Recycling!

This bag was very interesting, both in its construction & its materials.  It is made with recycled plastic bags, just like you get from the grocery store.  It is knit along with yarn, so it will have body & strength.  The design is my own, something I made up as I knitted along.  It came out just like I wanted, so both things together made this a favorite project! 

Folks were talking about this bag on the About.com knitting forums.  I just HAD to check it out!  I was so inspired, I decided to give it a try.  The website showed pictures of how to cut the bags so you have one continuous strip.  I just tied the bag ends together & made a giant ball.  Then I began the knitting.

I chose white bags, & I tried to find different colors of text on them to make it interesting.  I have loads of blue bags, but I don't care for the color blue.  I used a worsted weight white yarn along with it & went to it.  I made 2 identical retangles for the bags front & back.  The pattern on the website called for sewing the 2 pieces together & adding handles, but I didn't like that.  I felt it would be too narrow at the bottom of the bag.  It needed some room for expansion. 

So I knit a long narrow strip, probably about 20 stitches wide.  It was made long enough to go from the top of the bag, down the side, along the bottom & up the other side.  I sewed this piece in & made some I-cord handles.  I also added a button flap for a closure.  I love how the design came out!  I still need to add some type of button, a huge one to accent the bag. 

Though this is a favorite project, it is not one I would attempt again any time soon.  I used larger needles to accomodate the yarn & the bags.  I'm just not used to the larger needles anymore. (Whine!)  Also, the bags tended to drag on my fingers, which made them extremely tired & sore.  I started getting to a point where I couldn't wait to finish it because it was stressful on my hands.  I'm glad I forced myself, cause I love the bag!

If you decide to do a project like this, I recommend the thinner bags.  My grocery store bags are perfect.  They are very thin & slippery.  Some of the retail stores have a thicker plastic, these were not as easy to knit with.  These are the bags that caused the most trouble.  They would drag on my hands & needles.  Also, have LOTS of bags ready, you go through them quickly!