If you are overrun with plastic shopping bags that you just can't bare to throw away, creating fused plastic material ready to sew into tote bags, beach bags, or simply strong durable shopping bags just might be the solution you've been looking for. Not only will you create practical and useful waterproof material to work with, you will be helping the environment by recycling the plastic you have already purchased.
Instructions
1. Gather an assortment of old shopping bags. If you are particular about the color of your finished project, separate them into colors.
2. Cut off the handles and cut the bags so that they lay flat. Trim the edges to make a rectangle.
3. Layer at least eight layers of plastic, You can create eight layers from four bags, if you fold them in half.
4. Smooth all layers so there are no air bubbles and the plastic sheets lie flat. If there are logos or designs on the bags that you do not want to show in the finished product, turn them face in and add to the center of the layers. You can, however, fuse the plastic so that any logos or designs you like are on the outside of the material. Whichever you choose is up to you.
5. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper that is larger than the sheets of plastic. Place the layered plastic sheets on top of the parchment paper and cover with another sheet of parchment paper that extends beyond the edges of the plastic sheets.
6. Set your iron on the setting for rayon to begin. You may need to adjust the temperature setting on your iron to get just the right setting. Temperature varies from iron to iron and some bags may need a slightly higher or lower setting. If the temperature is too low, the plastic will not fuse properly and a setting that is too high will cause the plastic to wrinkle or bunch up. Experiment to find just the right setting to meet your needs.
7. Iron the top sheet of parchment paper. Be sure to keep the iron in motion and cover all areas. Apply an even amount of pressure and be mindful of the edges. It should only take 15 to 20 seconds to fuse the plastic. More layers may take slightly longer and fewer layers may fuse quicker. Adjust your time according to the material you are using.
8. Uncover the plastic sheets. You should now have one large fused piece of plastic.
9. Use the plastic sheet to create bags, totes or any other project where you need a durable waterproof material. You can sew these on a sewing machine. Some people claim to fuse pieces of material together with an iron or a soldering iron to complete projects. You can experiment with these techniques, if you wish, but sewing the sheets together is a quick and easy way to complete your projects.
Tags: parchment paper, plastic sheets, bags that, sheet parchment, sheet parchment paper, shopping bags, eight layers