Plastic Bag Sleeping Mats Instructions

Larger and or stiffer plastic department store bags produce bags dry cleaning bags and.
Plastic bag sleeping mats instructions. The homeless mat is of course also a great mat to use ourselves for outdoor trekking or camping. See article video. Crochet a plastic sleeping mat for the homeless on how to make plarn mats for the homeless with detailed mat making project instructions plarn for the avid camper. How to make a sleeping mat or rug using plastic.
We have two collection barrels in prominent places in the church where bags are deposited regularly by congregation members. John the apostle catholic church to create their own mats using about 700 plastic bags apiece. Approx 140 plastic bags or 1260 yds of plarn size us 11 8mm scissors. It also makes a great addition to any camping trip.
This is a wonderful project where children and adults of all ages can combine their creativity talents and labor to provide sleeping mats for individuals and organizations in need to weather the elements all by using plastic yarn made from plastic bags. Stop with the whining about using new bags already. These sleeping mats make great supplies for the homeless population allowing them to sleep comfortably wherever they need to. One quarter to one third of the bags that are used to make a mat have to be strung on the loom before the weaver can start weaving.
Cast on 72 stitches. Gauge 12 sts x 24 rows 4 10 cm in garter stitch. So far they have spent at least 100 hours on the project producing 18 mats that have been handed out to the homeless and there are many more to come. Nanaimo harbour city seniors in namaimo british columbia canada have taken plastic shopping bags and turned them into sleeping mats by crocheting them together.
Flatten the plastic bag to best you can and straighten any of the bags creases. The bags used to make the mats. Repeat step 3 until mat measures 72 183 cm from edge. 500 700 plastic shopping bags for a person sized mat but can vary depending on what you re using the mat for 10mm or larger crochet hook.
Meanwhile in norwalk iowa the mighty mat makers meet once a week at st. Cut off the handles and the bottom seam so that you re left with a rectangle. Make plarn using the above episode of ask me monday as a guide. All bags are used bags i have cut and stored flat.
Selecting the bags only plastic grocery bags 12 x 14 are suitable for this process. The next thing is that they need to be loop together to string up the looms.