Plastic Bag Tote - the start

So here is my plastic bag tote. My very first creation using grocery store plastic bags.

The base was formed using four Krogers bags. I didn't realize where I'd gotten the Krogers bags from. They are a nice tan, darker than the usual Pathmark bag, and they form a very attractive base. I pulled up www.krogers.com on the Internet, plugged in a NYC zip code, only to find out they were not local. I began to wonder if they came from Newcastle, England, where one of my bosses had spent seven months. When I talked to my mom the next week, I realized they came from Texas.

Here is the base, in Krogers:


On one of the websites, it suggested I start with a chain of at least 25 stitches (I used a K hook, and approx. 1" wide strips of plastic bags). After about 3 rows I started doing "three single crochets in the corners", and then I ran out of tan. At that point I switched to the Pathmark bags and worked even, which meant I was going to no longer increase but would work "up" instead:


This all happened last Sunday, Jan 13. I had to take a call from American Airlines about a cancelled flight for another boss, but I kept on crocheting...

Here I am, over a week later, Jan 22. When I ran out of "yarn" on Jan 13, I thought to myself, "Wow, I need to go grocery shopping!" And though I have quite a bundle of those nice grocery store shopping bags, the ones that are environmentally friendly and hold way more than the plastic, I found myself wondering what I could buy and what I could double bag. Not exactly green thinking.

My co-worker, Carin, brought in a bunch of Pathmark bags for me. And I went shopping the following Sunday, and yes I did buy some stuff I didn't need, including a free Star Ledger, which I could bag. Honest to blog. Heard that on Good Day NY. And I timed myself, and it takes me about three minutes to cut up each individual bag and chain it into my ball of yarn. Not including the time it takes to fold the bag in sixths, if that is a word. So it's not a super-easy process. And crocheting DOES take a bit of a work out on my arm, as I'd like a bigger crochet hook (in metal) than the K. Next time perhaps 1/2 inch strips or so.

Here are the pictures from today, Jan 22, with my Nikon:




So, I'm almost at the right height. And I have to start thinking about how to make the handles. I did seriously consider going to my friend Elaine who makes bags, to see if I could have her give me / buy some handles: www.elainearsenault.com
But I think crocheted ones, perhaps as thin as a chain, will work fine...