How to Crochet a Plarn

You can crochet many things with plarn, a plastic yard made from plastic grocery bags.

Many crafty people like to turn their attention to items other than wool or cotton yarn when it comes to crocheting. They crochet using strips of sheeting, clothing, or even plarn. Plarn, a portmanteau of plastic and yarn, is an eco-friendly way to recycle those pesky, plastic bags by turning them into something useful. People use plarn for many projects, from blankets and mats to coasters, and they find many uses for the excess plastic grocery bags in these crafty projects.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic grocery bags
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Crochet hooks

Instructions

Making Plarn

1. Flatten the plastic bag on the ground so the handles are at opposite ends and it is a smooth, flat rectangle.

2. Fold the bag in half lengthwise. Then fold your folded bag in half lengthwise again.

3. Cut the handles and the bottom off your bag. Use these as stuffing for other items or you can toss them.

4. Cut the bag across the width every three-quarters of an inch. You should have a nice stack of plastic strip circles.

5. Repeat these steps for each plastic bag you wish to use

6. Open up the strip circles and take two of the circles and feed one of the circle (C1) partially though the center of the other (C2).

7. Take the loop from C1 over the edge of C2 and feed it back through the middle of C1, pulling tight to form the knot.

8. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for each strip of plastic bag. Eventually, you will have a long length of double-strength, plastic yarn, the "plarn,” with which to crochet. Wind this into a ball as you would any other yarn and crochet as normal.

Crocheting With Plarn

1. Form a slip knot in the plarn with your crochet hook. Make a loop in the plarn and let the free end of the plarn hang down. Hold the end of the plarn next to length coming off your ball. Weave the crochet over the edge of the loop, under the tail and then over the other edge of the loop. Pull the tail down tightly and the hook up to create a slip knot.

2. Create the base chain for your item. Draw the length of plarn attached to the skein over the hook and then pull the plarn through the loop. Larger items will need longer base chains.

3. Finish your first row of crocheting by adding extra chains to the end based on the size of your stitch: two stitches for single crochet, three for double, and four for treble.

4. Follow your pattern instructions carefully, and make sure each loop is tight. Plarn is slippery and the double strands can confuse you. Make sure you treat the double strands as a single strand for crochet purposes.

Tips & Warnings

• Plarn is slippery and can easily loosen, so make sure you pull each link tight as you crochet.

• If your strand of plarn breaks as you use it, simply tie the loose ends together.

• Plastic bags become brittle when exposed to the elements. The same goes for plarn. If you use it to make an outdoor mat, be prepared to crochet a new one for the next season.

References

• "Crocheting for Dummies"; Susan Brittain, Karen Manthey, Julie Holetz; 2010
• Plastic Bag Crafts; Make Plarn
• RecycleScene; Playing with Plarn: Recycle Plastic Bags