T.J. Hill is happy to be able to show off this design. She also said they use old vhs tapes and cassette tapes as well as plastic bags to make these bags. Her plastic bag purses have been featured on many news feeds around the world. Her son started his own recycling business when he was 11. He gathers things that are mostly to be thrown away or recycled and the she re-purposes them. They re-purpose a lot of plastic bags.
Can you believe that this purse is made using plastic shopping bags? She usually puts some sort of yarn with the plastic grocery bags as she crochets them. Sometimes T.J. Hill uses old high heeled shoes to make the base of her purses, like with the one pictured here, and sometimes she makes clutch style purses. The shoe purse is her original design, and she sells alot of them at flea markets and craft shows.
This particular purse pictured here is made by doing simple crochet using plastic grocery bags and some faux fur yarn. However, it is designed to fit the base of the shoe. You first measure around your shoe with the basic crochet chain stitch. Then you build upwards with either double or triple crochet stitches. The hardest part is learning when to increase and desrease your stitches so you get an even sized purse due to the height of the heel.
While T.J. Hill did not share specific directions to make this unique shoe purse, I thought I would share some links that might help you experiment with making your own:
- Plarn
This is the name being given to the strips of plastic bags that are made to use in crochet and other similar projects. You can eaily make your own plarn using these instructions. - Crochet Bag Patterns
Amy Solovay, the About.com Guide to crochet, has a nice collection of crochet patterns for making purses, totes, and other bags. Follow the directions in her patterns and just use plarn instead of yarn. - Grocery Bag Tote Bag
If you want to try your hand at crocheting a tote bag without a shoe, try this pattern shared by a visitor named Kathie. - Crocheted Plastic Bag Hat
How about making a crocheted plastic bag hat to wear along with your plastic bag purse? Learn how easy it is using these directions shared by Belva Slate. - Plastic Bag Flowers
Why not make some of these fancy flowers, shared by a visitor named Meewah, made using plastic bags to decorate your purse and even your hat. - More Crafty Purses
If you want to explore other ways to make purses, check out all of these fun purse and wallet patterns. - Plastic Bag Crafts
If you want to explore more projects made using plastic bags, check out all of these fun crafts.
I hope you enjoy checking out T.J.'s purse and also the other resources I shared. You can easily get your own crafts published. If you want to be one of the first to know when new craft projects are posted, take a few moments to sign up for the Family Crafts Newsletter and you can also chat about crafts with others in the Family Crafts Forum.
