Plarn

Some of you have probably heard about plarn, or plastic yarn. For those who

haven’t, plarn is made of strips of plastic cut from plastic grocery bags which is then

used to knit things like wallets, purses, and in our case, reusable shopping bags. There

is a very specific process to making this plarn. All you need is a plastic bag, scissors,

and some patience. First, you flatten the bag and cut off the top and bottom parts,

making sure to include the bottom seam and top handles. Then, cut strips in the bag 1/2

to 1-inch wide. From there, you can make final slits and cuts, and you have your yarn!

Now it is time to make our reusable tote bags.

To make the plarn into a reusable bag, there are many knitting patterns you can

follow if you are experienced at knitting. However, if you are like me and have no

experience, there are much simpler ways to do this. One way is to knit two sheets, and

then use the plarn as the thread to stitch them together. From there, you can braid three

pieces of the plarn and attach them to the other pieces. Tada! You have a reusable tote

bag made of recycled plastic bags! This not only saves the plastic bags from going to

the landfill but also helps you reduce your waste when you go to the grocery store. And

it’s stylish too!

For more detailed instructions on making plarn, please visit this link.

For one knitting pattern for the bag, please go to this link.

Or, support a small business and purchase a plarn knit bag from Etsy!

Image from Etsy