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Category: Plastic Bag Crafts

Recycled Christmas Gift Bag Ideas

Cindy10 Comments

What better way to have a green Christmas than to handcraft your own Christmas gift bags from recycled materials. Maybe you need a small bag for a gift card. Well check out this cute little gift bag crocheted from recycled plastic bags.
Crafting with recycled plastic bags is also known as plarn. If you need to know how to make plarn, check out this picture tutorial. You can crochet this gift bag using plarn with this free pattern .

Maybe you need a larger gift bag. If so, here is a Christmas tote bag crocheted from recycled plastic grocery bags. This roomy tote bag would make a wonderful gift bag for a book or other flat items. Here is the link to the free crochet pattern for this tote bag.

Please consider this eco-friendly way to gift wrap your presents this year. Recycling plastic bags, upcycling them into reusable bags, and not using traditional gift wrap does truly make it a greener Christmas for everyone.

Crochet a Spike Stitch Plarn Tote Bag

Cindy17 Comments


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.

Yellow Barbie Plarn Dress

Cindy15 Comments

Barbie has a pretty new yellow plarn dress. This crochet project is a follow-up to my red Barbie dress I made with regular yarn. I used a similar pattern style but did have to make several changes for the dress to work up correctly using recycled plastic bags as yarn. Using the bags as yarn is much more difficult than regular yarn, but I was pleased with my final version shown here.

Photo is clickable to view supersized

If you are new to crocheting with recycled plastic bags, here is the link on how to create plarn from those old plastic grocery sacks. And if you’re not into crocheting with plastic bags, here is the link to my free red Barbie dress pattern that is made with regular worst acrylic yarn.

But for everyone else, here is my free yellow Barbie dress pattern. Enjoy!

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Barbie Yellow Plarn Dress Pattern

Materials:
Approx. 10 Yellow plastic bags until into Plarn
1 small button

Hook:
G (4 mm) size crochet hook

Ch 13.

Recycled Net Market Bag

Cindy19 Comments

I have been working on this market bag with a netting type look. The bottom is crocheted with a Half Double Crochet stitch to give it a nice sturdy base. The bottom is also expandable up to 7 inches which provides lots of room for those larger items as shown. I designed this recycled tote bag to be used for a grocery market bag but it would also be an outstanding beach bag.

Please enjoy this market bag project!

Pictures are clickable to view full-sized.

Free Recycled Net Market Bag Pattern

Bag measures 14 inches wide at top and 13 inches long
Straps are each 18 inches long

Materials: One large ball of plarn (plastic bag yarn) Appox. 40-45 bags
Picture tutorial is found here on how to make plarn

Hook: Metal N (9 mm) size crochet hook

Chain 24

My Signature Recycled Bag

Cindy22 Comments

For many of you that have been following me or my blog site, you will recognize this bag immediately. It is my avatar that I use for all my postings and to identify me on many of the crafting and social websites that I participate at. It’s one of the first recycled bags I ever crocheted. It represents my beginning in what has become such amazing journey.

When I first started making recycled bags, I couldn’t find very many patterns and there was not much information out there on the process. Through trial and errors, I began to create many different projects using plastic bags, vcr tape, cassette tape, denim, and other recycled materials. My goal was to have a one-stop website where people could come and learn and share ideas about recycled crafting. Oh and I wanted everything to be free so everyone could take advantage and enjoy what I call green crafting. Anyway that is basically my story about the origins of my recycled bags.

So today, I share with you my signature recycled shoulder bag pattern. It is a bit ironic but I had never written up this pattern or posted it here for everyone’s use. It is like coming full circle as I share this pattern now. As always I hope you enjoy the project and happy green crafting to all!

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My Signature Recycled Shoulder Bag Pattern

Purse measures 10 inches wide and 6 inches long
Strap length is 38 inches when not tied

Materials:
One large ball of plastic bags (plarn) cut into 1 inch strips (appox. 30-38 bags)
One button 7/8″ button shown on bag

Hook: Metal N (9 mm) crochet hook

Chain 26