plastic machine blog

I’m big-time into recycling. I hate wasting anything, especially when money is so tight these days. Here’s the ultimate in recycling plastic bags – knitting with them! You can cut up a plastic grocery bag in a way that makes it one continuous ribbon of plastic. Some call it plarn (plastic yarn).

The plarn makes a crinkly sound when you are knitting that reminds me of a baby walking in diapers! If you can get past the noise, it’s an imaginative way to reuse those plastic bags. You can still recycle the scraps because you do waste the handles and bottom seam when you cut up the bag.

After knitting with this for a while, I have discovered that the cheaper the bag, the easier it is to knit. I don’t recommend using the thicker plastic bags from department stores. It is too thick and difficult to work with. Plastic grocery bags are perfect for making plarn.

The plarn makes a crinkly sound when you are knitting that reminds me of a baby walking in diapers! If you can get past the noise, it’s an imaginative way to reuse those plastic bags. You can still recycle the scraps because you do waste the handles and bottom seam when you cut up the bag.

After knitting with this for a while, I have discovered that the cheaper the bag, the easier it is to knit. I don’t recommend using the thicker plastic bags from department stores. It is too thick and difficult to work with. Plastic grocery bags are perfect for making plarn.

Feel free to try any of the plarn patterns out there. It’s great fun.