1) Gather your bags. I separated mine by color, but why not go crazy and mix and match?

2) Start by cutting off the handles and the bottom of the bag. The result will be a nice smooth rectangle, as the bottom gatherings will have been removed.

3) Cut the bag into long strips of “yarn.” You can do this two different ways. One is to cut the bag in one continuous spiral or the other is to cut the bag in a zig-zag pattern as in the picture. Then cut along the yellow lines to get one long strip of plastic.

The spiral method makes a more uniform strip where the zig-zag cut makes the yarn more free-form and lumpy. I like this best because it gives the final project a bit more character.

4) Ball your yarn. I made a center pull ball with my yarn which was no different than with other yarns and the pieces easily tied together with simple square knots.

5) Begin knitting!

Words of wisdom: This yarn is a bit unpredictable. Casting on it’s a bit stiff and doesn’t stretch and move as easily in the process as real yarn. Be careful not to pull your stitches and make them too big. Once you get going, it is relatively easy to use, though. If you are a tight knitter, you might want to double up on your needles or use a bigger needle for your stitches as the yarn is a bit hard to move on and off the needles. It can be both slippery and un-slippery at the same time.

You can also find plarn for sale on Etsy from smallboxdesigns and silverblayze, just to name a few. Use your new plarn with some amazing patterns from My Recycled Bags, a blog that we all love. Try the cute Ribbon Sling Bag or how about a dishcloth?

Have other ideas that plarn would be good for? Leave them in the comments!

“Our mission is to produce and sell high quality yarns from natural fibers and design classic Vermont patterns. Transforming the many types of raw fibers into luxurious and long lasting yarn. The Green Mountain Spinnery helps to sustain regional sheep farming, and to develop environmentally sound ways to process natural fibers,” says their website.

Using vintage equipment, Green Mountain Spinnery creates yarns that take any project from plain to prodigious. Also similar to Hope Spinnery, GMS will spin yarns from fibers that you provide as well. The company has also released its own book of patterns, called The Green Mountain Spinnery Knitting Book, featuring “30 of their best loved contemporary and classic patterns.”

But what about the yarns!? You’re right - I got off track. While wool is their feature fiber, I’ve always been one for plant fibers. Their Cotton Comfort yarn, with 80% wool and 20% organic cotton, is just soft enough for me to wear without feeling itchy. No eco-yarn company would be complete without some 100% organic undyed wool, and GMS has it in spades. For something a little less traditional, check out GMS’ Yarn Over collection - made from carded wool & mohair left from a range of dye lots is blended to create “once only” muted colors.

Who makes your favorite sustainable yarns?

Which natural fiber is your favorite to work with? (i.e. cotton, wool, bamboo, hemp … etc.)

Let us know what you love to create with and we might feature them in the next installment of Yearn-Worthy Yarns!

“The yarn was developed with the idea to offer a yarn that comes in colours as you find it on the animal on the farm,” says the Farm Yarn website.

What’s so great about alpaca? If you’ve ever used it, you wouldn’t be asking that question. Unspeakably comfortable and versatile, Farm Yarns uses baby alpaca wool - “it is warmer than wool, but has a soft feel like silk,” they say. Naturally available in over 20 shades, baby alpaca wool is not actually from baby alpacas. “It is not a description of the age of the alpaca itself, rather a term that describes the finess of the alpaca wool.”

Farm Yarns started producing yarns from British certified organic sheep wool in just the last few years. Two particular heritage breeds are the source of Farm Yarns wool - Jacob and Llanwenog. By sourcing wool from these two particular breeds, Farm Yarns helps to continue their breeding, keeping their centuries-long history alive.

Farm Yarns’ alpaca and wool yarns are available via their online store in a pleasing variety of colors and weights. “All yarns are natural and organic and are free of any chemical residues and artificial colouring - for your peace of mind.” Indeed!

Who makes your favorite sustainable yarns?

Which natural fiber is your favorite to work with? (i.e. cotton, wool, bamboo, hemp … etc.)

Let us know what you love to create with and we might feature them in the next installment of Yearn-Worthy Yarns!

Hope Spinnery has prided itself on being as eco-friendly as possible: the fiber processing mill is run completely on wind power captured on-site; all fibers are purchased locally from sustainably-dedicated Maine farms; only Earth-friendly soaps and natural dyes are used on the yarns; by-products from the spinning process are reused elsewhere at the mini-factory.

The company’s yarn, made from mostly wool and alpaca, are available by skein and in 6 different patterns kits (5 hats and 1 mitten pattern to choose from). Hope Spinnery recently launched their online store, so you can see the stock they have right away and choose the color and fiber that would be perfect for your next project.

“We believe that each person’s relationship to fiber, art and life is unique. We respect the individuality of our customers and work with each person to create something original and satisfying. Our commitment is to process fiber and create yarn through natural methods while enjoying ourselves every step of the way. Hope Spinnery is about doing what you love and meeting others along the way who are doing the same,” says their website - spoken like true fiber-lovers.

Along with spinning their own collection of yarns, Hope Spinnery also offers custom processing services for any fiber you provide. Want to try spinning yourself (it is more fun than I expected)? Check out Autumn’s recent post about the art and process of hand-spinning yarn.

Who makes your favorite sustainable yarns?

Which natural fiber is your favorite to work with? (i.e. cotton, wool, bamboo, hemp … etc.)

Let us know what you love to create with and we might feature them in the next installment of Yearn-Worthy Yarns!

“Our organically grown naturally dyed yarn is colored with plant dyes and due to their organic nature some shade variation will simply add to the yarn’s unique inherent beauty,” says the Rowan website.

Along with the release of the eight-shade color palate, Rowan has released a pattern brochure with 18 designs just for their PureLife yarn (10 for women, 4 for men, 4 for girls).

The bulk of Rowan’s pattern for their organic yarn are sweaters with beautiful yet basic details, but don’t let that limit your imagination. When first seeing the soft, vibrant colors for PureLife, my initial thought was that it would be perfect for a textured baby blanket. A pair of arm warmers in Logwood, a balanced slate blue, are a great accessory for those cool summer evenings. The nearly coral Brazilwood makes a cuddly set of newborn baby booties and a hat.

But what to do with Lipstick Tree?

Who makes your favorite sustainable yarns?

Which natural fiber is your favorite to work with? (i.e. cotton, wool, bamboo, hemp … etc.)

Let us know what you love to create with and we might feature them in the next installment of Yearn-Worthy Yarns!

Wikipedia explains fair trade quite clearly as “an organized social movement and market-based approach to alleviating global poverty and promoting sustainability. The movement promotes the payment of a fair price as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production.” Based in Oneonta, New York, the Da’vida Fair Trade Store sells its own line of hand painted and hand spun yarns made from alpaca, wool and yak fibers.

Painted by Lisa Meriam, a sheep farmer who lives in upstate New York, Da’vida’s collection of yarns come uncolored from Uruguay, Bolivia and Peru. All of the yarns are certified by the Fair Trade Federation, ensuring an extensive number of trade and development points are met. Upon arriving in New York, Lisa then paints the yarns by hand with all natural dyes. Also available are hanks of yarn hand spun by Lisa from her own sheep’s wool. Currently, every hank of yarn is unique, though Da’vida is working on a more predictable line of colors.

“Da’vida, the ‘giving of life’, or ‘the life of giving’ reflects the basic philosophy of Da’vida, that of receiving a gift, and then passing that gift along to other,” says the store’s website. When it comes to creating knitted or crocheted creations, these concepts go hand in hand (no pun intended).

Who makes your favorite sustainable yarns?

Which natural fiber is your favorite to work with? (i.e. cotton, wool, bamboo, hemp … etc.)

Let us know what you love to create with and we might feature them in the next installment of Yearn-Worthy Yarns!

Each quarterly issue features 10-15 new patterns tailor to each season, as well as columns, articles, interviews, product recommendations and more. One of the consistent columns, titled "Frankenknits," is written by Kristi Porter, in which she chops up clothing, and transforms them into updated items of wonder (perfect for us reuse-loving crafters). Knitty's Fall 2007 issue recently went live, and the Frankenknits column features two handy dress incarnations: one for women and another for baby.

Starting with an army surplus blanket (which are often quite easy to find), the Surplus Blanket Coat simply adds two well-placed sleeves, making this "coat" perfect for relaxing afternoons at home, long car rides, or pleasant mornings on the porch with a cup of tea.

The goal of the International Fiber Collaborative is to provide an opportunity for people who enjoy working with crafts, whether professional artists, hobbyists, or students, to come together from all over the world to express their concerns about their countries' extreme dependency on oil for energy. Those who participate will crochet, knit, stitch, patch, or collage 3-foot square fiber panels that will express each participants concern about this topic. By designing and creating a panel and participating in this project you are, in the larger picture, expressing your concern about this important subject to the rest of the world. Once all 800 panels are received, they will be sewn together to completely cover an abandoned gas station in central New York State. I recently spoke with Jennifer Marsh about the history behind this project, how to participate (even if you aren't particularly craft-tastic), the reaction from the creative community, and much more.

Green Options: How did the idea for the International Fiber Collaborative begin?

Jennifer Marsh: I am a third year Master of Fine Art student at Syracuse University; my focus of study is sculpture. The idea for the International Fiber Collaborative has gradually come about over the course of my first two years in graduate school. When I started at graduate school, I mostly stayed locked away in my studio with the door shut, as most artists do. Gradually, I became frustrated at the lack of impact or contributive spirit that my studio practice evolved into. I wanted to have a more active and productive role in the community. I felt passionate towards creating dialog with others from all walks of life. The result in doing so, proved a thousand times more productive and engaging then my previous studio practice.

So I founded and directed a high school initiative for Syracuse City High School art students: workshops that allowed students to visit the Syracuse University Sculpture Facilities and create sand molds for molten aluminum metal to be poured into them. At the end of each workshop, the students were able to take home their own aluminum sculptures. I direct five workshops a year, with summer kids of all ages getting involved. The eye-opening effect that this had on the students proved to be much more successful then I had anticipated. I enjoyed working actively within the art community at SU, but now I wanted to reach out, to experience lives that are vastly different then mine.

Debbie told us:

By doing it yourself, you can control the quality of the ingredients that go into that scarf. Try Blue Sky Alpaca or Lion Brand Yarn in organic cotton. Once you get going, there will be no stopping your green knitting self. Next thing you know, you'll need a Yogurt Yarntainer.