Green Crafty Q&A: Weaving Plastic Bags

The Crafting A Green World Q&A series returns for its second installment – this time fueled by one of our long-time readers, Tamara.

Q: Help! I am looking for a place that will show me how to basket weave plastic bags that does not require me to know how to knit or crochet. – Tamara

A: Oh, how I love a challenge! Crocheting is the most common way that I have seen when it comes to using plastic bag “yarn”, but knitting comes in at a close second. Using plastic bags with a traditional weaving technique is just about as easy as using fiber yarns. With a little digging and some ingenious internet searches, I’ve found a few online resources that give step-by-step instructions for weaving plastic bags – sans knitting needles and crochet hooks.

Not specifically about weaving plastic bags, Craft Magazine posted an extensive entry about plastic bags crafts on their blog a while back. With info on everything from creating plastic bag yarn and fusing plastic bags together as “fabric” to dress and raincoat tutorials, this is a must-read for anyone looking to reuse their flimsy plastic shoppers.

[[ From basic to brain boggling, we welcome your sustainable stitching queries either via comment on one of our other Q&A posts or directly via e-mail. Knitting, crochet, sewing, quilting, pottery, paper arts … if you make it, we can answer your questions on how to make it better. ]]

Comments

  1. Rebecca says:

    My friend and fellow interior design student are planning to create some sort of chair and/or furniture pieces using plastic bags and other recyclable/reusable materials. Our finished designs will be sold at a charity auction in the fall. I hope to find useful info here, and would appreciate any hints or advice anyone may have. Thanks!

  2. Rebecca says:

    My friend and fellow interior design student are planning to create some sort of chair and/or furniture pieces using plastic bags and other recyclable/reusable materials. Our finished designs will be sold at a charity auction in the fall. I hope to find useful info here, and would appreciate any hints or advice anyone may have. Thanks!

  3. Rebecca says:

    My friend and fellow interior design student are planning to create some sort of chair and/or furniture pieces using plastic bags and other recyclable/reusable materials. Our finished designs will be sold at a charity auction in the fall. I hope to find useful info here, and would appreciate any hints or advice anyone may have. Thanks!

  4. Rebecca says:

    My friend and fellow interior design student are planning to create some sort of chair and/or furniture pieces using plastic bags and other recyclable/reusable materials. Our finished designs will be sold at a charity auction in the fall. I hope to find useful info here, and would appreciate any hints or advice anyone may have. Thanks!

  5. Marilyn Bess says:

    A couple of years ago my daughter used my table loom to weave rugs, using carpet warp for the warp and plastic bags for the weft. They are great!

    I want to do it myself but have lost the web site with directions. Does anyone know where I can find it?

    Thanks.
    Marilyn
    Sonoma County, CA

  6. Marilyn Bess says:

    A couple of years ago my daughter used my table loom to weave rugs, using carpet warp for the warp and plastic bags for the weft. They are great!

    I want to do it myself but have lost the web site with directions. Does anyone know where I can find it?

    Thanks.
    Marilyn
    Sonoma County, CA

  7. Marilyn Bess says:

    A couple of years ago my daughter used my table loom to weave rugs, using carpet warp for the warp and plastic bags for the weft. They are great!

    I want to do it myself but have lost the web site with directions. Does anyone know where I can find it?

    Thanks.
    Marilyn
    Sonoma County, CA

  8. Maria says:

    Is the video tutorial from artExchange about plastic bags still available? When I clicked on the link no website came up. Do you have the name of the current site? I’m trying to find out how to make a recycled basket from plastic bags in the same manner, can you help me?

  9. Maria says:

    Is the video tutorial from artExchange about plastic bags still available? When I clicked on the link no website came up. Do you have the name of the current site? I’m trying to find out how to make a recycled basket from plastic bags in the same manner, can you help me?

  10. Maria says:

    Is the video tutorial from artExchange about plastic bags still available? When I clicked on the link no website came up. Do you have the name of the current site? I’m trying to find out how to make a recycled basket from plastic bags in the same manner, can you help me?

  11. Maria says:

    Is the video tutorial from artExchange about plastic bags still available? When I clicked on the link no website came up. Do you have the name of the current site? I’m trying to find out how to make a recycled basket from plastic bags in the same manner, can you help me?

  12. Hello,

    Great to spot this website. I am member of a local sustainability team in Nigeria and would love to explore making items out of plastic bags. Are you open discussions on this.

    Cheers.

  13. Hello,

    Great to spot this website. I am member of a local sustainability team in Nigeria and would love to explore making items out of plastic bags. Are you open discussions on this.

    Cheers.

  14. Hello,

    Great to spot this website. I am member of a local sustainability team in Nigeria and would love to explore making items out of plastic bags. Are you open discussions on this.

    Cheers.

  15. Hello,

    Great to spot this website. I am member of a local sustainability team in Nigeria and would love to explore making items out of plastic bags. Are you open discussions on this.

    Cheers.

  16. Me says:

    By the way the United Kingdom isn’t “also known as” England….the UK is made up of four countries, one of which is England.
    Nice webpage tho.

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