Here is a new recycled plastic bag yarn project. This pattern is called a Japanese Knot bag as it features 2 handles. One long and one shorter, which closes by sliding the longer handle through the shorter one as shown. The Japanese-styled bags are often times made smaller and worn over the wrist.
This tote bag is crocheted using recycled plastic bags made into yarn known as plarn. It can be worn over the wrist or also draped over your shoulder.
Here is the free Japanese Knot Bag pattern written using plarn but it also can be crocheted using bulky yarn or 2 strands of worst weight yarns held together.
The finished size of this recycled tote bag is
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
I have a new resource for brown plastic bags! Local Safeway stores have gone back to the brown plastic retail bags and I just love recycling them into new reusable tote bags.
Here is the recycled plastic bag or plarn tote bag I crocheted with the brown retail sacks. I also used some red plastic newspaper bags that an on-line friend sent me that her Wall Street Journal was delivered in. The red bags were just right to compliment the brown bags with the red writing on them and made for a nice stripe on the tote bag.
But the special thing about this recycled tote bag is the dual handles. It has the normal hand grip handle in the middle and also a 30 inch long shoulder strap. So you can either grip the bag with your hands or throw the long strap over your shoulder.
I followed one of my basic crocheted plarn tote bag patterns found here but with a few modifications. My changes were for the first six rounds, I worked single crochet (SC) stitches
I crocheted this recycled plastic bag tote using the free ultimate recycled grocery bag pattern. It is crocheted with recycled brown Safeway grocery bags and a few green bags added for stripes.
Lots of people ask how many bags does this project need to complete? It really depends on the bags and how you cut them. I cut these bags each 1 inch wide to create the plastic bag yarn or plarn. For the brown bags, I did a calculation to see how far one single bag made into plarn would go on each round. I found that it took about 1.8 bags to crochet a single round on the main body of the bag. I kept a count and used about
I crocheted this latest recycled plastic bag or plarn tote using lots of white plastic bags and a few red and grey plastic bags. Recycling all the white retail plastic bags I get can be challenging. Let’s face it, the white bags are boring and need something to help brighten up the project when you crochet or knit with them. So by adding some colorful bags, I created a few stripes to spice up this recycled tote bag.
I used the free recycled round grocery tote pattern to crochet this bag. I just changed up the stripes of colored plarn a bit for a different look than the original pattern. But otherwise it’s the same pattern. As with any pattern, you can always just make a few changes which will result in a new look.
Below is another picture taken with the tote bag laying down flat.
Here is my latest recycled plastic tote bag. It was inspired by the Seattle Seahawks and I used their team colors when I crocheted the tote. I used what I loving call boring white plastic bags in this crocheted tote bag. White plastic bags are very plentiful but need something to spice them up so blue and apple green acrylic yarn in Seattle Seahawks colors were added for stripes and trim.
I crocheted the tote bag using my flat bottom tote bag pattern. The crochet pattern is free and you just need to alternate some crocheted stripes using your favorite team colors as shown. Adding colorful yarns is a great way to pretty-up those boring white plastic bags and you end up with a cool-looking recycled tote bag.
Here is a photo taken laying flat of the recycled plastic tote bag.
If you are looking for more free recycled plastic yarn or plarn patterns, here is the direct link
I shared in a recent post about weaving the strap handle for this recycled tote bag. I made the strap using a spool knitter and variegated the plastic bag strips with grey and pink loops to form the woven strap. Then I crocheted the body of the bag using an open netting type stitch for the project. Here is the completed recycled tote bag.
Here is a closeup of the strap and top edge of the bag.
Below you will find the complete pattern to crochet the recycled tote bag. I hope you enjoy the pattern and don’t hesitate to contact me should you have any questions as you work this pattern or any of my other free patterns.
Grey and Pink Recycled Plastic Tote Bag Pattern
Materials:
Plastic bags cut into 1 inch strips – approx. 30+ bags
Hook: Metal J (6 mm) crochet hook
Description:
Recycled Plastic Tote bag: 10 inches by 12-1/2 inches long with 25 inches strap
All crochet directions are in US terms.
Round 1
With grey plarn, Ch 30, Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in ea st and then working around the backside of chain, Sc in ea st along the other side of original chain.
Japanese Knot Bags are very handy and feature two handles. One handle is shorter than the other so you can pull the longer handle through the shorter as a quick and unique closure for the bag. I thought a Japanese Knot would be a cool idea for a recycled tote bag.
I used mainly recycled grey Walmart plastic bags to crochet the tote bag with 4 blue plastic bags for the stripe. It took about 50 plastic bags cut 1 inch wide and made into plarn (plastic bag yarn) to crochet my Japanese knot tote bag. I loved how the blue really helped set off the bag to give it a nice look to an otherwise boring grey bag. Overall I am very happy with the results of my latest crocheted reusable bag.
Here is a closeup of the top with the Japanese knot used for the plastic bag tote closure.
As always, here is the free crochet pattern so everyone can crochet their own recycled Japanese knot tote bag.
Japanese Knot Plarn Tote Pattern
Hook: N (9mm) size metal crochet hook
All directions are in US crochet terms.
Description:
Bag measures 14″ wide flat across the front, 12″ tall, 9-1/2″ round bottom with one handle 10″ long and the other 15″ long.
Directions:
Ch 3 and join with a Sl St to form a ring.
I just finished crocheting this striped reusable tote bag. Each year I crochet a recycled bag item for my local Relay for Life event. They use the donated items in gift baskets and for their fundraising.
I used my ultimate recycled grocery tote pattern to crochet this bag. I just added three rows with pink recycled plastic bags or plarn, one row with blue, and then three final rows in pink again before switching back to white plarn. Finding the colored plastic bags isn’t easy and just a few can spice up a plain white tote bag such as this one. Plus I always like to use pink in my projects that I crochet for Relay for Life in support of breast cancer awareness.
This crocheted recycled tote bag measures
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