You know how sometimes you have an idea and then you find out others have the same idea? Well, I have been saying for years (every time a palstic shopping bag ripped and my food fell all over the street) "You know, these bags, woven together, would actually be pretty strong!"

It turns out that lots of people have come up with lots of creative ideas for the bags. (I have some reusable string bags which I use most of the time, but even so I often end up with plastic bags.)

You cut the plastic bag into strips, and put the strips together to make a very long strand, and then you can knit with it or crochet with it. The material is called plarn. (Plastic yarn.) People are making bags of all sizes, raincoats, hats, door mats (which remind me of the door mats made from old tires that everyone in my Detroit neighborhood had in the 70s.) and other fun stuff - tissue cozies, etc.

I actually searched on Youtube, and there are instructions for making plarn, samples of things other people made, and a video of women in Africa who make really beautiful bags from the plarn. There is also a woman who has figured out that if you iron plastic bags (using waxed paper) you fuse it together, and then can sew with it. They made a messenger bag with the material.

Of course, it's better to not have all the plastic bags around, but it's a neat concept, putting them to use (kind of like fleece, which is used plastic, right?)

My problem is that I don't know how to knit or crochet. Well, I know how to knit and purl, cast on and off (my German cousin taught me in the 80s) and I know how to crochet (but I can only crochet 1 line that goes on forever; I don't know how to turn the stitch around) . I just can't read a pattern.  I checked a couple of books out of the library with a determined Rosie the Riveter attitude ("I can do this!") but I can't. My brain does not work that way. I wonder if Youtube has instructional knitting or crocheting videos as well? If someone showed me, I would get it. Eventually.

Anyone out there making plarn products? 

Michigander Fan 

Michigander Fan:

Michigander Fan 

I've never made anything with the plastic bags, but I've crocheted for years. I'd be happy to help if I can. I've seen the plastic bag crochet done; I think it would be difficult for a beginner. It would be better to get some worsted weight yarn, like Red Heart to practice with and a large aluminum hook, about a size F or G. You can do a google search for How to Crochet and you'll get lots of listings, including some on YouTube.

Feel free to ask questions. Edey.

If you have cable or satellite and you get DIY (do it yourself network) or HGTV, there is a show called "Knitty Gritty", comes on about 5:30 AM, but well worth watching if you want to learn to knit. It shows different techniques and often times you would think it for more advanced knitters only, but not true. They often cater to beginners. When I was learning to knit I was lucky to have a few friends to help me get started, but I learned far more from watching the show. If you check out a good book from the lbrary and watch the show it really helps. Now the other side of the coin is that if you go into a yarn shop they will often help you learn to learn to knit.

As far as crochet goes I have only minimal amount of instrustion, but once I sat down and really read a book I was able to learn to crochet too. I think that if I can learn to knit and crochet then anyone can learn.

Good luck! I hope I have been somewhat helpful.

Kathy

I made several door mats from them ..  it works well .