Thursday, May 4, 2006

My version of the "Plastic" Tote Bag


This tote is made with plastic grocery bags you get from the grocery store. I made it for my daughter to take to and from the pool when she starts her school swimming lessons next month. It has a flat weaved bottom and a braided tie at the top. It was made on the yellow KK loom with 41 pegs. I'm surprised at the strength!

Ready, set, go!
Cut handles and bottoms off of about 10 bags. Open bags and lay flat.
Cut bags into 2 inch strips.
Looped together.
Joined.
My ball of "yarn."
You will not use the ball of yarn for the bottom, only for the ewrapping, set it aside. Use a single strip across the bottom of the loom and a double strip for the actual weaving. To join the strips I used scotch tape neatly hidden inside the strip. To view instructions on flat weaved bottom bags click here for my previous post.
When weaving is complete ewrap for about 35 rows. Remove with crochet hook 3 loops in between pegs. For the handle I braided three strips together and then weaved in every second hole at the top of the tote, braid those six strips together and tie a knot to finish.

Sydney proudly modeling her new tote :)
Click here to view/save pattern in PDF format.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow! With summer comming and the pool where we live and all this will be wonderful!! Thanks so so much and it looks wonderful! God Bless Marion

Anonymous said...

This is Great. What a way to save them from the land fill.
I am amazed at all your patterns. I was looking for an idea
for a bag to carry food items home from the market.
If this is strong enough, this may be it. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Anonymous said...

I;m having a terrible time trying to find the crochet pattern for slippers for a friend, made from plastic bag strips. Help!!!

KansasA said...

The best I could find was a slipper sandal, sorry I can't be of much more help. Here's the URL:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=87737.0;topicseen

Unknown said...

I love this pattern! I've saved it to my 'Wist' now, so I will never lose it!

Jen said...

What a great way to recycle those bags. I'm gonna try this one for sure!

Anonymous said...

Clever idea! (The past tense of weave is woven, for future reference.)

Anonymous said...

I finished the Tote. There are a few of us trying to figure out..
take crochet hook remove 3 loops in between.