My blog friend Nan, owner of Nannybird.blogspot.com, created this great purse design and which I finally was able to crochet using her pattern. The purse is crocheted using recycled plastic bags or plarn. In case you are new to the term plarn, here is the link to my picture tutorial on how to create yarn from recycled plastic bags.

Here is Nannybird’s Recycled Purseability Purse Pattern. Nan offers her pattern free for personal use and is very helpful should you have any questions as your crochet this cute purse. While you are over visiting Nannybird’s Blog, I hope you’ll take a moment to checkout all of her recycled bags. She has made purses not only from plastic bags but also from candy wrappers. She has quite an assortment of purses that she has displayed on a cool slideshow at her blog.

Enjoy the remainder of your Labor Day weekend. And to everyone getting ready for back to school or off to college, take care and happy green crafting![…]

Check out my recycled plastic ripple purse! I have had a ripple purse on my to-do list for quite awhile. I am happy to report that it’s finally completed and here is the result. This Chevron pattern is a bit more difficult when you are using recycled plastic bags. I crocheted the recycled grocery bags together and lined my purse when finished. If you are new to crocheting with plastic bags, here is the picture tutorial to help you.

Here is a picture of the inside lining.
Click on photos to view full-sized

One more picture with the strap untied.

I hope you enjoy this recycled plastic bag pattern and as always happy green crafting to you!

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Free Crocheted Recycled Ripple Purse Pattern

Purse measures 8 inches wide and 8” long.
Strap length is 32 inches when not tied.

Material: One ball of plastic bags cut into 1” strips of blue and smaller ball of green
One button – 1-1/4” button shown on bag.

Hook: Metal “H” hook

Chain 32 - Working with blue plarn. Turn.

Row 1
Work 2 Sc into the 2nd Ch from hook. *Sc in ea of the next 3 sts in ch, Skip next 3 sts in ch, 3 Sc in the next st, Sc in ea of the next 3 sts *
Repeat between * to last st of row. Work 2 Sc in last st of row. Ch 1, turn.

Row 2 – 4 (Pattern row)
Work 2 sc in 1st st of row, *Sc in the next 3 sts, leave 2 sts unworked
at bottom of bend. Work Sc in ea of the next 3 sts. Work 3 Sc in next st, (top of bend) *. Repeat pattern to last st of row. Work 2 Sc in last st of row. Ch 1. Turn.

Row 5 – 6
Switch to green plarn, carrying color change plarn up side edge loosely.
Work pattern rows as shown in row 2.

Row 7 – 10
Changing back to blue plarn, work 4 rows of pattern row as shown.

Row 11- 12
Switch back to green, work 2 rows in established pattern row.

Continue in pattern working 4 rows in blue and then 2 rows of green in established pattern row until 36 rows completed.

Row 37 – 38
Using blue plarn, work two rows in established pattern row.

Hint: on last rows, FO or hide under your carrying plarn color changes so they don’t show on purse flap.

Row 39
Work in established pattern row again EXCEPT at center add ch 1 between the 2 skipped sts to create a buttonhole. Finish row in established pattern.

Row 40
Work in established pattern EXCEPT at center work 1 Sl St in the ch 1 space for the buttonhole. Finish row in established pattern. FO. Weave ends under on inside of the bag.

Fold over bag approx. 8″ for bag with the remainder to create a flap for purse closure. Weave sides together using a […]

This week’s recycled bag is a medium sized tote bag crocheted using a granny square stitch. It is a 12 inch square motif that was made using white and blue plastic bags. A few months ago I had crocheted a small purse very similar to this pattern. I have had several requests for a larger bag that could be used as a tote or book bag so I created this larger version. As always here is the free pattern below.

Granny Square Motif Tote Pattern

Size: Approx. 12″ square bag with strap 3/4” wide and 20” long
Hook: N metal crochet hook used in this Motif pattern
Materials: Large ball of white plastic bag yarn (plarn)
and small amount of blue plastic bag plarn for center Motif

With center color (White shown) Ch 4, Sl St to form ring.

Rnd 1
Using White plastic bag yarn, Ch 2, (counts as 1 Hdc) in ring work 2 Hdc,
Ch 1, 3 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, Ch1, 3 Hdc, Ch 1, Sl St to top of Ch 2.
(4 corners & 4 shells made)
Fasten off and weave ends under on back side of Motif.

Rnd 2
With next color (Blue) attach in any Ch 1 corner space.
Ch 2, 2 Hdc, Ch1, 3 Hdc, all in the same ch 1 corner space.
*Sk next 3 Hdc, 3 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the next Ch 1 corner space.*
Repeat between * 2 more times, Sl St to top of the beginning Ch 2.

Rnd 3
Sl St across remaining Hdc’s to corner.
Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the corner space.
*Sk 3 Hdc, make 3 Hdc in between shells, Sk next shell, make 3 Hdc, Ch 1,
3 Hdc in corner.* Repeat 2 more times then Sl St to top of first Hdc.
Fasten off and weave ends under on back side of Motif.

Rnd 4
Change back to White yarn, attach in any Ch 1 corner space.
Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the corner space.
*Sk 3 Hdc, make 3 Hdc in between shells, Sk next shell, make 3 Hdc, Ch 1,
3 Hdc in corner.* Repeat 2 more times then Sl St to top of first Hdc.

Rnd 5-11
Sl St across remaining Hdc’s to corner.
Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the corner space.
Continue working in established pattern of Sk 3 Hdc (shell),
3 Hdc in between each of the shells, Sk next shell,
until you reach the corner again and then make 3 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc in each corner.
At the completion of each rnd, Sl St to top of the beginning Ch 2 and Sl St to corner space.
Then begin again with Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the […]

This is one of my all time favorite bags that I have created. It’s a crocheted shoulder bag made of recycled tan plastic grocery bags. It is a quick and easy crochet project to try if you are just starting out doing recycled crafts. If you need to know how to create yarn from plastic bags, here is my link to the step by step process to make the plastic bag yarn. If you want a larger bag, just add more stitches to your beginning chain and if you would rather have a deeper bag, just increase your rounds as desired. This pattern is worked in rounds and you do not join at the end of each round. Because of this you do not need to sew side seams together. As you work the first few rounds, the bag will turn up at the sides. Just continue working one Hdc in each stitch around and it naturally forms your purse without having to sew any side seams.

Enjoy this fun eco-friendly project!

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Crocheted Recycled Plastic Shoulder Bag Pattern
Purse measures 9 inches wide and 6 inches long.
Strap length is 42 inches when not tied.

Material: One large ball of plastic bags cut into 1” strips.
One button – 7/8” button shown on bag.

Hook: Metal “N” hook

For complete pattern just click on read more link below.

Chain 23

Round 1
Hdc in 2nd ch from hook in each chain.
Continue around the corner and down the back side of chain by working a Hdc in every chain stitch.

Round 2 – 13
Hdc in each st around and do not connect at end of rounds, just continue working Hdc in rounds until 6 inches are completed.

At desired length of main body of purse, stop doing rounds at side mark of purse. (Then only Hdc across back side of purse to create flap for purse.)

Flap:
Row 1 – 4
Ch 2, turn, hdc in each st across back half of purse for flap.

Row 5
Ch 2, turn. Hdc across row to center, skip one st at center for buttonhole, then Hdc in each remaining st across row. Ch 1, turn.

Row 6
Sc in each st across to center opening for buttonhole. Work 2 Sc in skipped space for buttonhole and then Sc in each remaining st across row.

Fasten off and weave ends under on inside of the bag.

Strap: Create strap by attaching your “yarn” with a Sl St to spot where you want to start strap on side of purse next to flap. Chain until strap measures 42 inches or desired length. Attach strap to opposite side of purse with a Sl St. Turn and work back up the chain by working a Sc around the chain until you get back to opposite end of strap handle. Adjust your Sc stitches around chain as needed to provide a smooth strap for your bag. The Sc’s slide a bit and […]