I had been collecting plastic bags for reuse for years by the time I got around to turning them into plarn–that is, plastic yarn–in 2020. I started out making reusable totes to use instead of bringing home more plastic waste. I got enough to make a whole grocery trip–and even to gift and sell–but then I got ideas to spread awareness.
The public plarn art started with the 2023 Charlotte Arts Fest exhibit, 100 Tiny Things, for which I created “Inheritance,” traditional granny squares crocheted with plarn to evoke handmade projects designed to be passed on to children and grandchildren, but representing the cruel reality we actually are leaving to future generations.
Next came my contribution to the 2024 Charlotte SHOUT! Festival Easter Eggs on Parade exhibit, “Heirloom Egg,” continuing the granny square motif.
My largest ever plarn project involved a community drive for plastic bags around Charlotte and Gaston County to create “Is This Love?” (also affectionately known as Lulubell). The giant teddy bear completely crocheted AND stuffed with used plastic bags continues the theme of what we are leaving for our children, even though we think we are making their lives better with all of these single-use plastics now.
I even expanded on the theme, creating dozens of smaller plarn bears with leftover bags!
More recently, I’ve been exploring basket weaving techniques with plane, reusing even more single-use plastics like lids and straws.
I have offered a few plarn workshops to make granny square bags and hope to have more in the future with crochet and basketry options as well.
Laura Sexton Art 