How to Make a Plastic Bag Storage Basket

Are plastic shopping bags taking over your kitchen? Do you despair at finding a way to use them all but refuse to simply throw them in the trash? Using these omnipresent plastic bags to make a storage basket will allow you to store your remaining bags neatly, while also drastically reducing the number of bags hiding under your sink.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Plastic shopping bags
• Scissors
• Size 10 1/2 knitting needles
• Straight pins
• Large sewing needle
• Polypropylene string--available at the hardware store
• 3 1/2 yards leather thong, cut into equal halves

Make the Basket Pieces

1. Cut the handles off the shopping bags and cut them into 1/2 inch strips. Starting at the top of the bag, cut a continuous spiral 1/2 inch wide. Tie different colors of strips together and roll into a ball to keep the plastic from tangling while you knit.
2. Cast 44 stitches onto the knitting needles to begin the front piece of the basket.
3. Knit every row until the piece is 15 inches long. Then bind off from your needles.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make the back piece of the basket.
5. Cast 20 stitches on your size 10 1/2 needles. Knit every row until this piece measures 42 inches, then bind off on a wrong side row. This piece is called the gusset and will be used to join the front and back of your basket together.

Finish the Basket

6. Pin the front piece of the basket to the gusset. Gently smooth and straighten the edges to make square corners.
7. Repeat with the back piece of the basket. Careful pinning will ensure your basket is neat and square when it's finished.
8. Thread the needle with the polypropylene string and use small running stitches to sew the front and the back pieces to the gusset.
9. Position one leather thong where you want the basket's front handle to be. Thread one end of the thong from the inside to the outside of the basket and return to the inside, thread the leather through again and tie the ends together tightly. Repeat on the back to form the second handle.
10. Fill your basket with leftover plastic bags, newspapers for recycling or clean socks to put away.

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