I put on my thinking cap in an effort to upcycle this old sweater into some new and useful items. First I used the lower portion of the sweater to create a scarf cowl. Using some scrap yarn, I added two rows of single crochet along the lower edges to finish off the raw edges where the sweater body had been attached. My upcycled cowl was finished off with some wooden buttons from my stash.

Next I tackled using the sleeve as a plastic bag holder. The natural cuff on the sweater was perfect for transforming the sleeve into a handy bag keeper. As shown in the pictures, I folded under the top of the sleeve to the inside. Using a basting stitch, I sewed around the top edge about 1 inch from the top to create a casing for the ribbon tie closure. I machine stitched the basting to hold the fold in place and also so I could crochet in a straight line to create my casing. I left the back of the casing open where the sleeve seam is. Then using a small D crochet hook and some scrap brown yarn, I worked a slip stitch over the basting and through both layers to create my casing for the ribbon tie closure. See photos below and you can click on any other them to enlarge the pictures.

I added a hook hanger at the back by chaining the length I wanted and then worked back down the chain by working a single crochet stitch around the chain and attached both ends into the back of the bag keeper. I threaded a piece of ribbon through the casing and tied it at the back with a bow to complete the plastic bag keeper. I present the upcycled thrift store sleeve which has been transformed into a plastic bag holder.

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This project was crocheted using plastic bags made into plarn along with one strand of some fingering weight yarn I had to add color. You just crochet holding the plarn and the yarn together. I then trimmed the top and bottom edges using just the fingering yarn. I also used the fingering yarn to make the ties for the bag as shown. This project was a request for a teal or turquoise bag holder and since I can’t really find that color of plastic bags to recycle, I added this yarn that I got at a garage sale for just 25 cents. Anyway using regular yarn along with recycled plastic bags is a great way to add color and spice up those boring white bags.

Enjoy the project and free crochet pattern below.

Plarn Plastic Bag Keeper Pattern

Finished Bag Keeper measures 4” circular wide and 18” long. Strap holder length is 10 inches.

Materials:
One large ball of plastic bags cut into 1” Plarn strips (Approx 25 bags)
3 ozs fingering yarn

Hook: Metal “N” US sized hook

Rnd 1
With plastic bag yarn (plarn) and fingering yarn held together, Ch 30, Sl St to join in first st of chain to form ring.

Rnd 2
Ch 2, work Hdc in each st around, do NOT join but just continue working Hdc around in each stitch until bag measures 18 inches long. At end of last round, Sc into next to last St, Sl St into last St of round, then to reinforce for strap attachment, Sl St into next St and draw back up into last stitch of last round. Do not fasten off.

Strap: Ch 20 and connect to opposite side of bag with a Sl St. To reinforce strap attachment, Sl St into next St and draw back up into last stitch. Turn and work back up the chain by working a Sc around the chain until you get back to opposite end of strap. Adjust your Sc stitches around chain as needed to provide a smooth strap for your bag. The Sc’s slide a bit and this allows for you to adjust your stitches as needed. Attach your yarn with a Sl St next to the St where you started the strap. Fasten off and weave ends under on inside of the bag.

Trim:
Using just fingering yarn, Sc around the top edge loosely and along the bottom edge. FO.

Bow Ties (make two):
Using yarn, chain about 23″ length for tie, weave yarn strips in stitch space between rows 6 and 7 from the bottom. Clinch up and tie a bow. Repeat again between rows 6 and 7 from the top of bag.

If you have any questions or find discrepancies in this pattern, please email me using contact tab above.

Abbreviations:
Ch – Chain
FO – Finish Off
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Rnd – Round[…]