Crochet forum: Crochet project from trash
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| Trisha asked me to post this on this cubit, so here I am! If you are like me, you save those darn plastic bags from the grocery store. So what do you do with them? I found a neat way to use them. I found this idea from another website. It is a tote bag made from plastic bags. It is light and strong and made from about 60 bags. The bag is pretty easy to make. It would be great for the beach (wet swimsuit or towel) or anyone wanting to be green! (I sent one to my daughter and she carries it all over and says she is the queen of green) A fun project and a great way to recycle! Here is what it looks like.
What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| I don't have directions, but I can tell you how I made the bag. This is the third bag I have made and I have learned quite a bit by trial and error. First you need some bags. If you do not have enough, people will gladly give you some. I take a bag and smooth it flat with my hands. Then I fold it several times lengthwise to about 3" wide. I take scissors and cut off the bottom and throw it away. Then I take slices (horizontally) about 1" wide. This makes a loop when opened. I take the loops and loop them together to make a yarn. (remember hooking rubber bands together in a chain when you were a kid?) Here is a picture of a bag folded, a loop (unfolded) and the ball of "yarn".
What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| After making the loops and looping them together, I roll the "yarn" into a ball. This is the thing that takes the longest to do. After preparing yarn. I just crocheted a bag. I started with the bottom and crocheted a rectangle (using double crochet and a G or H hook) After I liked the size of the bottom, I single crocheted one row around and then used the back loops and started the sides going round and round and joining at the start of each row. I have been having fun with colors. I have made one with black trim, and a big yellow stripe. This one pictured was made from white, brown, beige and green bags that came from Cabela's Outdoor store. (we had gone to the store and on the way back I gasped and my husband nearly drove off the road wondering what was wrong, I shrieked "the bags are GREEN!" he then figured that I was thinking of making a new bag) too funny. Now your bag can have an oval bottom, could have a flap or button hook, you could line it. You could add design or used a combination of single crochet and double crochet to make the stripes different widths. The ideas are endless. Hope some of you try this project and have some fun. What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| Wish I'd known about this earlier. Plastic bags are getting to be endangered species around here. They no longer give them out at most stores. If they are available, they cost about 5 cents each. |
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| My goodness! Well, that is probably a good thing. I have never liked them. Years ago, when my grandmother was alive, she made rag rugs on a loom. She would take bread bags (like wonder bread) and cut them this way and make plastic rugs for your door step. They were beautiful, but too light and would blow away. What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| Well I would have to go out and find plastic bags since I use only canvas and cloth bags for shopping. The only plastic bags I have are from the newspaper or occasionally from some food item. But I use those as doggie bags when I walk my dog. But I love the fact that these kinds of projects keep plastic out of the landfill! "Give me again o nature your primal sanities." Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman |
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| I decided to keep the plastic bags I got to recycle them --- not the grocery bags, but bread bags, from tortillas, well anything that you buy that is packaged in a soft, plastic bag. I was astounded at how quickly I filled a paper bag with them and it's just my husband and I that I shop for! I was going to take them to the grocery store to put in their soft plastic recycling bin, but now I have the makings of a project! Thanks for the creative idea! (and I too, had a grandmother who crocheted rugs from bread bags). Crista |
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| You are very welcome. A customer of mine came into work the other day with a bag. She crocheted it from plastic bags just like I did only used single crochet. It was really nice. The fabric made was tighter and a nicer finish. I asked her how she prepared the "yarn" and she had done it the same way. While complimenting her on her bag, she reached in and pulled out a smaller one that she had made. Cute, cute, cute. What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| I wonder if you could use the same technique to make 'yarn' out of old T-shirts? I have little confidence in any enterprise or business or investment that promises dividends only after the death of the stockholders. |
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| Yes, I have seen it done. I once used a large hook and made an oval rug out of sweatshirts. If you try it. Please share the picture! What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| How wide would you suggest cutting the T-shirts? And maybe what size hook (I'm a newbie)? I'll be happy to put up a picture, though it's down the list of projects... OMG, I've already got an impressive list of things I want to make & I've only been crocheting a couple of months! Yikes!  I have little confidence in any enterprise or business or investment that promises dividends only after the death of the stockholders. |
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| hahahaha, join the club. The more you make the bigger the list gets. I just went away for the weekend and found a little shop and ended up buying stuff to make 3 scarves. The pattern and yarn was so cute. I would say 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch wide and whatever hook works with that. Depending on the thickness of the t shirt would be how heavy it was. The heavier, the bigger the hook. I would not cut it any thinner than 3/8" due to the fabric unraveling. What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| Thanks... now to dig thru my rag bag! I have little confidence in any enterprise or business or investment that promises dividends only after the death of the stockholders. |
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| firefly did you finish the scarves? |
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| I haven't made too many scarves this year. I been stuck a mad hatter this year. I have made 3 types of hats. First one is the ugly hat, second a floppy hippy chick hat and third a skull cap type that I copied from a little girl named Sofie who was wearing one. Here is Sofie's hat. This is my fav so far as it takes very little yarn and less than 2 hours start to finish.  The plastic bag thing is a winter project. I may try a plastic hat. Floppy hats.  The ugly hats my daughter wanted.  I have made maybe 150 hats this past year. DD took plenty home with her to St Louis, I keep mailing her new styles, The rest I have sold or donated to the local salon for cancer patients. I have really turned into a mad hatter! What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| I love them! I love making hats... I haven't done anything for a while... I need to get the yarn back out. |
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| I love the hats. Re cutting T-shirts, I've never cut them for crochet, but it's a great idea next time I get too many. I DO cut them for use as garden ties. I cut off the bottom hem (or sometimes I'll rip out the stitching if I can get it loose easily). the I start cutting my strips and angle ever so slightly up on the first round. From the second round on it's a piece of cake to keep cutting a large spiral. Pull it tight and roll into balls. I suspect a bag made out of T-shirts would work well and be strong, but it would absorb water and could get a bit heavy at times. |
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| Great hats! I have little confidence in any enterprise or business or investment that promises dividends only after the death of the stockholders. |
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| Thanks. I have had fun making them. I have a red and plaid Mackinaw wool coat I wore yesterday with a black and red hat. I have to say I looked rather sassy. DH said he found me in the big store easily when I wondered off.  What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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Very striking!  I have little confidence in any enterprise or business or investment that promises dividends only after the death of the stockholders. |
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