[LM_NET] Hit: Crafts for plastic bags

[Kris Fallon <librarychickie@GMAIL.COM>]

Some of you requested a hit so here it Goes.  Many thanks to all of you who
responded.
-- 

I sent this message



*>>> Kris Fallon <librarychickie@GMAIL.COM> 05/06/08 4:50 PM >>>
We have a third grade teacher who is trying to think of a craft project
that would use the typical plastic bags one would get from a grocery
store.
Any
ideas?

Kristina Fallon, LMS
Robert Morris School, k-8
So Bound Brook, NJ
librarychickie@gmail.com
"Only the educated are free." - Epictus, (Greek-born, Roman slave and
philosopher- 55 AD - 135 AD*

* *

*)*last week but had some problems with my email.  If not this year Maybe
some of these ideas would be good in the future.  The responses follow:



*I have no idea how it was done, but years ago there was a group of old
ladies in Florida that wove the bags into floor mats.  They were great.  You
could throw them in the washer, etc.  And when they got worn out, you didn't
feel bad throwing them away.  Maybe someone else could come up with
instructions if this is of interest.
Janet Perry, Prek-12 Librarian
Cerro Gordo CUSD 100, Cerro Gordo, IL*

* *

* *

*You can make cute crocheted beach bags with them.  You can find
instructions on the net.*

* *

* *

* *

*I live in Africa where people are good at re-using materials.  I have
seen bags cut into strips and crocheted or woven into useful items.
Could be shopping bags or small purses.  Could be a placemat.  A small
project could be a coaster.

Janice McMahon
Primary School Librarian
International American School of Mozambique*

* *

* *

*One of our teachers stuffed them into old wide neckties and made great
snakes!!!!  Add a couple of buttons and a felt tongue.*

* *

* *

*I have seen where you can take the bags, cut them into strips and create
a new
Crocheted bag.
They would be great for carrying books and groceries.
http://crochet.about.com/od/learncrochet/tp/crochetwbags.htm*

* *

* *

* *

*I opened up the bags and cut long strips for weaving.  I made a wall
hanging but was thinking about making mats for sitting.  I used duct tape to
set up the weaving and used two chairs.  The kids could find the Target bags
and several others.  It takes a lot of bags to do a small weaving.  The good
thing is that when no longer needed it can go in the gracery store recycling
She could do the weaving idea and also open the project to the kids  to come
up with other ideas of using them.

Susan Rardin, MLS
Clifwood Elem
Cliffwood, NJ*

* *

* *

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*Here's a website devoted to it:
<
http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/plasticbagsartscraftsideasprojectskids.html
>

Plus these cute creatures:
<http://www.wow-imports.com/products.asp?cat=21>

And I saw an artist on tv this weekend that creates  plastic bag art and
the kids made a collage wallhanging.  They made a tree and the kids cut
out leaves from different colors and even a blue bird made it in the
collage.  The collage was a flat piece not 3D.*

*My sister-in-law showed me something you could make by crocheting them with
a giant crochet needle.  I think her pattern was for a totebag, but I
believe you can also make a rug with this technique.*

* *

*If you will google "plarn" you will find lots of ideas to crochet bags
using plastic bags.  I do this a lot.  You can also fuse plastic bags
and sew them into projects.
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/08/plastic_bag_crafts.html also
check them*

Kristina Fallon, LMS
Robert Morris School, k-8
So Bound Brook, NJ
librarychickie@gmail.com
"Only the educated are free." - Epictus, (Greek-born, Roman slave and
philosopher- 55 AD - 135 AD)

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