DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats

deenagoodale
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DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats - finished sleeping mat tied closed and sitting on a wrought iron bench with the handle looped over the back of the bench This project shows you how I made a crocheted sleeping mat from plastic grocery store bags.

Total Time: 25 hours

Supplies:

600 plastic grocery bags
1 size Q crochet hook
scissors

Steps:

First, make the plastic yarn "plarn" from grocery bags. Flatten out the bag and fold lengthwise, in half, and then in half again. Cut off handles and ends. Cut into one inch strips, which, when unfolded, will be in long loops.

DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats - young man showing a flattened plastic bag

DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats - folded and handles cut off

Attach strips to each other by inserting one loop into another loop and drawing the first loop over the second loop and pulling through into a knot creating a slip knot. Continue this process until you have looped about 50 bags. Roll into a ball as you would for yarn. Continue until all bags have been cut and made into "plarn." It would be a good idea to involve someone else to help make the plarn as it is a time consuming process.

DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats - attaching the bag loops after cutting

DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats - young man holding length of plarn

DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats - young girl holding a ball of plarn

Using a Q size crochet hook, make a slip knot and chain stitch crochet until it measures 30". For second row, single crochet all the way across the first row of chain stitches. Continue this process of single crochet until you have crocheted six feet. This is the time consuming part and will take several hours. When you run out of "plarn," insert the first loop of the new ball of "plarn" through the last loop of the existing "plarn" pulling ball through the loop and knot/tie together.

DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats - section of crochet mat

DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats - adding more plarn

To finish plastic mat, when the last row has been completed, single crochet around entire mat to give it a finished look. Tie off at the end. Time to make straps and handles. Fold the mat in half. Mark 1/3 from each side of bottom half of folded mat with a paper clip (used as a marker only). Attach "plarn" to marked spot by using a single crochet stitch onto top of the existing stitch on the edge of the mat. Crochet 50 chain stitches, turn, and single crochet in each chain working your way back to the side of the mat. Attach to mat with a single crochet and tie off. Repeat this process where other paper clip is marked. These will make straps to secure the mat when it is rolled up. The two ties can be wrapped around the rolled up mat and tied.

DIY Crochet Plarn Sleeping Mats - closeup of crochet ties

To make the handle, attach plarn in the middle section (between the two straps) and single crochet into the existing stitches about four stitches across, repeating single crochet rows back and forth, chaining one stitch for each additional row and turning. The end result will be four rows of single crochets that are four rows high and four stitches wide. After the fourth row is complete, chain 50 and single crochet in the chain stitches back to the handle, then single crochet again to the end of the handle and tie off. Attach the end to the top of the handle base with a single crochet and securely tie off.