Fusing Plastic Bags with the Etsy Labs

That is so awesome! I'd been trying to figure out what to do with bags (since I can't crochet for the life of me). Thanks very much :)

Brilliant - just brilliant!

I used this technique, as taught by Anda, to make a dress for costumecon http://images.etsy.com/all_images/0/0de/1c6/il_430xN.13170262.jpg

i also have to explain this to someone probably once a week. people LOVE it, and are so excited to try it. it's a great activity to do with kids--i went into a 5th grade classroom to talk to them about making recycled crafts, and with one class we just spent about an hour fusing plastic bags [which they made the coolest things out of] because they could NOT get enough of it. i cannot endorse this process enough!

this is fantastic! this will help me with my "be as green as possible" new year's resolution.

so glad to find instructions on how to do this! i had seen a tote bag and a quilt made this way a while ago and didn't know how it was done. thanks... have a stash of bags i need to repurpose!

i think i enjoy the fumes a tad too much.

p.s. turning the iron up way high and allowing those "little holes" to form yields interesting results, too: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7972492

Aha! That's pretty cool, and it seems doable!

Wow this is cool. Is it sturdy enough to sew through?

What a brilliant idea. I cannot wait to try it.

great article! thanks! i love the 'related items' too! and bemyshark's necklace. now i'm feeling all inspired!

Wow interesting!! I have a MILLION of those plastic bags hanging around. Thanks, I think I'll try this idea :)

Thank you! I put all my items in plastic baggies when I mail them out. I think this would be better packaging!

so neat! and waterproof too, I imagine. Nice Ikea ironing board by the way - I have the same one. On a side note, I found it nice to lay a tea towel underneath the cover(which slips right off) to make a cushier surface, since otherwise I was getting grill/mesh imprints when I ironed delicate things.

great tutorial! I think I'll sew "fused" patches together to create an emergency blanket for the trunk of my crappy old car.

love sooooo much the tutorial and Inbalimor too!!!!!

vaniallalotus- yes you can sew through it! It sews up great, I just use a longer stitch length because a short stitch makes a perforated line and could be prone to tearing. I don't use any special needle or presser foot. On smaller items it can be easier to have the seams on the outside (sew wrong sides together) because the "fabric" is stiff and hard to turn inside out. It won't fray, so exposed seams aren't a big problem.

Seriously love this idea! I'm going to have to try it this weekend!

I am so, so happy I found Etsy, for these kinds of invaluable information..Thank you so much!!!All those bags I have to now save in all those colours.

This is a great idea, but does anyone know if the plastic bags release icky vapors when heated? I tried it tonight, and I felt a little dizzy afterwards...

I fuse plastic all the time and never smell anything chemical and have never gotten dizzy. I don't get the plastic hot enough to smell, but I think if you burn it, then it will efinitely smell and give off fumes! Well actually sometimes I smell the food item that was inside the bag, for example I smelled cinnamon when I fused bags from red hots candies. And then I was sad the bag was empty! Even when you wash the bags before fusing, I think plastic is slightly porous and can absorb strong food aromas.

I get a headache sometimes but I always do it somewhere with good airflow. There was a forum thread that I can no longer find where someone's husband who works with plastics said there should not be any toxic fumes.

I just found this (wow, the old blog made AskMetafilter! Fame!) http://ask.metafilter.com/78080/Ironing-plastic-bags-togetheris-this-toxic

This is so cool. I thank you. And my Duane Reade bags thank you. :)

WOW! This is so awesome. Thanks-I can't wait to try it.

Thanks for the responses eclipse and anda!!

Brilliant! I want to try it now!!

This is awesome! Thanks, Anda!

i cannot wait to get home and try this! i have a HUGE plastic bag collection because i HATE throwing them away, very exciting!

This is a great article, but... the name Slutbag for a business is the most amazingly brilliant thing I have ever seen!!!!

wow it is so easy! why did I not do this before? Thanks for posting this tutorial! :)

I love this! Can't wait to try. Just be very careful with the Target bags (read this: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/05/13/trashy.fashion/index.html) that a friend shared) It talks about how Target is giving people a hard time when they upcycle their bags and show their TM bullseye

this is great!! thanks so much!

great ideas

that is so cool! thanks for sharing. i'm totally going to try that today. :)

This is so cool. I am gonna try it!

so cool

I love this and can't wait to try it!

If only I had an iron!

hum, what shall i create?

I can't wait to try this! thank you for the tutorial!

Wow...I was 8 months pregnant in that how-to video up there...

so much fun!

can you use bread bags and used ziplocks also?

can you use produce bags from the grocery store in this technique?

is it better to use parchment paper or regular printer paper

WOW! I had made crocheted shopping bags from plastic bags now I have another way to recylce those plastic bags into something re-usable. THANKS!

this is fantastic! note worthy tidbit...waxed paper does NOT work. stick with freezer, parchment, or copier.

What a great green idea.

QUESTION: can you fuse number 2 plastic with number 4 and so on or do you have to keep within the same plastic recycling family?

Did I already comment here? That was fun.

How interesting!!! I always am very enthusiastic about new technologies and new crafts. I certainly will try to make fuse plastic. The more we recycle the greener we are. THANK YOU!

wow, I have to make some for my customers who purchase from me at the Arts festival this weekend! I was gonna buy some clear ones from a plastic bag store. Thanks so much for explaining this for us, oldies but goodies!

Cool! Loving the bags.

IVE BEEN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO TRY, GREAT IDEA! I LIKE EVERY WOMEN HERE HAS A MILLION AND ONE PLASTIC BAGS IN MY CUPBOARD IM GONNA TRY IT. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! BECKIE X

Ok, eliminate freezer paper for this too - at least check if your freezer paper is coated. Mine is coated with a thin layer of... I guess PLASTIC so now the bags are fused to the freezer paper & now are a complete mess....

I'm so glad I found this article!! I have been wondering how to do this for a while. Thanks for sharing.

What a great idea! Can't wait to start playing - thanks.

that is a good idea.I will try it when I get time.

Very cool (hot) idea! I will try it! Thanks for being so detailed in your description!

LOVE, LOVE, this idea!! I have been looking for this to try, have ALOT of bags and ideas! Thanks so much!

love this!

I did this about twelve years ago for a university project. I put those tiny glitter stars between the layers and made some really decent tealight candle holders and low wattage globe lamp shade boxes. I also incorporated some photo transparencies into the boxes so the light shone through those too. It was a lot of fun!

Silicon-coated paper sheets used for baking works very well and doesn't stick like wax paper does. Ask your local bakery if they have any. Two sheets is enough and can be reused over and over again.

Pressing the sewn seams until they melt together will assure you a stronger seam.

Really cool How-To!

Brilliant! :) I still have to find the right paper, but it is a great idea! :)

Excellent.. I've wanted to recycle my plastic bags for ages, this is a great technique.. thankyou!

Yay! New project and materials for my stuff! I love recycling :)

this is AWESOME!!!!!! I recycle plastic shoping bags by making tutu's, please check out my shop!!!, I also recycle kids jeans which I handpaint/heat transfer/tyedye-i JUST AM CRAZY ABOUT RECYCLING!!!!!

Oooh this is pretty shiny! I think that I want to try this! Great plan. Ten points for.. whoever made this!

It is amazing!!!! Usually I recycle my grocery bags at the supermarket, hum, now I am going to keep it and give it a try. what a great idea, thanks.

I love this idea!Going to see if I can find a way to dye the plastic. I saw someone who sewed the fused bags into a raincoat.thank you for the tutorial.

Brilliant! Can't wait to try it out. Thanks for sharing.

Great info, can't wait to try this. Its the ultimate in recycling. Thanks!!!

This is awesome!!! my mind is reeling with ideas...but for sure i want to use this for pouches to mail my recycled liquor bottle jewelry-its perfect!!!!

excellent, excellent article!

Love this...I have been meaning to make these forever and am so happy for the reminder

Fantastic, thanx for sharing! Rain Ponchos, repairing tarps, ripped tent fabric, etc, etc,, as the King of Siam once said......

Nice blog ! I like your article and i will really read it again. It will be beneficial Specially for young graduates as well as for fresher. I am in favor of paper bags but there are more demerits available in it. I just want some more information on the qualities of bags. Many paper bags are often not very reusable, so even when they are compostable or biodegradable, they are considered single use. Also keep in mind that compost able bags are really only viable for the handful of cities that have municipal composting plants.. The author makes good points but this argument is often over-simplified. cleaning wipes

so cool! trying that! ♥

Yours look so nice :) All mine are turning out way more wrinkled. What am I doing wrong?

Wow - I never heard of this before ... can't wait to tyr it out!

Wow - never heard of this before ... can't wait to try it out!