Spinning yarn out of plastic bags
- by Anna Sattler (RSS feed) on Sep 11th 2007 5:00PM
- Filed under crafts, staying green, knitting and crochet
No matter how many plastic bags we reuse and recycle, they still seem to come into our house with every shopping trip. This is no surprise of course, since almost every kind of store under the sun seems to carry them. The accumulation of them can quickly become overwhelming, but it certainly doesn't have too.
If you want to turn that mountain of plastic bags into a little molehill, Instructables has an article on using them to spin yarn to make a pretty plastic handbag, using scissors, plastic bags, a spindle, and knitting needles. The author gives an excellent description with her pictures to describe what she is doing, and makes it seem like it would be a fairly easy project. She cautions to keep it to purse size because the plastic gets surprisingly bulky and heavy.
Since there is no accompanying video to the article, check out these step by step videos at joyofhandspinning.com.
Although the videos are based on spinning yarn, the same concept would apply to spinning plastic bags. the website also gives you insight on how to make a drop spindle.
With this idea for plastic bags, you can knit enough to give as gifts and is an excellent craft project. This idea also proves that you can keep them out of the landfill. I think that I can find the time to knit one. What about you?
Comments [5]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-12-2007 @ 10:55AM
Becky said...
The re using plastic bags as yarn is not new. My grandmother, at least 20years ago, would crochet "rag rugs" from Wonderbread plastic bags. She would used these rugs as entry rugs at the garage door.Now with all the different colors of plastic grocery bags, the rugs could be very colorful and not just practical.
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9-12-2007 @ 11:12AM
Margie said...
Many years ago I made a Christmas wreath from strips of plastic dry cleaner bags. Bend a coat hanger into a round shape and cut narrow strips of the plastic, about 8 inches long...thereabouts...and tie around the hanger until it is full. You could add small decorations or leave as is.
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9-13-2007 @ 10:20AM
jeh said...
Knitting your own bags out of plastic bags is a great idea! But I have a better one, you can use that bag to bring home your groceries, or whatever so you don't have to use more plastic bags from the stores. I also use string/net bags and some heavy duty reusable bags (some stores are selling their own reusable bags), that cuts down on the plastic bags. You can find string/net bags on the internet, just use a search engine. Another idea for plastic grocery bags is to use them for kites, just tie string on the handles and wait for the wind to take it high!
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9-12-2007 @ 9:09PM
Emma said...
My grandmother also crotcheted rugs out of plastic bread bags. She made them in round and oval shapes. They laundered well in the washing machine and were hung out to dry. They were very comfortable to stand on as they were quite cushiony.
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9-15-2007 @ 9:08PM
Joel said...
You can also iron bags together, if you want something lighter-duty, but still about as tough as Tyvek or the material grocery-store reusable bags are made from.
Keep a sheet of paper on either side of the section you're ironing together, and keep the heat fairly low...wool or acrylic setting seems to work OK, but you should probably experiment a bit.
It may also be possible to iron a waterproof sheet onto fabric made from yarn of the same material, if you want strength and non-porosity.
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