Patterns: Totes
Tote bags, market bags, beach bags and messenger bags made to carry real loads, most of them crocheted from plastic grocery bags (plarn) and some from denim or yarn.
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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.
Spring is just around the corner and this crocheted granny square motif tote brings out the best of recycled crafting with a colorful Spring theme. The motifs are crocheted from recycled plastic bags in six different colors to create a unique panel for each side of the tote bag.
Click to supersize any photos
Motifs before assembly and side shot of finished tote
Think Spring so it hopefully gets here soon as this snow and ice is getting old. Enjoy this recycled bag project and happy green crafting to all!
Free Colorful Motif Tote Pattern
Materials needed:
One large ball of White plastic bag yarn Plarn approx. 35 bags
Plastic bags in each of the center colors: blue, yellow, wine, pink, orange and green
Hooks: N (9 mm) and J (6 mm) U.S. size metal crochet hooks
Size: Approx. 4″ Motif if using 1 inch strips of cut plastic bags
Finished Tote bag measurements: 14-1/2″ wide, 10″ tall, 3″ depth, 8 inch handles
With N hook Ch 4 with center color, Sl St to form ring.
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 yourself this cute summer tote from plarn. What is plarn? Well if you haven’t heard the term yet, it refers to the yarn created from recycled plastic bags. I believe Sonnets and Stitches from Crochetville.org was the first to coin the term.
Here is my link to a picture tutorial on how to make plarn. So check it out and recycle all those plastic bags into something of beauty. It’s truly trash to treasure at this website!
Free Pattern for Crocheted Plarn Tote Bag
Materials needed: One very large ball of plastic bag yarn Plarn
Hook: N (9 mm) size metal hook
Description: Tote Bag
Bag measures 12″ wide and 12″ long with 4″ expandable bottom
Directions:
Ch 28
This crocheted Eco tote features a granny square motif and recycled materials to create an unique look. I used yellow and grey plastic grocery bags, vcr vhs tape, and white plastic retail bags in this project. My goal in creating this Eco tote was to crochet a bag that would be strong enough to use as a book bag and could be used for an everyday carry tote. I also crocheted this bag as a Crochet-a-Long (CAL) at one of my favorite craft website forums Crochetville.
My Eco tote measurements are 12″ wide, 13″ long, 1-1/2″ deep at sides with strap that is 1-1/4″ wide and 28″ long. I have included some closeup pictures below to help you in this project. I must warn you that I did have problems keeping my tote bag square. I believe it’s because of the different materials that I used and because the plastic tends to stretch a bit during crocheting.
Closeup of edging on bag
Click to view full-sized
Closeup of handle attachment
Click to view full-sized
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Plastic Eco Tote Pattern
Size: Approx. 12″ square bag with strap that is 1-1/4 inches wide and 28 inches long.
Hook: N (9 mm) metal crochet hook used in this Motif pattern.
Materials: Plastic bag yarn and 2 partial reels of vcr vhs tape.
This is my latest recycled bag project which is crocheted from Vhs video tapes and ribbon yarn. Here is the link for the tutorial on how to use Vhs tape as yarn. This tote bag measures 13″ by 12″ and has a handy grip handle. You could also crochet this bag using recycled plastic bags. If you use plastic bag yarn or plarn, you only need to use one ball of plarn and the strand of ribbon yarn as you work the pattern. Vhs video tape is much lighter which requires the double strand (2 reels) to be used in this project.
Here is a closeup of the combination of Vcr tape and ribbon yarn.
Free Pattern for Crocheted Vhs Video Tape Tote Bag
Materials needed:
2 Vhs Video long play tapes (T-120)
2 rolls of Lion Brand ribbon yarn – Incredible #51659, 110 yards ea roll
Hook: N (9 mm) size metal crochet hook
Description: Tote Bag
Bag measures 13 inches wide and 12 inches long with 4 inch oval expandable bottom
Directions:
Using 2 strands of vhs video tape with one strand of ribbon yarn Ch 28.
This is my new denim eyelet tote bag. I am so excited about how it turned out. I bought this big piece of denim from a yard sale and set out to make a nice new purse for myself.
It is my first time using eyelets on a tote bag for the handles. In the past I’ve always found it tough sewing the heavy denim handles or straps to the bag. Most of the time your sewing machine doesn’t like sewing through the thick layers of denim so I wanted to try putting in eyelets. They worked out great and I just threaded my denim handle straps through the eyelets and tied a knot at the end to secure each side.
I did take lots of pictures as I created this tote bag and will detail them below for anyone who would like to make their own denim tote bag.
Picture Tutorial for a Denim Eyelet Tote Bag
Materials needed:
One piece of denim 28″ long by 16″ wide
Two denim strips 3″ wide by 38″ long for strap handles
One scrap piece of denim for flap
One piece of lining fabric 28″ long by 16″ wide and extra scrap pieces if pockets are added to lining
One magnetic closure
Thread for denim and lining
Four 7/16″ eyelets
One hammer
Here is my completed recycled denim tote bag with tutorial. I recycled an old pair of my son’s jeans to create this tote bag pattern. I used just one pant leg for the body of the bag and the other pant leg to make the straps. I lined the bag with some thrift store material that I bought for only a dollar. I want to remind readers here that I have stated in the past that I am not a seamstress so if my tutorial isn’t quite right, please be gentle. First and far most I am a recycler who tries to crochet and sew green, eco-friendly products. So with that being said, here’s my step-by-step instructions on how you too can sew a recycled denim tote bag.
First get a pant leg as shown.
All pictures are clickable complete tutorial click on the read more link here […]
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