How to Make Plarn (Plastic Yarn)

With Pictures!

Are you one of those people who loves crocheting or knitting and cannot get enough of new techniques? Do you, like so many American families, have hundreds of plastic bags taking up space under your sink or in a pantry cupboard? One fun new way for crafters to recycle their old grocery bags is to create plastic yarn, or plarn as it is commonly called in crafting circles.

To begin with you will need plastic bags, scissors and a small bag for scraps. Take your plastic bag and fold it so the sides are pleated under. It will look like a big square with thin handles. (See picture) Then you will fold the plastic bag in half lengthwise twice, so you have a long, thin plastic strip. You will need to cut off the top handles and the bottom part of the bag, where it is glued. Once that last step is done you can get started on cutting the individual strips. Cut the bag into short, thin strips. Keep in mind the thickness of the plastic itself. If the bag is very thin, wider strips will be needed, however if the plastic is thick then you will be safe cutting the strips thinner.

Once you have all the strips cut (they will resemble large plastic rings) you can begin connecting them. To do this you will take two circles and lay one on top of the other with a minor overlap, reminiscent of a Venn diagram. Circle A will lay on top of circle B. Grab the overlapped part of circle B from under circle A and pull the overlapped part of circle A from under circle B and lightly pull. This will create the first link. From there on it gets easier. Make sure the ends are pulled to their full lengths. It will not matter what side you decide to expand on. Grab the end of one of the joined circles and place a new circle through it, creating a "U" shape. Grab one end of the "U" and pull it through the middle of the other side of the "U" slowly. This will be how you attach the plastic rings from there on in.