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Tag Archive | "plastic bags"

Recycled Plastic Wheelchair Tote Bag

April 6, 2023 No comments yet

Introducing the latest of my recycled bags. This is a wheelchair or walker tote that is crocheted all in recycled plastic bags. Some people also call them a wheelchair carrier as you use them to carry things such as books, newspapers or tissues.

This recycled bag was crocheted using the free puff stitch wheelchair tote pattern. It features a red, white and blue striped theme. As it is hard to find these special colored bags, I only crocheted the puff stitches on the front of the tote. Each puff stripe row used less than 2 colored plastic bags made into plarn to crochet.

I used a K (6.5 mm) crochet hook to work this tote bag. Final finished size is 10.5 inches wide by 9 inches long with 6.75 inch straps. I added

Two Stripe Plarn Tote Bag

January 2, 2022 No comments yet

It is a new year and time for a new recycled bag! What better way to kick off a new year but with a new homemade reusable and upcycled tote bag. This tote bag was crocheted using about 45 brown plastic bags and 12 reddish-colored newspaper delivery sacks.

Here is a closeup of the top and handles.

This bag is very similar to my basic crocheted tote bag pattern but with a few changes including two stripes. The two stripes were added by cutting up 12 recycled plastic bags that newspapers are delivered in. Here is the tutorial link for cutting newspaper sacks into plarn to use as yarn.

I have provided the full new crochet pattern below for everyone’s personal use. As always, my patterns are free and I hope people will enjoy them.

Two Stripe Plarn Tote Bag Crochet Pattern

Materials needed: Plastic bag yarn “Plarn” in main color brown (40+ bags) cut 1 inch wide
and approx. 12 contrasting colored plastic bags for stripes

Hook: N (9 mm) size metal hook

Description: Recycled Plastic Tote Bag

Bag measures 12 inches wide and 12 inches long with 5 inch handles

Directions:
Ch 28

Halloween Recycled Ideas

October 10, 2021 No comments yet

Halloween is just around the corner but there is still time to do some recycled crafting. I like to share patterns and crafting ideas using recycled materials such as plastic bags / plarn here at My Recycled Bags.

Here is a favorite recycled plastic Halloween trick or treat basket. The free crochet pattern is found here.

Not only is this a reusable basket, it features a sturdy recycled microwave tray for the base. So this project is a double recycled crafting project with two different types of recycled materials. Plus it’s a cool-looking trick or trick basket to hold lots of Halloween goodies.

You can find all the different Halloween posts and projects that I have shared over the years

Recycled Plastic Kitchen Gift Basket

September 28, 2019 No comments yet

This post is a follow-up to my plarn crocheted basket project. This basket was crocheted using recycled plastic bags cut into 1 inch wide plarn. You can read all the recycled basket making details here.

Once the basket was completed, I needed to fill it with some kitchen gift items for a charity fundraiser. I crocheted a kitchen towel topper, star dishcloth and added a package of fall napkins along with a set of wooden spoons.

The towel topper was crocheted using the pointed handle towel topper pattern. The brown towel is a Dollar Store towel that is folded in half with the towel topper crocheted along the top folded edge through both layers.

My free star dishcloth pattern is found

Plarn Wine Bottle Holder

June 5, 2019 No comments yet

Introducing a recycled plastic crocheted wine bottle holder. I have wanted to create a wine bottle cozy using plastic bags for a long time now. It’s one of those things that I keep wanting to crochet and write up the free pattern to share for years. Well, I finally got the project done.

The crocheted wine holder holds a 750 ml bottle of wine easily and even a 1.5 L can be slipped into the plarn cozy.

Along with the free crochet pattern, here is my plarn wine bottle holder.

Plarn Wine Bottle Holder Pattern

Wine Bottle Holder Size: 10″ tall with 3-1/2 across bottom

Hook:
Metal “K” (6.5 mm) US size crochet hook

Materials: 14 plastic bags cut into 1 inch wide plarn
Piece of ribbon or strand of plarn for top closure

Directions:
With plarn, Ch 4, Sl St to join in first st of chain to form ring. Holder is worked in the round without turning unless directed to do so.

Brown Plarn Hobo Purse

May 1, 2018 2 comments

The recycled plarn hobo purse is a pattern I adapted 10 years ago with permission from Dao over at ShortyLamCrochet Blogspot. I created the purse using recycled plastic bags or plarn for my pattern. You can find the crocheted plarn hobo pattern link here.

For this purse, I used a K (6.5 mm) crochet hook so it is a smaller size than the original pattern link. I started with chain 23 and did do one extra round of stitching before adding the final few rounds of decreasing at the top. Finished size of the purse is 9 inches wide by 7.5 inches long. For the strap, I braided 3 strands of plastic bag yarn together and then just attached the ends at the each side of the purse.

For a larger version of this same pattern, use

Recycled Plastic Bag Clothes Pin Bags

December 8, 2017 5 comments

I have been working on an order of clothes pin bags crocheted from recycled plastic bags. These bags are crocheted using recycled plastic retail bags cut about an inch thick. The strips are joined by using the looping method to create what is called plarn.

Here is one more I crocheted with white plastic bags along with a few rounds of blue bags for an accent stripe. I love adding the ribbon to the projects as it spices up the recycled bag look.

I have crocheted many clothes pin “peg” bags over the years. This is one of my earliest plastic bag patterns that dates back to 2007 when I started my blog. Here is the free plarn clothes pin pattern.

Feel free to use the pattern to crochet your own recycled clothes pin bag or for charity work. It is also fine to sell the clothes pin bags you make using my pattern and please just provide pattern credit to My Recycled Bags. Also I do acccept orders for this bag and have one available for immediate purchase at my products page.

Recycled Plastic Water Bottle Holder

June 5, 2017 1 comment

As you might expect, I have a huge stash of white plastic bags. People give me bags all the time to recycle. They know I use them to make plarn and crochet them into new useful things. So this is my latest project, a large water bottle holder.

This water bottle holder is designed to hold a large Nalgene reusable bottle or a 32 ounce water bottle. I used this free crochet pattern to make the water bottle carrier but with a shorter strap. The original pattern calls for a long strap that can be worn across the body. This water bottle holder has a

Hashbrowns Bags Recycled

March 28, 2017 1 comment

I have been saving hashbrowns 5 pound plastic bags to recycle them into a crocheted basket. I saved 5 bags and cut them into plastic bag yarn or plarn. Because the bags are made from thick plastic, I cut one long continuous strip about 1/2 inch wide. I joined the strips together with a knot which I then just hid within my stitches as I worked the basket.

Each bag cut in a single 1/2 inch wide strand equals 23 yards of plarn. When I started this project I had 5 bags cut up and began crocheting the basket using my small recycled plastic basket pattern. Here is the link to crochet the project


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About Me

Hello, I’m Cindy or aka RecycleCindy. Welcome to my blog site that is dedicated to recycling and crafting. I love to crochet and create crafts and other useful things from recycled materials. I share many free tutorials and patterns for creating recycled projects as well as other handmade items.


Here is a direct link to all my free patterns available here on My Recycled Bags.


Thank you for stopping by to visit and for your interest in My Recycled Bags!