Spun Newspaper Plarn Bag

I started making this plarn last summer.  The plastic came from newspaper plastic bags that I collected from my library.  I then spun it and crochet this small tote.
Here is my pattern - using an H hook:
ch 2
8 sc in center
12 increase rounds (96 stitches)
2 sc in st, skip a stitch, repeat until desired length.

Handle:
ch 35
sc 24
ch 35
sc 24
sc around for 4 rounds.
end with a sl st after 12 sts after the last handle.

Here are the photos from last Summer.  The first ones was at the beach, and the 2nd one was at a cavern site in Pennsylvania.  You can see my son in the background having fun at their gem mining area.  

Here is one of the 2 skeins of spun plarn that I used to make the bag.  

Halloween Swap Gifts for LadyKatka

LadyKatka (ravelry) was my other partner in the larger Halloween swap.  She received her package recently (in Canada).  Here is what I made for her.

A treat bag / project bag made from 3 large M&M wrappers (donated from a restaurant) and skull duct tape (more pictures below), a knitted dish towel, a crochet plarn scrubby, a google eye picture frame, skull stitch markers, gauntlet style fingerless gloves, toilet paper tube treat containers, a cork witch...

Some small goodies like a skull stamp, parachute black cat, spider rings...

A magnet made from a wooden Halloween piece (the toad warts), a plastic bottle ring crochet wreath ornament, pumpkin decoration, a bat ATC, Halloween pencils, Peanuts Gang activity pages, and a card.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make this google eye picture frame.

Gauntlet style fingerless gloves, which I am currently making myself a pair.

This wreath ornament was made by crocheting around a plastic bottle ring.

The pattern for this ornament is:

- Chain 20 stitches.

- Take a plastic bottle ring and half double crochet around it.

- Join with a slip stitch.

- Triple crochet twice in every stitch around, and join with a slip stitch.

- Chain 15 to 20 stitches, and tie to the other chain length.

- Then just add accessories.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make this bag.

Modfied Feather & Fan Hanging Dishtowel

The plarn scrubby pattern is just simply crocheting a basic circle:

- chain 2
- crochet 8 times into the 2nd chain from the hook
- single crochet twice in every stitch = 16 sts
- 2 sc in next stitch, 1 sc in next stitch, repeat = 24 sts
-  2 sc in next stitch, 2 sc in next 2 stitches, repeat = 32 sts- repeat until it is the size that you want. 

I used 1 Kohls gray plastic bag and 1 small black plastic bag to make the plarn.

These were the first stitch markers that I had ever made.  I loved them so much that I made myself a set.  The skull beads were found at Michael's Craft Store.

These cork witches were based off of this  Korknisse pattern.  I just modified the pattern slightly.

This artist trading card was made by watercolor painting on watercolor paper and then drawing on it with a black fine tipped sharpie.

Here is my video tutorial on how to make these toilet paper tube treat containers.  I put all of the smaller items in these containers.

LadyKatka said that she wants that skull duct tape.  She loved the skull stitch markers, especially since they are piratey.  She was hoping to get a cork witch and an ATC from me, so its good that I made some for her.  The magnet is already on her fridge.  Not pictured above, because it was a last minute add, was a red Kool Aid juice pouch notebook.  I had so much fun making things for her.  

Spiders & Plarn

I mailed off my Halloween swap packages on Monday, and there were a few things that I kept for myself.  This little crochet spider is meant to be a magnet, but I might make it into a brooch instead.  It was a very easy pattern by Lionbrand, but it did require a lot of sewing.

Here is the pattern for this fun crochet spider.  Instead of knitting an eye cord and inserting wire into it for the legs, I used 4 pipe cleaners instead.  It was tricky getting the pipe cleaners to go through the body filled with stuffing.  I added 2 medium sized google eyes and 4 small ones to make him more creepy.

I also made 2 skeins of black and green plarn (plastic bag yarn).

I started making a bag out of the plarn this week.  Today I finished crocheting the base, and now I can work on the sides.

Blog Carnival

I was on Ravelry.com a moment ago and checked in on one of the 2 Eco Craft Challenge threads. One of the people on there (heppiehaaksters) posted a link to her blog where she has been posting about how she is doing with the challenge. Her blog is mainly in another language, but pictures can say it all. It looks like she is on day 11 of the challenge. I love what she is doing. There are a lot of similar projects between us but with different looks. I haven't talked about it on here, but I had also started making the knitty knobby left over skein rug as seen in the book "One Skein." Its nice to how hers is coming along. Keep up the good work:)

Is anyone else blogging about their experience with this challenge?

I also want to tell everyone about Julia from Easy Eco To Go. Julia has taken up the zero waste week challenge. She has been posting pictures of her trash and talking about ways in which she is decreasing her waste. Very inspirational. Right now she is offering to send people a reusable snack bag and a reusable handkerchief if they take up this challenge. Julia is on day 14 of this challenge. That's right, she extended the challenge from 1 week to 2 weeks. I can see this becoming a life long habit. What a difference it would make if we all took this challenge. I am starting this challenge on Wednesday, which is my trash day. I want to begin with a clean slate. You can also become a fan of Easy Eco To Go on facebook, and you can follow her on twitter as well.

Focus Organic always has some interesting information. They also have a regular blog carnival.

My Recycled Bags loves working with plarn. That isn't the only recycled material that she crafts with. Check out her blog.

Jennifer Perkins recently posted some how to videos for Halloween on her blog. She also posts a regular crafty blog carnival (the newest one was posted today).

Plastique Recreations is another amazing eco-crafter. She crafts with plarn and VHS tape. She also sells her creations as well as her spun plarn and VHS tape.

Fat Bottom Bags is another plarn crafter. Christi crochets round bags out of plarn. She sells them for a very good price. She also has a special deal going on. If you send her a certain amount of colored plastic bags, she will send you a mini fat bottom bag for free. You can also become a fan of Fat Bottom Bags on facebook, and you can follow her on twitter as well. Christi goes a step further and helps out marine animals that are in trouble in her area.

I don't know how often I'll post a blog carnival. I really just wanted to share some of the blogs that I follow.