I’m here to introduce my camo plarn ditty bag. My camo plarn is made from green, tan, brown, creme, white, grey and orange recycled plastic bags. Making camo plarn is a wonderful way to use up your odds and ends of plastic bags. I used just one or two bag strips of the same color together and as I worked the ditty bag then I added more bag strips as I crocheted in an effort to create a staggered camo look.
Here is my first sample of the camo plarn after 6 rounds complete of the ditty bag pattern. I used Dot’s Ditty Bag pattern found here.
I did have to change the pattern a bit to make it work with recycled plastic bags. First I used a N (9 mm) crochet hook as I did in this plastic ditty bag version. My finished camo ditty bag is 7 inches tall and about 7 inches wide.
Then I did another experiment and made a winter or snow camo ditty bag. For this recycled bag project, I used only black, white, and grey plastic bags. While I like both of the camo plarn bags, I think I prefer the snow camo bag best.
My plan is to crochet a few more of these camo plarn bags and donate them to soldiers for Christmas. Hopefully some soldiers will find it useful for toiletries or just as a little storage tote.
I present my All American Plarn Recycled Bag! It is crocheted using red and blue newspaper bags and white grocery bags that were recycled into plarn. Here is my plarn making tutorial and I use the same method for cutting and attaching the newspaper strips together. They are much shorter strips but it’s the same loop method as regular plastic grocery sacks for making your plarn.
I got these nice wooden handles from a local thrift store for just 99 cents. This is my first recycled purse project using round wooden handles and I wanted to make sure to attach them firmly to my bag. I ended up working two rows of single crochet stitches around the handles and into the bag. I have explained the process below and hopefully it’s understandable to everyone. You could work this same pattern with bulky yarn and end up with about the same sized bag. Either way I hope everyone enjoys my free crochet pattern below.
Happy Crafting!
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All American Plarn Recycled Bag Pattern
Materials needed:
Plastic bags cut into 1 inch wide plarn strips in red, white and blue.
(Approx. 17-18 bags in each color.)
1) pair of 7 Inch wide wooden handles
Hook: N (9 mm) size metal crochet hook
Description: Red, White and Blue Plarn Striped Bag
13-1/2″ wide by 12″ tall with 9″ at top opening
Directions:
Using salmon red plarn, Ch 26.
I want to share with you a unique company I came across on the web. Turtle Mat is a creator of all types of mats for the home. Not just useful by the door, Turtle Mats are now widely used in kitchens, bathrooms, boats, RVs, dorms, offices, and utility rooms. Turtle Mats are manufactured by one of the world’s largest and most eco-friendly textile groups. The group has achieved carbon negative status by planting one million trees every year and by producing green energy in its own hydroelectric plants. The group is also at the forefront of initiatives to reduce waste, cut water usage and use fewer chemicals.
Turtle Mat also supports the Marine Conservation Society, the only charity in the UK dedicated to caring for our seas, shores and wildlife. Through their Adopt-a-Turtle campaign, they are working to save marine turtles from extinction. In the last year, Turtle Mat customers have helped raise over £5,000 through their adoption scheme. To find out more about adopting a turtle, visit their website at Marine Conservation Society.
So should you need a new doormat, you of course could crochet your own recycled rug like this plarn round rug. Plarn rugs are fun to make and are very durable. But maybe you aren’t a crafter and want to shop for beautiful and practical doormats from a green eco-friendly company. I recommend you check out the collection of lovely mats and rugs that Turtle Mat offers.
Crafting with recycled materials is so addicting. I’m back with another green crafting project using a thrift store t-shirt I got free as it had a bleach stain. It was a pretty pink so I thought it would make a nice baby bib. This baby bib is crocheted from the t-yarn I created from the old t-shirt. Here is my tutorial on how I create t-yarn and how I curl it before crocheting. This baby bib uses about half of an adult sized seamless-sides t-shirt which has been cut into 1/4″ wide strips.
I had shared another t-yarn baby bib before but this crochet pattern has been simplified and makes for an even quicker project. I added flowers as an extra embellishment. I hope you enjoy this free baby bib pattern.
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Free Crocheted T-Yarn Baby Bib Pattern
Materials needed:
1) T-shirt cut into T-yarn approx. 1/4″ wide
2) Straps 12″ long cut from hem of T-shirt
Scrap piece of yarn for flowers
Hook:
H (5 mm) USA size crochet hook
Description:
Baby Bib measures 9 inches across and 8 inches long from neck edge to bottom center
Straps are 12 inches long each
Directions:
Ch 18
Need a watering can or container for your garden? Well I did and decided I would try and make my own. I took one of my empty apple jugs and upcycled it into this handy watering container for my garden.
You just need a plastic jug with a screw off lid. I like the one gallon Tree Top apple jugs as they are made with heavy plastic and a sturdy screw off cap. I used a hammer and a nail to punch the holes around the top of the cap as shown. Just put the cap on a old board and hammer the nail through the plastic to create your watering holes.
My recycled watering jug works great. I can use it to just gently sprinkle tender new seedlings with water or shake it to water larger areas. Plus you can squeeze on the jug to create pressure which allows you to spray water quite a distance.
So if you need a watering can, please consider recycling an old plastic jug into a very handy and frugal watering jug. I’m sure you will love your free watering jug as much as I love mine.
Happy gardening!
It’s nearly the 4th of July so I thought I’d post a fun stars and stripes project I did for charity. Crocheting for charity is very rewarding and enjoyable. It’s a wonderful way to give back a bit and pay it forward to someone that you may not even know.
I’ve recently crocheted a few wheelchair – walker tote bags for my local nursing home. Here is one of my stars and stripes tote bags I created from some vintage bulky wool yarn I found at a thrift store. Being wool I just had to felt this and I was really pleased with the results. Felted wool just looks so cool and I think it adds a special touch to the bag.
Please feel free to use my pattern to crochet for your local charities or organizations.
Enjoy and I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July!
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Free Pattern for Stars & Stripes Wheelchair – Walker Tote Bag
Materials needed:
Bulky weight wool yarn in red, white and blue, approx. 2 ozs in each color
2) 1 inch buttons
Hook:
N (9 mm) U.S. size metal hook
Description: Wheelchair – Walker Tote Bag
Bag measures 9 inches wide by 9-1/2 inches long with 8 inch straps after felting
Bag measured 11″ wide by 12″ long with 8-1/2″ straps before felting
Directions:
Using red yarn, Ch 27.
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