Patterns: Plastic Bags / Plarn
Patterns made from plarn, yarn cut from plastic grocery bags. Totes, purses, scrubbers, rugs, baskets and holiday decorations that keep bags out of the landfill.
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For all you rug lovers out there, I have a new recycled plarn rug pattern to share. It’s crocheted in the round and I used several different shades of creme, tan, and brown bags to create an earth tone look. These plastic rugs crocheted from recycled plastic bags make great boot or doormat rugs as you can just hose them off and hang to dry. Remember do not put these in the dryer as it will melt the plastic.
So grab those plastic bags, a big N crochet hook and lets do some recycled green plarn crafting!
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Free Crocheted Round Plarn Rug Pattern
Materials needed:
Several balls of plastic bag yarn or plarn in creme, tan, and browns
Hook: N (9 mm) U.S. size metal hook
Description: Earth tone round rug measures 19 inches wide
Directions:
Using Creme colored plastic bags (plarn) Ch 4, join to form ring.
Here is a little scrubbie I crocheted using recycled produce netting bags and cotton yarn. These large red nets were sent to me by reader of my blog who asked me if I’d like to use them in a recycled craft projects. I was thrilled to receive her package that contained about 10 of these large red nets. I cut them into 1 inch wide strips and looped them together just like I do with my plastic bag plarn The red netting is stiff and a bit hard to crochet but it makes a wonderful scrubber when you are done.
Here is a photo showing a net and a sample of the cut strips. You can click on any of my photos to supersize them.
The nets are circular and open on both ends so I just cut across the middle to make my strips. Here is the link to my picture tutorial I made showing how I cut green plastic lettuce netting into strips and assembled them.
To complete this little kitchen set, I crocheted my star dishcloth. The free pattern for this dishcloth can be found here.
My star dishcloth shown here was crocheted all in cotton yarn but I do have an option if you’d like to add a recycled plastic center for extra scrubbing power to the dishcloth.
Below you will find the free pattern for the scalloped pot scrubber.
Enjoy!
Scalloped Pot Scrubber Pattern
Scrubber measures: 4-1/4 inches Square
Hook: Metal J (6 mm) sized crochet hook
Materials:
3/4 oz – Bernat Holly Jolly Prints cotton yarn
1 – large red produce plastic netting bag (cut and looped together)
Holding cotton and netting together, Ch 4, Sl St to form ring.
Halloween is just around the corner and I’ve been saving plastic orange newspaper bags for quite awhile so I could crochet a recycled trick or treat bag. I just got it finished in time and am here to share the project with everyone.
This trick or treat bag features a milk jug base so its nice and sturdy. With a sharp pair of scissors, just cut around the bottom of the milk jug as shown in the photo below. The jug I used had a line around the base so it made it easy to cut it evenly around the bottom. By recycling a plastic milk jug, you create a trick or treat basket that will hold its shape and your candy nicely.
Once you finish crocheting the bag, you can always add more embellishments like eyes and a mouth to the project. I took a few pieces of VCR tape and created a quick face for my trick or treat bag. So this concludes my Halloween project for the year. Enjoy the free crochet pattern below — Happy Halloween!
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Trick or Treat Plastic Plarn Basket
Materials needed: One ball of orange plastic bags cut into strips 3/4 inch wide and interlocked
to create a ball of plarn – (Approx. 20-25 bags)
Small amount of green plastic bags cut into plarn for strap
One plastic milk jug
Here is my picture tutorial on how to make yarn from recycled plastic bags.
Hook: K (6.5 mm) metal crochet hook
Description: Orange Trick or Treat Basket –
Basket measures 9 inches across front and 6-1/2 inches tall with 14 inch handle strap.
Directions:
Ch 3 and join with a Sl St to form a ring.
I have tons of white plastic bags as many people do. Most people that craft with recycled plastic bags find it difficult to find pretty colorful bags. You can usually find a few unique colors but it’s almost impossible to find enough bags to crochet a complete tote bag. So I’m always on the quest to find new ways to embellish my white tote bags. Here is my latest crocheted recycled plastic bag. It’s a red, white and blue striped reusable tote bag. It uses around 30 white retail bags and only about 3 blue plastic bags and 3 red newspaper bags. As you can see, just a few colorful bags can dress up an otherwise boring white plastic bag tote.
To crochet this recycled tote bag you basically use my Ultimate Grocery Bag pattern and add the stripes using the red and blue plastic bags cut into plarn. I also changed up the handles a bit and will detail the changes below to explain how to crochet this recycled plastic tote bag.
I used a N (9 mm) crochet hook to work this tote bag. The finished size is 13 inches wide and 14 inches long with 9 inch handles.
Following the basic pattern link, crochet with white plastic bag yarn (plarn) for 19 rounds. End at side of bag with a slip stitch.
Here is a seamless reusable lunch sack bag. The lunch sack is crocheted from recycled plastic bags. This project is another installment of my to-do list which I am working on. The list is made up of items that I have never made before and I use recycled material to create each item. Once the item is completed, I share it here along with the free crochet pattern so everyone can have an opportunity to make the recycled project too.
This week, I completed my lunch sack which is a seamless bag. I have used this seamless method for quite a while now and wanted to share it here on my blog. You can use it on many different projects when you don’t want to have to sew or weave sides together on your project. It also leaves your item with a nice appearance as you do not have a joining stitch. I have step-by-step pictures of how the seamless bag method works below.
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At round 3 of bottom
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At round 5 as sides curl up
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At round 7 as bowl is created
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Finished bag with expandable bottom
Free Reusable Lunch Sack Bag Pattern
Materials needed: One large ball of plastic bags cut into strips and interlocked to create a ball of plarn
Strip of Velcro for flap closure (I used 4″ strip)
Hook: N (9 mm) size metal crochet hook
Description: Plastic Lunch Sack Bag
Bag measures 8 inches wide at top and 11 inches long with 3-1/2 inches oval expandable bottom and 19 inch long strap.
Directions:
This week’s recycled bag project is a crocheted plarn produce bag. I have had a reusable produce bag on my to-do list for some time now. And thanks to a request from a reader of my site, I was encouraged to finally get it done.
Here is my plarn making picture tutorial to help you get started. Crafting with recycled plastic bags is fun, frugal and a great way to recycle plastic bags into something new and useful like this reusable produce bag.
Plarn Produce Bag Pattern
Materials:
Plastic bags cut into 1 inch strips approx. 20 bags for small produce bag and 35 for larger bag
Hook: Metal J (6 mm) crochet hook
Description:
Small produce bag: 8 inches wide by 9-1/2 inches long with 13 inches strap
Larger produce bag: 10″ by 11″ long with 14″ strap
Directions are given for the smaller produce bag and then options for the larger bag given at the bottom of the pattern.
Round 1
Ch 20, 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.
Crochet a cute ribbon sling bag!
This week’s recycled craft project is a crocheted sling bag. The bag is crocheted using recycled plastic bags. Red ribbon was added and tied into a bow at the front. Here is the link to my picture tutorial on how to make your own recycled plastic bag yarn or plarn.
I know many crafters out there are starting their Christmas gifts. This would make a great little gift for any young girl and even as a gift bag. You could fill it up with a few stocking stuffer items and you’d have a wonderful little Christmas package. Anyway just a few ideas that I came up with to use this little bag.
As always here is the free pattern for your use.
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Free Crocheted Sling Bag Pattern
Purse measures 9 inches wide and 10-1/2 inches long
Strap length is 35 inches
Materials:
One ball of recycled plastic bag yarn aka Plarn
2 yards of 1/8″ ribbon or other ribbon leftovers
Hook: Metal N (9 mm) crochet hook
Chain 22
I am back sharing another free recycled plarn pattern that I created. I used a satchel style strap design in this crocheted tote bag using plastic bags. The white bags are just regular grocery sacks and the pink ones are plastic newspaper bags that I have been getting from my local library. I used the combination to craft this satchel styled tote which I hope you will enjoy.
Best wishes and happy crafting to all!
Satchel Styled Recycled Tote Bag Pattern
Materials needed:
One large ball of plastic bag yarn aka Plarn in white (approx. 40 bags)
Small ball of pink plarn (approx. 20 bags)
Hook: J (6 mm) metal crochet hook
Description: Tote bag
Bag measures 14 inches wide and 10 inches long with 14 inches handles
Directions:
Using pink plarn, Ch 26.
I am back to share a new recycled plastic bag plarn project. In this project, I set out to create a small basket tray to use for holding items for an upcoming charity fundraiser. I wanted a tray type basket to hold the items and also one that could be reused for kitchen or bath items later.
This was a fun and quick plastic basket that I crocheted using less than 20 recycled plastic retail bags made into plarn using the looping method of cutting and assembling the bags. Below you will find the free crochet pattern and details. Enjoy the pattern and happy crocheting to all!
Crocheted Plarn Basket Tray Pattern
Materials:
Plastic bags cut into strips 1 inch wide to create plarn yarn. Here are the pieces I crocheted to put the plastic tray basket together. (Approx. 13 bags in white and 4 brown bags)
All pattern details are written in US crochet terms.
Hook: J (6 mm) size crochet hook
Description: Crocheted Recycled Plastic Bag Basket Tray
Basket measures 8-3/4 inches long, 4 inches tall, 3-3/4 inch wide ends and with 5-3/4 inch handles
Directions:
Row 1
Ch 30, Hdc in 3rd st from hook and in each st down to end. Ch 2, turn. (27)
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