topper uses a finger towel and a recycled plastic milk jug ring for a hanger. I really like the idea of the round ring as you can hang up the towel on a cabinet knob or hang it up over a hook. It works up very quickly and I made the first one using less than an ounce of thrift store sport cotton. This one had 48 stitches along the top as the yarn was thinner.

Here is a closeup of the finished top. You can click on the photo to supersize it.

When I made the red triangle towel topper, I used regular cotton weight yarn. It’s Bernat Christmas Sparkle.

Because the red triangle towel topper is a thicker weight yarn, it has 44 stitches across the top edge of the towel to start. But don’t worry about the number of stitches across the top, just do your single crochet stitches evenly along the top edge. You can always adjust your stitches as needed as you work your topper. I did one extra row for the flap on the red topper. With 4 rows, the turning flap was a bit longer but you can do just 3 rows if that works for you like I did with the sport weight yarn on the blue triangle towel topper.

I used Christmas finger towels for this project but you can use towels of different widths or lengths. Just adjust your stitches as needed to end with a 4-stitch wide flap for the fold over the plastic ring. I used plastic milk jug rings but you can also use recycled juice or other round rings for this project. Make sure you crochet lots of stitches around the plastic ring to cover it entirely with the yarn. I found this gives the project a nice look and no one with ever know that you used an old plastic jug ring for your crochet project.

As always please enjoy the free pattern below and happy crocheting to all!


Crocheted Triangle Ring Towel Topper

Materials needed:
Finger towel – 10” wide by 16” long used
Plastic milk jug ring 1-1/2″ wide
1 oz. Cotton yarn

Finished topper: 10″ wide & 5″ long from top of ring to towel top edge

Hooks:
#7 Steel crochet hook
“G” (4.25 mm) crochet hook

Directions:
Because finger towels are shorter, there is no cutting or sewing necessary to begin your base row. You will use the steel hook to poke the first hole into the right side corner and pull the yarn through the hole. Then use the G hook to complete your first Sc st. Then move onto the next hole until you have worked completely across the base row evenly with your stitching. Once you have the base row done, you will only be crocheting with the G hook.

Row 1
Using the steel crochet hook as explained above to poke holes, Sc evenly along the top edge of towel. […]


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About Me

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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