How to Make Recycled Jewelry

In the spirit of recycling, many crafters transform those not-so-good-for-the-earth grocery bags into environmentally friendly fashion statements like pocket books and reusable shopping totes. If you don't have the time to crochet many, many bags into a purse, reincarnate one of the plastic bags in your stash into a simple necklace.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Plastic bag
• Crochet hook (size N-9 mm)
• Old charm

1. Pick your most colorful bag and slice it into several 1/2-inch strips. You don’t have to be exact. Just eye it.
2. Tie the ends of each strip together to make your plastic bag yarn. The length of your yarn depends on what you intend to make. About a half of an average-size plastic bag is enough to make a necklace. Use fewer for bracelets and anklets.
3. Crochet a chain.
4. Tie the ends of the chain together. Before you tie it, make sure the chain is long enough so that you could slip the necklace over your head.
5. Attach an old charm to your plastic chain necklace or try making several to wear together.