Plarn or Plastic Yarn for a Crocheted Rug (Tutorial by me)

if make something with this tutorial leave a comment with a link to your blog so we can all see your good works!

Plarn or Plastic Yarn for a Crocheted Rug

tutorial by AnnieOfBlueGables

Paper or Plastic? 

before going green with BYOB

I used to always choose plastic, and here is why:

I like to make rugs from the used bags.  

This is a tutorial for how to cut the bags to make plastic yarn. 

All you need to provide is your favorite doily or floor rug pattern

 I love this rug in my kitchen. I keep crocheting a new one for the boat, but the kids 

talk me out of it before it gets to the

new home

Materials Needed

• used plastic shopping bags
• scissors
• crochet hook
• favorite crocheted rug pattern (or doily)
• I used Leisure Arts Floor show #LA2915

G crochet hook, about 20 bags for a small rug and 50 for a larger rug  

 1) start with a shopping bag

 2) fold in half length-wise

3) Fold in half again

4) cut bottom of bag off 

 

5) Cut handles off

6) after both ends are cut off. 

My neighbor calls the handles the ears. She uses the ears to tie onto wreaths and makes beautiful white wreaths for Christmas 

7) open up one side pleat

8) ready to refold. Bottom side still has pleats. Top is unfolded

9)  excluding opened out pleat, fold in half length-wise

 

10) fold in half again to make fourths, except for the top opened out pleat 

11) Now fold in half width-wise 

 

12) Cut slit, leaving about 3 inches of opened out pleat 

 

13) fold in half again width-wise

 

14) cut slit, leaving 3 inches of opened pleat 

 

15) now fold one more time

here you have two choices:
a) For a wider or thicker yarn, leave unfolded (Picture 14) and divide and cut into three. This gives you less length, but thicker yarn and a bulkier product.
b) For a rug and a finer look, divide into four.

 

 shows all cuts and folds divided into fours 

 now unfold width-wise

 

 place un-cut side onto your arm. 

The bag is now a tube, 

so this makes it easier to cut the diagonals 

if it is on your arm than if you lay on a table.

 

 (Since I can't take a picture and cut at the same time, I have removed it from my arm for this picture)

First cut is a diagonal cut from middle of uncut side to first slit on the left

 This shows the first cut. I drew a diagonal line to show next cut 

 continue to cut diagonal lines. 

it is easier draped on your arm so you don't accidentally cut anything else

 

 After all the cutting. If you do it right, you will have about 49' of plastic yarn all on a continuous strip out of ONE BAG

 

 roll into ball, like you do yarn. 

Repeat with all bags and save rolled balls in yet another shopping bag. :D

 Begin to crochet. When you have crocheted the first ball do the following:

To join the next ball DO NOT TIE. Instead overlap the ends by about 7-10 inches and crochet, tucking and folding in the ends as you crochet. This makes it much stronger than a tied-together joint.

 

Annie can be found blogging over at  AnnieofBlueGables where she shares her adventures in life and crafting! Come on by and see what else she's been up to.