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PLARN WORLDWIDE EXTRAORDINAIRE

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We’ve all seen plarn, right?  The plastic bags cut into strips (plastic yarn) and crocheted into rugs and totebags.  There are some good crocheters out there cutting away on their huge stash of plastic shopping bags to save the world and make something for nothing.  Good idea. You can also purchase plarn ready made here via Etsy.

But, this gal has a GREAT IDEA and the artistry to back it up!

Not only are her plarn backpacks attractive, she’s making it her business to teach the world how to use their plastic bags to create these virtually indestructible backpacks and totes from materials that are, sadly, abundant even in the third world.

Right now, she’s touring India, teaching people how to create and crochet with plarn.  Check out her blog for all the details.  And, when you check out the pictures of her projects, be sure to scroll ALL the way down to see the cool plastic skirt someone made!  Visit Cristen here

http://bagsbegone.com/plastic-creations/

Comments

  3. I’m trying to do a similar thing with my abundance of plarn!

    I’ve found that striping my white and red Target bags with my brown and black Cub Foods bags makes a great pattern. That, and I’ll gather similar colors and put them together. I have a grocery bag in progress that’s all greens, browns, clears and some white.

    I’m excited to see plarn bags getting some more press. Now if there were only a quicker way to cut them all!

  4. I had all of my friends saving their black bags for me. Mine is black with a tan stripe. Very cool!

  5. I love this! Have you also tried mixing in old cassette tape or VHS tape? It is a little harder to work with, but the end results are unique and fun!

  8. Here’s fast way to cut plarn strips. Use a rotary cutter. Just lay the folded bags on a cutting mat, preferably a measured mat, hold your straight edge on the width of your choice and make a cut with the rotary cutter. It makes the cutting alot quicker!

  9. I’ve been using plarn to make Dorset Buttons and needed quite thin yarn so I cut 1 cm wide lengths of the flimsier type of carrier bag and used a home made drop spindle to spin the plarn. You need to allow it to relax afterwards or it just twists back on itself but you end up with a very thin raffia type effect yarn which is useful for weaving with and it’s surprisingly strong. I love experimenting with the plastic bags.

  10. Clare,
    What you describe is amazing to me. I don’t spin, but ai understand the process. It never occurred to me that anyone would be able to spin with plarn. You are quite creative, clearly. Thanks so much for sharing your idea.
    jd

  11. Jd,you say these backpacks are virtually indestructible. I wonder how long they actually last. Have you or any reader here have any personal experience of usage and durability?
    In Australia most plastic bags are now made of biodegrable materials, some are even made of corn husks on so on and other compostable materials. I fear it is not worth the sore wrists in our case!
    Personally I have been “saying no to plastic bags” since August 1981, when I moved to Alice Springs in Central Australia.
    I am a “mad recycler” and have used plarn, vhs, cassettes tapes etc, so please don’t take my reflections above as a criticism. Kudos to Bagsbegone.
    Yours in crochet And recycling 🙂

  12. Jacq,
    You raise a good point. More and more of the plastic bags that are widely used here are of the biodegradable type. The older bags – and many that are still available – are very durable. I’ve got a welcome mat at the entrance to my garage door that is many years old, crocheted of plastic bags. It’s quite durable, looks almost like it did the day it was first put into use, and can just be hosed off when it gets dirty.

    In many parts of India where Cristen of Bagsbegone does her teaching, plastic bags blow down the streets en masse. The clog up drains, get trapped in tree tops, and are unsightly. These are not the biodegradable type, unfortunately. I think Cristen would be happy to see the need for her classes to vanish with the demise of plastic bags. I suspect there will always be everyday items we can upcycle with crochet – like the cassette and vhs tapes – altho, those devices are now dinosaurs. I was informed today that even the recently minted CD’s and DVD’s are being discontinued in favor of all digital media. Rats! Another car radio deck becomes outdated.

    jd

Have you read?

Christmas Tree Crochet Scarf – A Fun and Festive Pattern Worth Revisiting

Some crochet patterns are practical, some are pretty, and some are just pure holiday fun. This Christmas Tree Crochet Scarf from CraftBits falls firmly into that last category, and honestly, that is exactly why it caught my eye again. It is quirky, cheerful, and the kind of novelty scarf that makes people smile before you have even had a chance to explain that yes, you really did make it yourself. The pattern comes from CraftBits and creates a scarf made up of Christmas tree motifs joined together into one gloriously festive wearable.

If this scarf looks a little familiar, you might already have spotted it in our roundup of 18 Free Christmas Crochet Scarf Patterns To Make As Gifts or in our collection of 15 Fun And Silly Crochet Scarf Patterns. It has definitely popped up on Crochet.CraftGossip before, and for good reason. It is one of those patterns that manages to be both wearable and wonderfully ridiculous, which is a very fine line in the world of festive crochet.

What I like most about this design is that it does not try to be subtle. It fully embraces the novelty Christmas vibe, and sometimes that is exactly what a seasonal project needs. The scarf is made using repeated tree shapes, so it has that satisfying motif-based construction that many crocheters enjoy. It also gives you the chance to play with embellishments like pom poms and stars, which adds even more personality to the finished piece. According to the CraftBits pattern, the scarf uses Red Heart Super Saver yarn, a size I hook, and simple decorative extras including felt and pom poms.

This would be such a fun project for a holiday party outfit, an ugly sweater event, a handmade gag gift, or just for someone who genuinely loves festive accessories. We all know at least one person who would wear this proudly while serving Christmas lunch or turning up to school pickup in December like the absolute queen of holiday spirit.

It is also the sort of pattern that feels a little nostalgic in the best possible way. CraftBits has had this project around for years, and it still holds up because novelty crochet never really goes away. It just waits patiently for the rest of us to catch up again. And let’s be honest, there is something refreshing about a project that does not take itself too seriously. Not every scarf needs to be neutral, elegant, or sensible. Some scarves are allowed to be actual Christmas trees.

So yes, you may have seen this one before in our scarf roundups, but I think it deserves its own little spotlight too. If you are in the mood to make something playful, memorable, and completely unapologetic for the holiday season, this one is worth another look.