This is one of my favorite crafts: using grocery bags to crochet new bags. I’ve been faithfully using my canvas bags for quite awhile, but every now and then I’ll forget or I’ll acquire plastic bags from friends or family who have forgotten their canvas bags. I can’t bring myself to throw them out. So I was saving an ever-growing pile of plastic bags with no idea how to use them other than occasionally as shipping material.
I was introduced to this technique by a once-local Life Learner, Miranda. She inspired nearly every mama in our group to begin crocheting with plastic bags (or “plarn” as it’s called). I tend to just make more reusuable bags but you can also make purses, rugs, backpacks, etc. I’m giving these explanations under the assumptions you already know how to crochet. If you don’t it’s a simple, fun technique to learn and there are plenty of online resources to teach you how to do it (although the best teacher tends to be a good friend).
Here’s how to crochet a bag out of plastic bags (plarn):
1) Take your plastic bag and flatten it out. Then fold it in half (bringing the two handles together and the two bottom corners together) at least two times keeping it as flat as possible. Here it is flattened and folded once:
2) Cut off the bottom edge, then begin cutting one inch strips all the way up to the handles (the handles and the bottom edge become your only waste). This creates a ring.
3) Knot two rings together. I only knot two or three at a time, crochet those, then add more using something similar to a reef knot. I have no idea how to explain it. Here’s a video to help you knot your plarn if you need better visuals.
4) Using a J/10 hook or something around that size, create your chain as long as you want the base of your bag to be. When I make a bag, I tend to make the base a bit smaller since it always seems to expand as I begin to make the sides of the bag. Once you have the chain to the length you want, turn and begin crocheting as normal.
5) The easiest way is to crochet your base as a square if you’re making a bag but you can also crochet a circle as well. I use a single, double or half double stitch depending on my mood but usually gravitate to a single for a tighter stitch. Once you have the base to the size you prefer, begin working around the base (instead of back and forth). I usually skip a stitch here or there along the length of bag to pull the sides up a bit. Here you can see my base and the beginning of the sides.
6) Continue working around until you reach the bag depth you prefer, then begin making your handles/strap(s). Some people create their handles seperately and sew them on with more plarn. I usually start it on the bag itself so that I’m only crocheting on one side of the handle. I’m not sure which is better. I make my handle about 8 stitches across, which comes out to be about 1.5-2 inches wide. You can make one or two handles/straps.
Here is the end of the bag and the beginning of the strap: I simply stopped, ch 2, turn and crocheted 8, ch 2, turn, crochet 8, etc:
Here is the end of the strap “sewn” into the other side with more plarn.
7) Viola! A new bag crocheted from plastic bags! This size is perfect for going to the beach or park.
Keep one thing in mind when making your bag: The plastic will stretch with anything too heavy in it, so making a bag that is very big then filling it with groceries may have you dragging it across the ground as you walk to the car. If you’re making grocery bags, make them smaller and crochet two handles for support.
I hope these directions are clear enough. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about the technique. The options are boundless, so this is only one way of creating one type of bag. I’m currently working on a yoga bag made only from solid yellow bags…not such a “bright” idea; solid yellow is hard to come by. But I may have it done by next year!
Have you made anything from plarn?
He he this looks just like the one you sent me.
Yeah but yours was much more coloful! Took me years to collect all those colorful bags! Feel lucky!!
Whoa!! I’ve never seen that, what a great, cute idea.
WOW, that is freaking brilliant!
garsh, i haven’t done that in ages – i have made fruit/veggie bags before. it is totally cool. your bag has a nice shape! i think i might try to make one…
OMG! You read my mind. I had a lady call me today to ask me more about making this. She had seen mine at TJ’s. And I was going to tell you to post on this! And you did! Unbelievable! Sometimes I am amazed at my telepathic ability!
OMG! that is so cool. thank you for posting this. now i jsut need to learn to crochet. haven been trying to teach myself for years, but still no luck. anyway, here;s a great incentive to try again.
Elizabeth, great minds and all that?
Cyndi, learning to crochet is really easiest when learning with someone. Do you know anyone who crochets that can help you? I promise it would take a fraction of the time learning from someone than learning by yourself. And once you’ve got it, it’s super easy.
Wow! This is so cool! At the moment, any plastic bags that come into our house are used as liners in Fidget’s nappy (diaper) bin, but she’ll be out of them soon (I hope). Also, we’re lucky in that a number of shops take them back for recycling, but I’d much prefer reusing them in this kind of way. That is so cool. Must try it out!
Wow, can’t believe that we were doing the same thing this week! Weird.
I haven’t done a whole bag yet, just flowers and started a tiny purse thingy. I don’t have enough bags! Which is a good thing of course, lol.
These are great!
I need to make myself a laptop sleeve; something that will protect my MacBook so I can put it into my backpack or totebag. Do you think this would be thick enough for that?
Thanks for the excellent post!
Terrie, it does end up pretty thick. Using a thicker hook or cutting the strips a bit thicker would help too. I’ve considered making something similar for my son’s Nintendo DS to cushion against bumps. Let me know how it goes.
That is fantastic! Thanks for the tutorial.
Oh, and how many bags did that project take? We use all canvas totes so I don’t have even one bag right now, but my mom saves hers, I think.
Denise, I have never counted but a friend of mine estimated it took about 100 bags to do a bag that size. That doesn’t seem like enough. I know I get about 4 dc out of one strip and about 10 strips out of each bag. 100 bags may be right.
http://www.UrbanSustainableSociety.blogspot.com
Check out my new website, which uses Plarn crocheted bags as the symbol for Urban Sustainable Society Members. The best instructions for making plarn (yarn made from plastic bags) and crochet patterns will soon be uploaded. Keep checking the site!
This is so great!!
Love it!
I understand the reasons that any crafty person would be drawn to this, but I don’t think this is helping the plastic bag problem. Most major grocery stores have a receptical for recycling shopping bags. Including “just the handles” left over from making Plarn. Unfortunately, I have witnessed ladies foregoing their canvas bags and specifically asking for MORE plastic shopping bags just to make Plarn. I know it’s a good intention, but I think it should be stressed that the main goal is to limit/eliminate the production of these bags in the first place.
Sadie, it’s funny you should mention that. I’ve seen and heard of the same things. And you’re absolutely right in that context. But for people who for whatever reason continue to use plastic and refuse canvas, this is at least a better use for those bags then the resources wasted to make them into even more plastic. Until canvas is so common place that plastic is obsolete, crocheting with the bags we can get from friends or family or the recepticals is much better than not reusing those bags at all. Not to mention, the more creative “eco-friendly” things people see, the more inspired they will be to stop using plastic themselves. I can’t tell you the number of people who have been inspired by myself and the mamas in my unschooling group when they see our bags and ask us questions, giving us the opportunity to plant a seed. It’s all about “Inspire, Don’t Require”.
Hi! Just found you searching for plarn projects. Looking for ideas other than crochet or knitting for my girls to try (maybe weaving?). Anyway….I really stopped to comment because I was tickled pink to find the site of a free-thinking unschooler!!! We just started our “school-free” journey this past winter. I will definitely be back to read more, and I’ve marked you as “I like it!” for Stumble Upon.
i would love to give it a go, please could you tell me what size hook did you use?
thank you
mona
I’ve been crotcheting for about 3 years now, I’m a newbee and always interested in new ways to spice up what I do. The bag is absolutley amazaing