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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It’s time to crochet some recycled Easter egg baskets for the upcoming holiday. I want to share my latest creation which is a mini Easter egg basket. It holds one egg and can be used as unique gift idea. Fill your plastic egg with something special or simply place your gift inside the mini basket. The link to the free crochet pattern for the mini Easter egg basket is found here.
Here is a large recycled Easter basket that I made last year. This durable basket is crocheted from some special purple plastic bags that a friend from Crochetville mailed to me. I know purple bags are hard to come by but even using recycled white plastic grocery bags can create just as cute of a Easter basket. Simply add a colorful ribbon bow tie to spruce up your basket as I did with the mini Easter egg basket project.
Here is the free pattern link for the large plastic basket below.

Crochet this cute eco-friendly handbag from recycled plastic grocery bags. It’s a great size for an everyday handbag purse. Handbag features a roomy oval bottom and comfortable handles.
Here is a closeup of the bottom and handles.
I want to show these closeups so you can see how the bottom has been made oval by adding increases at the sides. The handles are shown laying flat to show how each side is done to matched each other so that the bag is evenly formed.
I have explained this further in the pattern below. If you have any questions while working this crochet pattern, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
As always enjoy this recycled bag project!
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Crocheted Hand Bag Using Plastic Grocery Bags
Materials needed: One large ball of plastic bags cut into strips and interlocked to create a ball of yarn or Plarn to crochet with.
Hook: M (9 mm) size metal crochet hook
Description: Small handbag tote purse –
Bag measures 10 inches wide at top and 9 inches long with 6 inches oval bottom and 5 inches handles.
Directions:

Here is my latest recycled plarn tote bag. It is a roomy tote bag that features a nearly 4 inch wide flat bottom. This allows your tote to stand up on its own. I used a new stitch in this crocheted plastic bag project which is called the spike stitch. You crochet down into the prior row to create a long stitch that looks like a spike. I worked a spike stitch every 4th stitch to make a decorative blue stripe on my tote bag.
This bag also features longer handles. I’ve had requests for longer handles on my tote bags so I crocheted this bag with 18 inch handle straps. Of course if you use this tote for groceries, it will stretch even longer. With these longer handles, you can put it over your shoulder while carrying the tote bag.
Here is a closeup photo of the flat bottom of my recycled plastic tote.
So grab your crochet hook and crochet yourself a spike stitch tote bag today. As always, happy green crafting to all!
Free Spike Stitch Plarn Tote Pattern
Materials needed:
One large ball of plastic bag yarn aka Plarn
Approx. 50-60 plastic grocery bags – Brown/tan in color
One smaller amount of blue plarn – Approx. 10-15 bags
Hook: N (9 mm) metal crochet hook
Description: Recycled Plarn Tote Bag
Bag measures 13 inches wide and 13 inches tall with 18 inch handles and nearly 4 inch wide flat bottom
Directions:
Ch 28 with brown plarn.

Crochet this star / flower using plastic bags. This little star or flower was made from recycled plastic bags. It’s a quick and simple project that can be used to make a hair barrette as shown.
The star or flower can be used to embellish any project as it’s a cute addition to any purse or bag. Use your imagination and have fun adding this to your crafting item!
Here’s the free pattern.

I was asked recently for a round toy ball pattern. Well ask and you share receive. In an effort to continually make this blog a comprehensive library of free patterns using recycled materials, here is my free crocheted toy plarn ball project.
My recycled plastic toy ball has a 5 inch diameter and reminds me of a nerf ball as it’s soft. It would be a great toy for a child or a play toy for a pet. It also is a wonderful way to use up those little scrap pieces of plastic bags that you have leftover when you create your plarn. You can use the handles and end pieces to stuff your toy plarn ball.
This is a simple pattern but I had to re-work it four times to get it round. Who says creating patterns is easy — LOL. This toy ball is worked all in one piece and my final product is pretty round. You could probably easily adapt the crochet pattern to make it a smaller or larger ball as desired.
Please enjoy the pattern and you can find a list of all my free recycled craft patterns here.
Free Crocheted Round Plarn Toy Ball Pattern
Materials needed:
*Plastic bags cut into strips 1 inch wide and interlocked to create plarn. (Approx. 12 plastic bags)
The tutorial on how to create yarn from plastic bags can be found here.
*Scraps of plastic bags for ball stuffing.
Hook:
J (6 mm)size metal crochet hook
Description:
Recycled Plastic Toy Ball – 5 inch diameter
Directions:
Using plastic bags cut into plarn, Ch 4 and join with a Sl St to form a ring.
Just in time before Summer is over, crochet this handy water bottle holder from recycled plastic bags or plarn. It has a convenient sling shoulder strap and holds a reusable Nalgene 32 oz/1000 ml or one liter water bottle. This makes a wonderful water bottle holder because the bag is crocheted using plastic bags, you don’t have to worry about it getting wet from the condensation from a cold bottle.
Here is the free pattern link to crochet the water bottle holder.
Enjoy the rest of your Summer and happy green crafting to all!

Here is my finished pair of pink and grey crocheted plarn sandals that I have been working on for months. This truly has been a labor of love and recycled craft challenge to get these completed. I posted my progress with this plastic bag project over the last several months. I crocheted the plarn sandal soles and improved on the pattern I used in the past for making recycled plastic sandal slippers.
I present the free crochet pattern for these recycled plastic sandals below. These can be used at the beach, around the house and garden, or even as shower sandals for college students. For larger or smaller sizes, just add more or reduce the stitches to your beginning chain and crochet the tops wider too as needed.
Pink and Grey Plarn Sandals Crochet Pattern
Materials needed:
One ball of plastic bag yarn “Plarn” cut 1 inch wide – Approx. 30 Grey plastic grocery bags and 10 Pink plastic bags
Here is my picture tutorial link showing how to make yarn from recycled plastic bags.
Hook: J (6 mm) metal crochet hook
Description:
Recycled Plastic Bag Sandals Women Size 9 to 9-1/2 M
Directions:
Make 2 soles for each sandal.
Rnd 1
With grey plastic bag yarn (plarn) Ch 21.

I crocheted this plarn yarn basket using recycled plastic trash. The sides are made with recycled plastic bags that I make into yarn which is known as plarn. The base is a recycled plastic frozen dinner tray I fished out of the garbage at work. I cut the rim off the dinner tray and punched holes all around the outside as shown in this picture below.
Next using plarn (plastic-bag-yarn), I crocheted a single crochet base round through the holes and around the complete base. Once you get the base row done, it’s much easier crocheting into the plarn of each stitch as you work the additional rounds for your basket. I changed colors several times and used up some of my unique colored stashed plastic bags.
These trays work wonderfully to provide a nice sturdy base for the basket. You could crochet more rounds with the plastic yarn to make your basket taller or add a handle for a cute carrying basket. Either way recycling these plastic trays is a great way to keep them out of our landfills and provides a useful purpose in the recycled crafting field.
Free Pattern for Recycled Plastic Basket
Materials needed:
Plastic bags cut into 1 inch strips into plarn is several different colors
as desired for stripes
1) Plastic frozen dinner tray with the rim cut off
(One used in project was 6 inches long)
Hook: J (6 mm) sized metal crochet hook
Description: Recycled Plastic Yarn Basket
Basket measures 6 inches long, 4-1/2 inches wide and 4 inches tall
Directions:
Using the tray after cutting off the rim, punch holes around the base as shown in the photo. I used heavy duty hole punch to put my holes in the plastic base.

I have been asked to crochet a recycled plastic soap dish holder so this is up I came up with. I crocheted this soap dish using about three recycled plastic bags so it’s a great project if you only have a few bags in a special color.
It’s just the right size if you have a large square bar of soap. Here is my plarn soap dish with a scrubbie also crocheted from recycled plastic bags.
Here is a plarn soap dish pictured with a oval bar of soap along with a crocheted dishcloth to match.
Here is one other crocheted soap dish with white plastic retail bags along with a scrubbie added with a cotton yarn trim. The cotton yarn edging adds a colorful touch to the otherwise boring white bags. You can also use the soap dish crocheted from recycled plastic bags as a scrubbie holder. Just rinse it out in warm water if it gets too soapy or dirty. Either way this recycled soap dish is a handy holder and provides a useful way to reuse those plastic bags you may have stuffed in your kitchen drawers and cabinets.
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Free Crocheted Plarn Soap Dish Pattern
Materials needed:
3 — plastic bags cut into strips 3/4 inches wide and interlocked to create plarn
Here is the link to my plarn-making tutorials should you need it
Hook:
J (6 mm) US size metal crochet hook
Gauge: 3 Sc = 1 inch; 3 rows = 1 inch
Description:
Recycled Plastic Soap Dish – measures 5-1/2 inches long by 3 inches wide
Directions:
Row 1
Ch 13, Sc in the 2nd st from the hook and in each st across.
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