Fun With Plastic Bags

Ah yes, we all have those frustrating plastic bags to get rid of. Major stores tend to offer only plastic, yet there's no way to get rid of them other than the trash can in most places. Hmm...that's not quite so. Here are some fun and interesting ideas that almost anyone could do at any time with those plastic bags. Believe it or not, those plastic bags have lots of uses beyond caring your groceries.

Knit Them!

Yes, that's right, I said to knit your plastic bags. It may sound a little funky, but it's actually a great idea and works really well. And if you don't know how to knit, don't worry! It's one of the fastest hobbies to pick up, since it really is quite simple. As Elizabeth Zimmerman once said, "Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course, superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage." You can learn to knit at knit shops in your town (there are tons!), from the TV show Knitty Gritty, and there are even tutorials on the internet! However, if you don't know how to knit, you can also use plastic bags for crocheting, weaving, and a lot of other things! Maybe they wouldn't work too spectacular for sewing, but I haven't given it a try. I got the idea off of a crochet TV show, actually, but then later learned it was very popular among the knitting world, especially once Erika Knight introduced the idea.

Ok, now that you should be thinking of learning to do some sort of craft that involves yarn or thread, I'll show you how to turn your plastic bags into a perfect material for this.

1. Gather up your plastic bags. Optionally, sort them into like colors or colors that you like together.
2. Cut off the bottom of the bag and the handles. You will not need these.
3. You can either cut across the bag, cutting both layers, and not cutting the sides, and have a loop, to use for a thicker yarn (make sure to cut across from side to side, not top to bottom), or you can cut them into strips for a thinner yarn.
4. Tie the strips together, or you can do a sort of slip not thing to loop together the loops.
5. Wind the plastic bag yarn into a ball.
6. Begin your project! In Erika Knight's book Twisted Knits, she has created a pattern for a shopping bag made from these bags. Hey, not such a bad idea!

Return Them

Well, you can return malfunctioning items, you can return cans and bottles in some states to get money back, and you can do the same at some stores. For example, the store Market of Choice will pay you a few cents off of your grocery bill for every bag you bring back yourself. I believe that many other stores do that too.

If you can't return your plastic bags, you can still use them. Next time you go shopping, just bring them, and most stores will be glad they won't have to supply the bags themselves.

Plastic Bags Can Hold Just About Anything

I know you've heard this a million times, but I just decided it's worth reminding. You can store lots of things in your plastic bags, and they are quite useful, so there's no need to throw them out!

The Best Thing -- Avoid Bags Altogether

If you can, the best thing is that you don't use any bags at all. Don't use paper, don't use plastic, just take a cloth tote with you every week. You'll carry your food home in style, and not have done anything bad for the environment either! I know this is almost impossible for most families who need to buy lots of groceries at once, but if you don't have that many groceries some time, why not try this?