For my first post of the year, I bring you the green shopping bag. This is a true green crafting idea in every sense of the word. It is crocheted from recycled plastic grocery bags into plarn, then of course it’s green in color, and lastly it is eco-friendly as it saves the use of plastic bags as you can reuse this roomy bag over and over again.
This crocheted shopping bag is created in three pieces and then assembled as shown in the photos below. As always, I offer the free recycled plastic bag pattern below. Enjoy!
All photos are clickable to supersize
Assembly of main piece to long strip
Free Green Shopping Bag Pattern
Materials needed:
One large ball of plastic bag yarn or Plarn
Approx. 80 plastic grocery bags
Hook: N (9 mm) size metal crochet hook
Description: The Green Shopping Bag
Bag measures 12-1/2″ wide, 15-1/2″ tall and 6-1/2″ deep with 14″ handles
Directions:
This shopping bag is crocheted in 3 pieces. A front and back piece and one long strip that runs down the side, across the bottom and back up the other side of the bag.
Main pieces (make two for the front and back of your bag.)
Ch 30.
Row 1
Hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in ea chain st down to end. Ch 2, turn. (28 sts)
Repeat row 1 until you have 14 inches long which is about 28 rows. If your gauge is off a bit it doesn’t matter in this pattern.
Long side and bottom strip:
Ch 17.
Row 1
Hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in ea chain st down to end. Ch 2, turn. (15 sts)
Repeat row 1 to create your strip by working even on 15 sts until your piece measures 40 inches long.
Don’t finish off but leave your yarn attached should you need to add another row to your strip. If your strip is too short when you put your bag together this allows you to add a row without a problem.
Assembly of pieces:
Assemble by taking one main bag piece and your long strip and placing them with edges together. (See photos.)
Starting in the corner, work a Sc through both layers to attached them together. Work down the sides, across the bottom, and back up the other side. FO. You will notice that using this method of attachment creates a raised edge seam around your entire bag.
Tip: If your strip is too short when you join the first main piece, just crochet another row of Hdc so the strip is long enough to match to the top of bag at both ends. FO the strip once you have the first main piece and strip attached.
Take the remaining main piece and place it together at the top of your long strip. Starting in the top edge corner of the bag, work a SC through both layers to attach in the same manner as you did above. Don’t finish off. Leave yarn attached to work handles.
Handles:
Rnd 1
Using yarn still attached at top front edge of your bag, Sc in the next 8 sts, ch 27 for handle, skip over then to the remaining 8 sts of front side of the bag and work 8 Sc in ea st to match other side. Continue working Sc around in ea st until you are at the top front edge of the main piece of the other side, Sc in next 8 sts, ch 27 for handle, skip sts at center to the remaining 8 sts of front side of the bag and work 8 Sc to match other side. Do not connect or join at end of row, just continue working Sc’s in rounds until told to FO.
Check your handles and make sure each side matches each other before moving on. Adjust your sts as needed to match.
Rnd 2
Sc in ea st around to handle. Sc around chain of handle, (approx 27 Sc) evenly, then Sc in ea st around to other side’s handle. Sc around that handle chain to match other side.
Rnd 3
Sc in ea st to handle. Sc in ea st of handle and Sc in ea st of bag. Repeat for other side to match and Sl St into next two sts at side of bag to finish off edge smoothly. FO and weave in ends.
If you have any questions or find discrepancies in this pattern, please email me using contact tab above.
Abbreviations:
Ch – Chain
Dc – Double Crochet
Ea – Each
FO – Finish Off
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Plarn – Plastic Bag Yarn
Rnd – Round
Sc – Single Crochet
Sk – Skip
Sl St – Slip Stitch
Sm – Same
St – Stitch
This pattern is copyrighted by Cindy of My Recycled Bags {dot com} and may only be used for private individual use. No commercial sales or use of this pattern or photos are permitted. Links to this pattern are acceptable and appreciated. ©2009
****Please do not copy my patterns on your blog site or post my patterns on Internet sites. I do not allow my patterns to be republished without expressed written permission. Posting of my patterns, without written permission is in violation of my copyrights and is content theft.
COOL! I really like this pattern! I keep wanting to do the “plarn” thing, but I think you may have finally inspired me to try it! Happy New Year!!!
BTW…about how long did this take you to crochet?
@Fran:
This project took me a while to complete as I kept taking breaks from it. It does use a lot of bags and many hours from start to finish. But then it’s really cool so it’s worth it!
Hi Cindy! Thanks for the visit and a happy, healthy and crafty New Year! Love the bag. I think I may try such a model in fabric strips some day.
xxx
Astrud
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Happy New Year. Love the green bag nicely done.:)
Lesalicious’s last blog post..Happy New Year
What a perfect thing! Something so right about making reusable grocery bags out of recycled plastic grocery bags. Good project!
Hello….Cindy.
Your work so gorgeous. You have inspired me to do it, but its not finish yet, hehehe…..Am I lazy enough or what?hihihi…
I like your site, cause you’re kind of extraordinary people…
good luck
Well done Cindy. Happy New Year! Love your new bag!
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That’s just amazing. You should make a book and get it in the hands of all the WalMarts and grocery chains since they produce so many bags. They should buy millions and give it out to their customers.
Hi Cindy – your bag (and the Christmas ones) are fantastic. Maybe I’m going to have to take up crocheting. Thank you so much for sharing these ideas for the Carnival of Trash. The Carnival has now been published at http://therubbishdiet.blogspot.com 😀
Almost Mrs Average’s last blog post..In 100 days, drive left and then turn right to landfill
This is too cool and very innovative! I think it’s time I learn to crochet so I can make this.
I love the size of this bag. And it’s constructed with a flat bottom — fantastic.
Thanks, Cindy! (you’ve been stumbled!) 😉 -MM
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That is a great bag!
Robin
Cindy, I have been using fabric grocery totes and made a small plarn tote a while back now for more than a year, maybe even just about two — now the big problem is getting the plastic bags to make into plarn — I am constantly begging and fanagaling for plastic bags to work with, but having now even made them for friends, the plastic bags are starting to become scarce amongst my circle of friends and family — Isn’t that GREAT!
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@Miss Snips:
Asking friends and family to save bags has really helped me. Also check out those recycling bins at grocery stores. I know I take bags from my local store’s bin and they don’t care at all. They have told me to take all I want. Just ask in advance but I’m sure you can find a source where you could “steal” some too. 🙂
Hi , Thanx for visiting my site. And thanx for all the inspiration. I love this green bag, and never thought of making them in pieces like this. Definetly worth trying.
Great idea, I’m all for it. But slight problem – all the plastic bags now being used in the shops are biodegradable and start to break down pretty quickly. I went through my bag bag and discovered that some of them had literally shredded into lots of little pieces. These are mainly the chain store ones, individual shops, especially fashion and shoe shops tend to have the old sort and a heavier duty, but even now they are going to the biodegradable ones. This is in Australia so I do not know what it is like in the US and the UK
Love ALL your bags. I’ve been carrying PLARN grocery bags for a year now. All the checkers at the grocery stores are used to me by now and are no longer surprized by my bags. But every now and then a new person will show up and exclaim over them.
My question is…where did you get GREEN bags? Around here (NC), colored bags are just not to be found. White everywhere except Dollar General (who I think just switched to white) ,Home Depot’s orangey tan and Lowes Grey. That’s it. I’d LOVE to find GREEN bags!
@RaDonna:
My sister-n-law saved these bags for me as I can’t get or find colored
ones either. She lives in Spokane, WA and got them from Super One and
Rosaurer Grocery stores who use them. It was so cool to get them and make
my “green” bag from them. I know people who post on freecycle and Craig’s
list for bags so you might try that to get different colors.
Thanks for stopping by my site and best wishes to you.
@Janjan:
Yes I am hearing this same issue from others in Europe. The bags in the US
are not biogradgeable mostly and we don’t have to worry about crocheting
or crafting with them. I would suggest using bread bags or other plastic
bags that you know aren’t going to shred over time. Also tee shirts, bed
sheets, and denim are wonderful materials to recycle into bags and other
upcycled items.
Beautiful! I love the green! Knitting, crocheting and weaving with plarn has been such a joy … I love teaching folks how to do it – and how nice to have another online resource to which to point them!
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Cindy thtis is a great bag! I could never sew or create something like this, you are brilliant!
hb
Great Idea! Thanks for sharing!
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Love the colors
Hi Cindy,
I just found your site. WOW! what great directions for your bags. About a year ago I found another site with just a quick blurb and picture of a recycled-crocheted bag, but I could never find it again, and it had very little information. Long story short, I have been saving bags for all this time and happened upon your site! I started my bag last night, hubby laughed and laughed, he was starting to think I was hoarding grocery bags. He is so happy the “bag O’bags” in the garage will soon be dwindling down. I am so excited! All I have are white bags, maybe I need to go shopping at Dollar General to get some color … LOL!!! Thank you for your great site and wonderful directions. All my best!
I love your site! This bag pattern is the best one I have seen, most I have come across do not have the flat bottom so they are more difficult to use for groceries! I have added your site to my blogroll, and I have blogged about your projects as well… You inspire me!
~ Rhonda
http://www.craftybitch101.com
Rhonda’s last blog post..Recycled crafts: matchboxes and plastic bags
I love this idea, I had seen a couple of these crochet bags before in the grocery store but never knew how they were made before now.
You can order a free promotional tote bag at my site http://www.myfreetotebag.com. I just started it, so once I get enough orders I will mail everyone a tote bag with a sponsor’s logo on it. It takes just a minute to order.
No jokes, just free totes..
your patterns are so easy to follow. i taught myself how to crochet the night before i went on my senior class trip so i’d have something to do (i’m not a fan of amusement parks at all), and i recently saw a few bags made like this. i had trouble understanding some other patterns (too advanced, maybe?) but yours are much easier to follow and i’m going to start on one tomorrow when i wake up. thanks!
Alexandra:
I try and create my bags using basic stitches so everyone can understand and complete each project. It makes it so much more enjoyable when you can understand a pattern and just crochet rather than frogging something and not finishing the item. Thanks so much for stopping by and let me know if you have any questions while working this pattern. Best wishes on your future green crafting!
Hi! how do I make plarn?
Cherie,
Here is the link for my picture tutorial on how to make plarn or plastic bag yarn. You can click on any of the pictures to supersize them. Best wishes and I hope you will try some of my projects.
i love it…keep up the good work.
Love this one Cindy! I just stumbled upon it in your projects in Ravelry…this one is not on your list in My Pattern Links & I was looking for this type of bag to make for more of a “grocery tote”. Where do you get these green bags? I love them but I must live in a part of the country that doesn’t use that color 🙁 green is one of my fav. colors 🙂
Thank you! I came across a post somewhere about making plarn, and have since cut MANY shopping bags into pieces … I’ve got a ball about 8″ across so far, and a box of links waiting to become more plarn as we speak. My husband keeps telling me he’s interested to see how it turns out! I think this is the pattern I will use – it looks pretty sturdy, which is really what I’m looking for.
I’m ridiculously cheap when it comes to crafting supplies … anyone know where I could find a link to creating a plarn-specific crochet hook from an old wire coat hanger? Well, more specifically, my husband could create it for me? LOL
Here is an FYI – If anyone wants to know where to get the light green bags, go to the produce department, they have rolls of them to put produce in. Sometimes – I am able to get whole rolls of the bags. I also have orange ones that the meat department provides for customers to put meat in them to keep the containers from leaking on their hands.
I have a question. When we come to the end where we have the chain 2 space, are we supposed to stitch into that space.
@Kimberly – Check your stitch count and you should make sure you are doing a HDC in each stitch down to the end of the row. Generally you don’t stitch into the Ch-2 but check your work to make sure it is even and stitch count is on.