Tesco Bag

Tesco Bag - Bag

Rating

Skill Level

LaurenKent

Co-oproduct Gallery

Readymade Cost

£88.4

Upcycled Materials

Plastic

Carrier Bags

The Tesco bag-bag is 100% made from Tesco bags. No need for glue, zips or thread, this bag recycles a staggering 117 Tesco bags!
The knitted texture combines the Tesco bags strips in multiple directions, thus giving off an incredible strength when pushed and pulled. With the ironed lining inside to give it the authentic look, this Tesco bag – bag would be seen as almost a “play on” design, so when you undo the bow on the front and lift up the lid, the brand name is clearly displayed.
This Tesco bag- bag is also sewed together with more Tesco bags!

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Start by folding the plastic bag in half lengthways; repeat 4 times until you’re left with one long strip. Take a pair of scissors and cut off the handles followed by the base, the remaining long strip should then be cut evenly into 6 pieces.

Unfold 2 strips of Tesco bag; join them together by threading 1 bag through another, then back through the existing bag. Pull tightly on both ends to secure the knot, repeat until all strips are secured.

TIP: The tighter the knot, the nicer finish it will have on the bag.

Casting on; create a slip knot over the first needle in the middle of the chain (needles size 7mm).

Wrap the Tesco bag chain around your left thumb from the left side to the right. Insert the tip of the needle into the loop that is created around your thumb and then wrap the Tesco bag chain around the tip of the needle.

Bring the needle and the Tesco chain back through the loop, then slide all the way onto the needle. Repeat until the desired amount of stitches have been made.

Insert the right hand needle into the left hand needles first stitch. Bring the Tesco chain under the tip of the right hand needle and wrap it over the needle.

Pull the piece of Tesco bag chain through the other stitch. Slide the original stitch off the left hand needles. (When you get to the end of the stitches, switch needles around and repeat)

Casting off; knit the first 2 stitches as usual.

Slip the left hand needle into the first stitch you knitted on the right hand needle. Lift it over the 2nd stitch you knitted and drop it off the needle, you now only have one stitch on the right hand side.

Remove the needles then pull the thread tightly to secure the last stitch. Do not cut off the end but hide it into the knitting by tucking some areas under some stitches.

To create the triangle sides, every 3 rows of stitching you do, simply take it in a stitch. Secure it at the top when you have 4 stitches left.

For the back piece keep it longer than the front so this will create a flap over the front section, ready to be fastened.

Cut out the desired pattern of the Tesco bag that you would like to have shown on the inside of the linen, layer with up to 5 pieces on top for strength. Place in between 2 sheets of wax paper.

Iron on top of the wax paper for about 10-15 seconds and always keep the iron at a constant pace. Flip over and iron the other side.

Peel back the wax paper and repeat the past two steps another 4 times. This shall then be created to make the inside lining.

Make a template of the desired shapes from card a centimetre short from around the edges of the knitted pieces, cut around them on the ironed plastic.

Stitch them together using more strips (Step 1 and 2) from Tesco bags. Do this along all the sides and base to create the box shape. You may use a needles for help with stitching.

To make the strap, Iron white sections of Tesco bags together into a thin long strip, make another one for the bow.

Sew the knitted pieces together and also through the holes of the linen. This shall connect the 2 pieces of material together and give off the overall shape of the design.

Thread the bow strip through the middle of the front section twice; this shall then be threaded through the top, creating the fastening mechanism when tied into a bow.

Front of the bag fastening image

TIP - Double up on the white strips can make a thicker bow.

Materials and Equipment List

7mm knitting needles - £2.09 Large sowing needle - £0.99 Scissors – £0.99 2 Wax paper sheets – £0.45 (A1) Iron – use your own iron or buy any cheap one for £20.00 followed by 117 used Tesco carrier bags.

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Comments (4)

byShaneellisv

November 17, 2011

Great detail

Great concept with lots of hours of work put into the final product. I like that it is much stronger than you realise when looking at it. Great reuse of material. Try and create a range of colours?

bybillychan

November 17, 2011

Review

the way joining the plastic bags together is amazing , also really like the idea of just using tesco bag because it gives such a reflection to public how much waste bags the public gives away everyday.just a little comment on the finshing, it could be neater because the holes on the bag is different and it just looks like it might not be strong enough to carry weight.

byJessica Hallam

November 17, 2011

Amazing use of a dying technique!

Was never really interested in knitting as I saw it as quite an old technique however you have re-created it into a modern,stylish and usable fashion accessory that people of all ages would buy. Maybe a thicker strap would be better so it can hold more weight. Also love the fact it is made entirely from tesco bags! overall, love it!

November 17, 2011

Amazing

Very innovative. you wouldnt guess what it is made from by just looking at it. the concept is very sound, especially using the stitching from tesco bags. 100% tesco rules!

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