Recycling Plastic Grocery Bags

**CrazyHomemaker** · 01-14-2009, 06:41 AM

I came across this website which has instructions for doing about anything with recycled and new materials on the cheap. It is called instructables.com. Anyhow, I used the one for crocheting plastic grocery bags together to make a really neat and heavier-duty plastic bag for grocery shopping. I use it to take my lunch to work. I think it's really cool and so do my friends. It takes about 20-30 bags to make it, but it's so darn frugal for using up those pesky bags. I can't look at any plastic bag without wondering if it will work...potato bags, fruit/veggie bags, fancy store bags, etc. I am now addicted to making the darn things and giving them away to friends. I just may have a recycled Christmas this year featuring these bags!

If anyone checks this out, let me know what you think.

Happy frugle-ing!

**Momto2Boyz** · 01-14-2009, 06:52 AM

I haven't been on this site, but I've seen them done before and they are really cool! I know you can fuse several plastic bags together with a warm iron too, and make a heavy duty plastic fabric, then sew it into anything you want. I've seen the reusable grocery bags made out of them. They are pretty cool!

**joyofsix** · 01-14-2009, 06:54 AM

Mine usually end up lining a garbage can or holding cat poo but maybe it's time to expand my horizons.

**thefrug** · 01-14-2009, 07:12 AM

I've seen in years paste where you can use them to make rugs and wreaths. I'll have to check out the site.

Looks interesting!

http://www.instructables.com/

**redmaples** · 01-14-2009, 09:43 AM

when you made your recycled plastic bags did you have to vut the bags up into short strips that you tie together? I've tried this method & there are so many darned knots to deal with!

**madhen** · 01-14-2009, 09:52 AM

I am making a recycled plastic bag tote bag! (The slang term for the plastic strips is "plarn" for plastic yarn.) You don't have as many knots if you cut the bag in a spiral, kind of like you'd peel an apple. The only bags I'm not using are the clear produce-type bags. They just seem a bit flimsy.

**TexasPeanut** · 01-14-2009, 10:11 AM

I've always loved that instructables site, it's been a favorite spot of mine to literally waste away a few hours on for a long time now. I've seen the recycled bags sewn into a tote bag on there but I completely forgot about the rugs. I use reusable totes for shopping now, but I still have a ton of those plastic bags leftover. My skill a month challenge is a braided rug this month and now I'm thinking I should have done a rug using those! That will go on my "experiment with" list.

Not long ago our local grocery stores here have put in huge bins at the entrances for people to bring back their plastic bags for recycling and I think that's a great idea for those that use them, gives people no excuse to not recycle them really.

**lmbaker520** · 01-14-2009, 10:47 AM

I love this idea! I have a ton of shopping bags at home and I am definitely going to do this. Madhen, thanks for the idea on cutting the bags in a spiral!

**madhen** · 01-14-2009, 11:03 AM

I posted this link elsewhere, I think in the skill-a-month challenge, but this is where I'm getting my bag design from.

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_nee...059465,00.html

**mombottoo** · 01-14-2009, 11:05 AM

I visited the site and it has a lot of very frugal things to do...I added it to my favs!

I use plastic store bags as trash bags in small trash cans and I also can recycle them by taking them to the store where I grocery shop...they finally put their bins back in.

**elphie** · 01-14-2009, 11:22 AM

I don't use plastic grocery bags, I have reusable ones, but there are tons of other cool things on the site... thanks!

**CrazyHomemaker** · 01-14-2009, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by redmaples

when you made your recycled plastic bags did you have to vut the bags up into short strips that you tie together? I've tried this method & there are so many darned knots to deal with!

I don't knot the ends together. I use a slip knot. I slide one end of strip one thru one end of strip two about 1-2 inches worth through. Then I take the opposite end of strip one and put it through the loop formed by strip one and pull. The knot is not big and there are no flying ends to work with. There is a knot to work around, but it is easier to crochet with a really big hook. It is also easy to keep adding the pieces to the free end when done this way.

It kinda looks like plastic tweed when I'm done. I'm not being creative with color or anything. Most of the bags I get are white with colored printing. You can experiment with the colors, if you have them available to you.

I really love my bag. It has taken a beating since I made it. I want to see how long it lasts.

**Michelle** · 01-14-2009, 10:18 PM

http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/P...ag%20tote.html

**fixer** · 01-14-2009, 11:24 PM

We have so many used for them as is I can't imagine not having a supply. I love to be able to come up with uses for things that are perceived as useless.