The Recycled-Bag Bag

Simon and I watch BBC Breakfast (basically the British version of Good Morning, America) every morning, so we know lots more about what's going on in Britain than in the Netherlands. The BBC covers environmental issues pretty well and has lately run several pieces on excessive packaging, including the overuse of the plastic shopping bag. Here in the Netherlands, I haven't found any place that recycles plastic bags, and though I use my own bags for groceries, I still have a stockpile of plastic bags that I just can't throw in the garbage.

I had seen several patterns for knitting shopping bags into a reusable bag, so I decided to come up with a design of my own.

The bag with a kilo of apples in it

Supplies

• “Yarn” made from loops of plastic shopping bags*
• Circular needles, size 15 U.S.**
• Long DPNs, size 13 U.S.** (I’m guessing here. I used 10s because that’s what I had on hand. The decreases were very tight and quite uncomfortable to knit. In future, I’ll use 13s.)
• Large-eye needle

Gauge: Doesn’t really matter

Directions

With circulars, cast on 60 stitches. Join, being careful not to twist your stitches.

Rows 1-3: Knit

Row 4: *K1, Slip1 (yib)* around

Row 5: K11, BO8, K22, BO8, K11

Row 6: K11, CO8, K22, CO8, K11

Rows 7+: Knit until your bag measures 14 or so inches from cast on.

Prepare to decrease by dividing stitches evenly over DPNs.

Row 1: *K4, K2tog* around

Row 2: Knit

Row 3: *K3, K2tog* around

Row 4: Knit

Row 5: *K2, K2tog* around

Row 6: Knit

Row 7: *K1, K2tog* around

Row 8: Knit

Row 9: *K2tog* around

Thread yarn onto needle and carefully cinch up remaining stitches. Weave in ends.

*Making your yarn (use about 30 bags of comparable weight)

1. Roll a shopping bag lengthwise. At the top, cut off the handles, and at the bottom, cut off the seam.
2. Cut the rolled bag into 1” inch segments.
3. Unroll each segment.
4. Carefully link your loops with slip knots. Pull firmly being careful not to stretch the strips or break the loops.
5. Roll your yarn into a ball.
6. If you run out of yarn while knitting, just make more and tie it to the end of the yarn in use.
   

**Some of your plastic bags may stain your needles, so I strongly recommend that you use needles that you can clean with rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover.

Kate investi-"cats" the bag. Mmm, plastic is so delicious.