Recycling Zip Lock Sliders

I'm not afraid to admit that I am zipper challenged.  It has actually become a phobia.  After several attempts even while watching YouTube videos, it was time to face reality.  It was time to throw in the perverbial zipper towel but only after I determed what could be used as a replacement.   I prefer zippers over snaps and buttons. 

Then the idea came to me that an alternative to sewing a zipper is attaching a ziplock slider from a Hefty or Ziplock Bag.   I use ziplock bags for everything in my house but the bag because unusable way before the ziplock slider does. 

Here is my creative way to recycle those ziplock sliders and below are a few of my original plarn (plastic yarn) pouch designs with zipslider closure as part of my newest RecycleZip© product line: 

Here are pouches made with a front bow pocket for an added bonus: 





Pouch made with Red plastic yarn and Bow made with Target/CVS plastic yarn

  


Top view to show the recyclezip closure





Pouch made with black plastic trash bags and Bow made with Dollar General plastic bags

 

(FL Gator Fans) Pouch made with Blue plastic bags and Bow made with Orange plastic bags

The most recent addition to the RecycleZip product line is the multi-color pouch:



Made with Home Depot plastic bags and contrasted with Walmart product plastic bags



Top view of zipslider




Made with Dollar General plastic bags and contrasted with Black trash bags

  These are available for purchase in my Etsy shop at www.crochooley.etsy.com !!!!

Thank you for letting me share my creative recycled designs .............

Pantyhose & Plarn Multi-Purpose Scrubby Crochet Pattern

Dollar General plastic bag & black pantyhose


My scrubbies are crocheted with plastic yarn and pantyhose held together.  Don't be fooled by the plastic.  When you combine both material together, you get one thick and durable scrubby.  

These are machine washable and dishwasher safe.  I've been making these scrubbies for years to accomplish so many different cleaning tasks.  Mostly I use them for scrubbing pots and pans. However, I have found they are also good for ...



- cleaning the bugs off car windows
- cleaning my glass stove top and microwave messes because my son forgets to cover his dish
- they work awesome on cleaning bathtub rings and shower walls



Before we start - the following tutorial links show you how to prepare the pantyhose and plastic bags into yarn:
Pantyhose:  (1/2 to 3/4" width suggested)
http://plastiqrecreation.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-to-make-hosiery-pantyhose-yarn-aka.html

If you haven't crafted with pantyhose before, it is very different than plarn or regular yarn.  Due to the very nature of it being nylon, you don't get a 'tightning' feel with it.  My suggestion is don't pull it, use the same tension as the plarn.

Plastic Bags:  (1 to 1 1/4" width suggested)
Double Strand: http://plastiqrecreation.blogspot.com/2009/04/double-strand-cutting-and-connecting.html
Single Strand:  http://plastiqrecreation.blogspot.com/2009/04/continuous-single-strand-strip-cutting.html 



Meijer plastic bags and red pantyhose


You will need:

• Crochet Hook Size J (or K depending on thickness of pantyhose/plarn)

Important Note:   Not all plastic is made the same.  When using plarn, achieving the desired size or gauge is dependent on the texture, thickness and strip width of the plastic yarn. 

• 1 pair of adult size pantyhose (2 adult legs will net 3 scrubbies)
• Approx 1 1/2 standard size plastic bags (will net 1 scrubbie or 5 standard size plastic bags for 3 scrubbies)
• (optional) Craft needle or F Hook for weaving in ends  

Gauge:  There really isn't any but typically 3 rounds measure approx 3" to 3 1/4" wide.

Pattern is worked with holding 2 strands of plastic yarn and 1 strand of panthose held together.

Round 1:  Beg with a slip knot, ch 3 and join with sl st in 1^st ch to form ring or use adjustable ring method (click on the link for a tutorial) make 6 sc in ring.  Join with sl st to 1^st sc, tighten and close the starting hole.


Round 2: Ch 1 (counts as 1st sc) make another sc in same st, make 2 sc into each st around, join with a sl st to beginning ch 1.

Round 3:  Ch 1 (counts as 1st sc) make another sc in same st, *1 sc in next st,  2 sc in next st. *Repeat around. 

(add more rounds if you want a bigger scrubby) 


Publix plastic bags and green pantyhose


FO and weave in ends.

If you have any questions or find discrepancies, please leave me a comment or email me at plastiquerecreations@yahoo.com




Abbreviations:
Beg – Beginning
Ch – Chain
FO – Fasten Off
Sc – Single Crochet
Sl St – Slip Stitch
St – Stitch



COPYRIGHT INFO:
This pattern is for your personal use only.   This pattern may not be sold, published, reproduced-mechanically or electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying from any website(s) or electronic mailing lists, etc…  Please do not offer, sell or distribute this pattern in any way to anyone else.  ©2010


*Please do not copy my patterns on your blog site or post my patterns on Internet sites. I do not allow my patterns to be republished without expressed written permission. Posting of my patterns, without written permission is in violation of my copyrights and is content theft.

Dollar General Plastic Bags

Plastic Bag Yarn aka Plarn

Move Over Yarn and Make Room For Plarn!!!

'Plarn' ..  it is a commonly used word heard quite a bit in the crafting community.    You can find write-ups and tutorials about it on various blogs and websites as well as in YouTube.

What exactly is Plarn?  It is a very creative way to recycle plastic bags you bring home from the grocery store, retail stores, and even fast food restaurants.  

The word 'Plarn' is derived from 2 words combined:  

[Pl (plastic) + Arn (yarn) =

Plarn]  . 

Let's go one step further - Now that you know what 'Plarn' is, how do you turn the plastic bag into plastic yarn? 

The 2 commonly used methods are:

1) Double-Strand Cutting and Looping Method

2) Single (Continuous) Strand Cutting Method

The Looping Method is a fun activity to do as a family or the next time you hear 'Mom, I'm bored, there's nothing to do...').    You can have lots of fun looping plastic in a group setting such as church, at school or at work on lunch.  Heck, this is a great way to make the time go faster while waiting at the dentist or dr's office instead of reading 2 year old magazines.  

Plarn is very easy to use in both knitting and crocheting and is also visually appealing.  

Here are just a few of the different types of plarn you will find available in the Plastique Plarn Shop:



Made from Marsh Supermarket plastic bags




Made from Publix Grocery Store plastic bags



Made with Dollar General plastic bags



or go crazy and mix it up with VHS tape:



Mint Chocolate Chip which is plied VHS tape & WalMart produce plastic bags



If you are new to using plastic yarn, I hope this information is helpful.   

I welcome any comments or questions via this post or send me a private message at plastiquerecreations@yahoo.com.