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Recycle your plastic carrier bags


Pencil or make-up case
Use fused plastic fabric to stitch an easy case for cosmetics or pencils. Cut fabric to measure 27 x 20cm (cosmetic case) or 26 x 38cm (pencil case). Fold a 1cm hem at top and bottom to wrong side. Starting and finishing 1.5cm in from edges and covering raw edge of each hem, stitch corresponding Velcro strips across top and bottom of fabric. Fold fabric in half (27 x 9cm or 26 x 18cm) with right sides together. Using 1cm seams, stitch the sides. Turn finished case right side out. Pretty simple, huh?

Shopping tote
Create a patchwork tote from fabric made out of plastic bags. Use 1cm seams throughout the making of this tote. Cut sixteen 12cm squares. With right sides together, stitch together to make four 42 x 12cm strips. Stitch strips together, right sides facing, to complete bag front. For bag back, cut four 42 x 12cm strips and stitch together. With right sides together, stitch sides and bottom of bag. With wrong sides out, stand bag upright with bottom seam in the centre. Stitch across triangles (formed at corners) and trim excess fabric. For top hem, turn fabric down 5mm, then another 2.5cm. Stitch hem in place. For each handle, cut an 8 x 46cm fabric strip. With wrong sides together, fold one long side 3cm to the back. Fold remaining long side 2cm over, enclosing raw edge of first fold. Catching all three layers, stitch down centre of each handle. Pin handle ends 5cm down from top and 7.5cm out from centre of bag front or back. Stitch ends in place (2mm in from edges) and a cross within the stitching, for extra strength. Turn your tote right side out.

Bath bag
Cart your hair products, lotions and potions in a water-resistant caddy made from fused plastic bags. Make it the same way as the make-up bag and pencil case. Just alter the cutting measurements to reflect a finished size of 20 x 26cm.

Plastic fabric

Gather your supplies
Plastic shopping bags; scissors; baking or parchment paper; iron; ironing board

Notes: 1. Safeguard a pattern or lettering you wish to make a feature of. Lay it (right side up) on top of six plastic layers with a sheet of clear (or semi-transparent) plastic on top, before fusing the layers.
2. Work in a well-ventilated spot while fusing the plastic.
3. Generally, setting your iron to ‘wool’ will fuse the plastic sheets. However, depending on your iron and the type of plastic bags you use, you may need to experiment with your iron’s heat settings to ensure properly fused plastic fabric.

STEP 1
Arrange each plastic bag flat. Trim off lower seam and handles. Turn a trimmed bag inside out if it is printed as, once ink heats up, it separates and becomes messy.

STEP 2
Sandwich 8 layers of plastic between 2 pieces of baking or parchment paper. To fuse plastic layers, run a hot, dry iron (on ‘wool’ setting) back and forth and edge to edge over paper for about 15 seconds. It’s important the edges are properly fused. Flip the ‘sandwich’ over and iron as before.

STEP 3
Check if the plastic has fused by peeling back a corner of paper. Plastic is completely fused if it has the appearance of a single, relatively smooth – if somewhat wrinkly – sheet. If the layers are not fully fused, run iron over them again as per step 2. Peel off the paper.

STEP 4
Use fused plastic sheet as you would fabric. Cut it to size, or to a pattern, using it to make the easy projects above.