I just read about the plastic bags in a big, floating stew out in the
middle of the ocean, blocking and killing fish and other sea
life…our shopping bags, spread out and never going away. The ocean
currents bring them to this area, where they produce a sort of plastic
Sargasso sea. Here’s an idea for us:
Do you have a million of these shopping bags lying around? (And I DO
mean a million because no matter how many you squirrel away for this
project, you will still have to sneak over to your neighbor’s and
steal some more.)
1). First you will need to prepare the bags into a crochet-able ball of “yarn”.
Lay bag flat. Smooth out wrinkles.
2). Cut off both the bottom and the top like in photo.
3). Next fold bag in half. In half. In half.
Always from side to side. Never top to bottom!
4). Cut into 1 1/2 inch segments.
This creates these plastic ring strips. You will be joining these
strips to create your ball of plastic “yarn”.
Here’s how….. overlap one ring atop another. Draw other end (right)
of top ring underneath the ring below and through the middle. Tighten
gently without breaking. Tadaaaa! Now go do it a million times until
you think you have enough to make your tote, (but you won’t. And
you’ll need to make more and more of these things).
5). Attempt to wind into some sort of manageable ball, (although it
won’t be pretty and it won’t be perfect).
Let’s start the tote, already!
(Don’t bother joining rows together. This is all just one continuous
spiral. It’s just easier.)
Using a size P hook, ch 3.
Row 1 - In third ch from hook, ch 1 six times. Slip stitch into your
first ch for a total of (6) forming a ring.
Row 2 - 2 sc in each ch (12)
Row 3 - *one sc in next ch, two sc in next ch*, repeat from * all the
way around, (18).
Row 4 - *one sc in next two chs, two in next ch*, repeat from * all
the way around, (24)
Row 5 - *one sc in next three chs, two in next ch*, repeat from *
around, (30).
Row 6 - *one sc in next four chs, two in next ch*, repeat from *
around, (36).
Row 7 - *one sc in next five chs, two in next ch*, repeat from *
around, (42).
Row 8 - *one sc in next six chs, two in next ch*, repeat from *
around, (48).
Row 9 - *one sc in next seven chs, two in next ch*, repeat from *
around, (54).
Row 10 - * one sc in next eight chs, two in next ch*, repeat from *
around, (60).
Row 11 - sc around in front loops only. (60).
Row 12-25 - sc around (60).
Now we begin the formation of the strap.
Chain 50. Slip stitch into the 30th ch on opposite side of the bag.
You now have a long chain connecting one side of bag to the other.
Continue sc around side of bag until you return to the beginning of
your newly formed strap.
Keep sc up one side of the strap and down to bag again. You will do
this five times. Fasten off.
Join on other side of strap and crochet along bag, up this side of the
strap, and back down to this side of bag. Again, you will do this five
times. At the corners where the strap and bag meet, I did a decreasing
stitch.
For the closure loop, I sc to middle of bag, ch 8, skipped a ch,
joined chain to next ch on bag. Continue sc to the strap. Slip stitch
into strap. Turn. sc back to center loop you just created, ch into
each ch in loop around to bag again, continue to strap. Fasten off.
To even the other side of bag without the closure loop, just sc two
more rows from strap to strap and back again.
So, now you should have a loop with which to close the bag, (looping
it over something on other side of bag). I made a sort of three
petalled flower and attached it to the other side in order to have
something to slip the loop over and close the bag securely.
I hope these instructions were not too confusing. You can always
e-mail me with questions. Now, get out there and recycle!!!!
(I know you’re thinking of raiding the boxes in the Walmart lobby
where people bring in their bags to be recycled, aren’t you?)
(from
http://www.geocities.com/quibblerscribbler/Recycled_plastic_bag.html)
Jackie
http://www.downinthecountry.com
Art and the home of the Rakestraw Spindle