Weaving Plastic Bag Mats

One quarter to one third of the bags that are used to make a mat have to be strung on the loom before the weaver can start weaving.

Weaving plastic bag mats.

Materials to make a sleep mat from plastic bags. A large piece of strong cardboard an old box would work well ruler. Cast on 72 stitches. Repeat step 3 until mat measures 72 183 cm from edge.

Instead of becoming landfill plastic bags can be used for fun craft projects. Flatten the plastic bag to best you can and straighten any of the bags creases. The next thing is that they need to be loop together to string up the looms. Crafters from the nanaimo harbour city seniors are turning plastic grocery bags into sleeping mats for the homeless.

Gauge 12 sts x 24 rows 4 10 cm in garter stitch. Knitters and crocheters will use their experience to test the gauge which will determine the number of plarn stitches. Cutting the bags is just the first step in the process of turning plastic bags into sleeping mats. Plastic bags 500 700 grocery bags knitting needles size 10 or higher or crochet needles o or p recommended scissors.

Parents can teach about recycling in the house and how plastic bags take years to decompose. Cut off the handles and the bottom seam so that you re left with a rectangle. One easy project appropriate for ages six to adult is weaving a doormat from left over bags. The mats are insulating waterproof and the plastic material is unfriendly to insects klemmer said.

500 700 plastic shopping bags for a person sized mat but can vary depending on what you re using the mat for 10mm or larger crochet hook. Make plarn using the above episode of ask me monday as a guide. Basic knit sleep mat recipe. Approx 140 plastic bags or 1260 yds of plarn size us 11 8mm scissors.

Unwanted plastic bags can make fantastic eco mats for the garden and it s a great way to have fun recycling. Follow these simple instructions for plastic bag weaving below.