Year: 2007

Crocheted Evening Bag made of VHS Tape

I first saw a posting at a popular Crochet board where a board member asked the question if anyone had ever tried to crochet using old VHS tape. After reading the post, it inspired me to look into the possibility. Being a recycling craft enthusiast, I had never heard or tried crocheting using VHS tape. I quickly decided that I had to try out this new and interesting idea.

I first found an old VHS tape. After dusting it off and deciding this old blank tape wasn’t something I’d ever view again, I went to work. I had to figure out how to get the tape out and not make too big a mess. After a bit of a struggle, I pried open the case with a screwdriver and was able to get to the tape itself. (Some tape cases have small screws which can be removed making it much easier to open the cases.) I should say that the tape really needs to be completely rewound as you don’t want to have tape on both reels. I removed the reel with the tape on it from the tape case and discarded the remaining stuff. What I now had was this beautiful shiny black tape that was ready to be used in my crochet project. Unlike the plastic grocery or retail bags, I didn’t have to fold, cut, and tie together the strips to create the yarn. The reel of black VHS yarn was already prepared for me!

Next I got my favorite metal size N hook out that I do most of my plastic bag crocheting with. Taking the single strand of VHS tape, I started by chaining a simple Sc chain stitch to see how this was going to work. The VHS tape is only about ½ inch wide and my chain was pretty loose and thin. I turned at the end of my chain and started doing a Hdc stitch into the chain and quickly found out this wasn’t going to work. I am used to crocheting using plastic grocery bags that I cut in 1 inch strips and create double strand yarn. I find the double strand plastic bag yarn gives me a nice sturdy yarn. The single strand of VHS tape was too narrow and lightweight for my use.

So I found another VHS tape and repeated the process so that I now had two reels of 1/2 inch tape. I doubled the tape by holding two strands together from the two reels. I started my chain again and this time it went much better. My chain was sturdy and was about the same thickness I was accustomed to using when I crochet with plastic bag yarn.

The VHS tape is not quite as smooth to use as plastic bags. I had to somewhat manhandle it which tends to make my fingers and joints sore. So just beware of that and don’t pull too hard on your work […]