I promised a craft to use up all the white plastic grocery bags everyone seems to loathe, and I finally finished this little fellow over the weekend.
Some notes about working with plarn: This is not rocket science. Plarn does not need to be perfectly even. Mistakes will not show. Also, don't get too frazzled about the number of stitches in the snowman pattern below. No one will know if your counting doesn't match up. Row numbers are more important than stitch numbers for this pattern. As long as you are close to the right number of stitches, your snowman will look just fine.
If you would like an all-white snowman, don't use the portions of each bag with printing. It will take you more than twice as many bags, but it can be done.
Growing up in southern New Mexico where snow was somewhat of a novelty, the spottiness of my snowman reminds me of the times we tried to build a snowman with less than two inches of snow. Our snowmen were speckled with rocks, grass and leaves!
I had one white hotel dry cleaning bag I used in this project. Cutting it was sheer joy! Literally! The scissors just glide across the smooth plastic, it was large with very little printing and a little thicker than common grocery bags, with no handles. I got a ton of plarn out of it! But then as I began crocheting with it, I changed my tune. I probably won't use a dry cleaning bag ever again because of how difficult it was to keep moving on my metal crochet hook. The friction really slowed me down. I do not know if this type of bag would work better with a plastic or wood hook, but I won't be the one to find out, either. My days with dry cleaning bags are done!
A strand of yarn may be added to any plarn project to add strength or color. I used white yarn leftover from various projects to hide some of the black and red colors on the bags and to give the snowman added durability.
I use the handles and bag bottoms to stuff my plarn creations. I also use whole bags when necessary. I find the project looks better if I use the same color of bags for stuffing as the project. If you don't have enough bags of the color of plarn you are using, stuff bags of different colors into two or three layers of bags the right color before stuffing them into your project.
If you would like to keep your snowman outside for the winter, consider using a rock as partial stuffing in the lower body section. This will weight your snowman and require fewer bags for stuffing in that large section.
To make this into a Halloween project, don't decrease on the second section; just keep working straight for desired length, and you have a plarn ghost!
To make this snowman into a plastic bag keeper instead of a decoration, finish off the lower body section at row 55, about 37 stitches around, leaving this hole from which to add or remove bags you stuff inside. The snowman will still stand without assistance if his lower body is full, even if you don't finish the final rows as directed below.
And finally, this humorous tip is courtesy of my beloved husband. He suggested using plarn from a yellow bag or two on the very bottom of the snowman. (A suggestion I did not use, and I'll leave the punch line for you to figure out. He had me laughing so hard, I nearly had tears streaming down my cheeks!)
You may do whatever you like with snowmen, ghosts or bag keepers you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern or any portion thereof. Thanks. Enjoy!
Instructions
Finished Size: 16 inches tall
Materials: Size J crochet hook, about 20-25 white plastic grocery bags made into plarn, one skein of white knitting worsted, all the white plastic grocery bags in the neighborhood and possibly everything you can have all your co-workers bring in, too, for stuffing; size 11 crochet hook, size 10 orange crochet thread, very small amount of stuffing; commercial eyes (I used .5 inch) or small bottle caps; size 13 knitting needles, worsted weight yarn in desired colors for hat and scarf.
Using a strand of plarn and a strand of yarn together, ch 3, join into first ch to form loop, ch 1.
Round 1: 6 sc into ring. Do not join. Continue next round by crocheting into first sc.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around; 12 sc.
Round 3: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc around; 18 sc.
Round 4: 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc around; 24 sc.
Rounds 5-10: 24 sc around.
Round 11: Dec over next 2 sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc around; 18 sc.
Round 12: 1 sc in next sc, dec over next 2 sc around; 12 sc.
Stuff head with plastic bag handles and plastic bag bottoms left over after making plarn and uncut plastic bags if necessary to achieve fullness.
Round 13: 2 sc in each sc around; 24 sc.
Round 14: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc around; 36 sc.
Round 15: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc around; 45 sc.
Rounds 16-26: 45 sc around.
Rounds 27-30: Dec over next 2 sc, 1 sc in each of next 6 sc around; 29 sc after row 30.
Round 31: Dec over next 2 sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc around; 20 sc.
Stuff abdomen with uncut white plastic shopping bags until full.
Round 32: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc around; 30 sc.
Round 33: 1 sc in each of next 2sc, 2 sc in next sc around; 40 sc.
Round 34: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc around; 50 sc.
Round 35: Inc 10 sc evenly spaced throughout round (after every four stitches), taking care not to increase directly over increase in row below; 60 sc.
Round 36: Inc 10 sc evenly spaced throughout round (after every five stitches), taking care not to increase directly over increase in row below; 70 sc.
Rounds 37-49: 70 sc around.
Rounds 50-56: Dec over next two sc, 1 sc in each of next 6 sc around; 31 sc.
Stuff lower body.
Rounds 57-60: Dec over next two sc around until opening is closed. Bind off. Weave in ends. Glue commercial eyes onto head or use matching small size bottle caps for eyes. Glue on carrot nose (pattern below).
Carrot Nose:
Row 1: With size 11 crochet hook and size 10 orange thread, make magic circle, 6 sc into ring; do not join. Pull magic circle tight.
Row 2: 2 sc in each sc around; 12 sc.
Rows 3-4: 1 sc in each sc around.
Rows 5-10: Dec 2 sc evenly spaced on each row, stuffing lightly as the hole gets smaller; 2 sc. Bind off; weave in end.
Hat:
Note: Right side (top of hat) faces you.
Row 1: With worsted weight yarn and size F crochet hook, make magic circle; 6 sc into ring; do not join. Pull magic circle tight.
Row 2: 2 sc in each sc around; 12 sc.
Row 3: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc around; 18 sc.
Row 4: *1 sc in next sc, pull up loop through starting magic ring and sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc; repeat from * around; 24 sc.
Row 5: 2 sc in next sc (inc should be in long sc), 1 sc in each of next 3 sc around; 30 sc.
Row 6: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 4 sc around; 36 sc.
Row 7: *1 sc in next sc, pull up loop through middle of long sc below and sc, 1 sc in each of next 5 sc; repeat from * around; 42 sc.
Row 8: 2 sc in next sc (inc should be in long sc), 1 sc in each of next 6 sc around; 48 sc.
Row 9: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 7 sc around; 54 sc.
Row 10: *1 sc in next sc, pull up loop through middle of long sc below and sc, 1 sc in each of next 8 sc; repeat from * around; 60 sc.
Row 11: Work 60 sc around.
Row 12: Dec across next 3 sc, 1 sc in each of next 7 sc around; 48 sc.
Row 13: *Pull up loop through middle of long sc below and sc, dec across next 3 sc, sc in each of next 4 sc; repeat from * around; 36 sc.
Row 14: Row 12: Dec across next 2 sc, 1 sc in each of next 4 sc around; 30 sc.
Row 15: Sl st in next sc; ch 1; working in only front loops (this row only), inc 6 sc evenly spaced around; 36 sc; sl st in first sc.
Row 16: Ch 1, working in both loops, 36 sc around, sl st in first sc.
Row 17: Ch 1, 36 sc around, sl st in first sc.
Row 18: Ch 1; working in front loops only (this row only), 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc and 1 dc in next sc, 2 dc in each of next 3 sc, 1 dc and 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, sl st in next sc, ch 1 and turn.
Row 19: Working in both loops, wrong side (underside of brim) facing you, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in each of next 3 dc, 1 dc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc, sl st into back loop of next sc in row below; bind off. Weave in ends. Hat may be glued on snowman's head if desired, but that might take away your husband's enjoyment of trying the hat on while you're trying to count stitches or when you're involved in some other tedious task that requires full concentration. Make sure you snap a picture of your DH wearing the tiny hat!
Scarf:
With worsted weight yarn and size 13 knitting needles, cast on 12.
Row 1: K 1, P1 across.
Row 2: K1, P1 across.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 24 inches. Add fringe, and wrap around snowman's neck. And he's ready to greet the season!
Some notes about working with plarn: This is not rocket science. Plarn does not need to be perfectly even. Mistakes will not show. Also, don't get too frazzled about the number of stitches in the snowman pattern below. No one will know if your counting doesn't match up. Row numbers are more important than stitch numbers for this pattern. As long as you are close to the right number of stitches, your snowman will look just fine.
If you would like an all-white snowman, don't use the portions of each bag with printing. It will take you more than twice as many bags, but it can be done.
Growing up in southern New Mexico where snow was somewhat of a novelty, the spottiness of my snowman reminds me of the times we tried to build a snowman with less than two inches of snow. Our snowmen were speckled with rocks, grass and leaves!
I had one white hotel dry cleaning bag I used in this project. Cutting it was sheer joy! Literally! The scissors just glide across the smooth plastic, it was large with very little printing and a little thicker than common grocery bags, with no handles. I got a ton of plarn out of it! But then as I began crocheting with it, I changed my tune. I probably won't use a dry cleaning bag ever again because of how difficult it was to keep moving on my metal crochet hook. The friction really slowed me down. I do not know if this type of bag would work better with a plastic or wood hook, but I won't be the one to find out, either. My days with dry cleaning bags are done!
A strand of yarn may be added to any plarn project to add strength or color. I used white yarn leftover from various projects to hide some of the black and red colors on the bags and to give the snowman added durability.
I use the handles and bag bottoms to stuff my plarn creations. I also use whole bags when necessary. I find the project looks better if I use the same color of bags for stuffing as the project. If you don't have enough bags of the color of plarn you are using, stuff bags of different colors into two or three layers of bags the right color before stuffing them into your project.
If you would like to keep your snowman outside for the winter, consider using a rock as partial stuffing in the lower body section. This will weight your snowman and require fewer bags for stuffing in that large section.
To make this into a Halloween project, don't decrease on the second section; just keep working straight for desired length, and you have a plarn ghost!
To make this snowman into a plastic bag keeper instead of a decoration, finish off the lower body section at row 55, about 37 stitches around, leaving this hole from which to add or remove bags you stuff inside. The snowman will still stand without assistance if his lower body is full, even if you don't finish the final rows as directed below.
And finally, this humorous tip is courtesy of my beloved husband. He suggested using plarn from a yellow bag or two on the very bottom of the snowman. (A suggestion I did not use, and I'll leave the punch line for you to figure out. He had me laughing so hard, I nearly had tears streaming down my cheeks!)
You may do whatever you like with snowmen, ghosts or bag keepers you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern or any portion thereof. Thanks. Enjoy!
Instructions
Finished Size: 16 inches tall
Materials: Size J crochet hook, about 20-25 white plastic grocery bags made into plarn, one skein of white knitting worsted, all the white plastic grocery bags in the neighborhood and possibly everything you can have all your co-workers bring in, too, for stuffing; size 11 crochet hook, size 10 orange crochet thread, very small amount of stuffing; commercial eyes (I used .5 inch) or small bottle caps; size 13 knitting needles, worsted weight yarn in desired colors for hat and scarf.
Using a strand of plarn and a strand of yarn together, ch 3, join into first ch to form loop, ch 1.
Round 1: 6 sc into ring. Do not join. Continue next round by crocheting into first sc.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around; 12 sc.
Round 3: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc around; 18 sc.
Round 4: 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc around; 24 sc.
Rounds 5-10: 24 sc around.
Round 11: Dec over next 2 sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc around; 18 sc.
Round 12: 1 sc in next sc, dec over next 2 sc around; 12 sc.
Stuff head with plastic bag handles and plastic bag bottoms left over after making plarn and uncut plastic bags if necessary to achieve fullness.
Round 13: 2 sc in each sc around; 24 sc.
Round 14: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc around; 36 sc.
Round 15: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc around; 45 sc.
Rounds 16-26: 45 sc around.
Rounds 27-30: Dec over next 2 sc, 1 sc in each of next 6 sc around; 29 sc after row 30.
Round 31: Dec over next 2 sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc around; 20 sc.
Stuff abdomen with uncut white plastic shopping bags until full.
Round 32: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc around; 30 sc.
Round 33: 1 sc in each of next 2sc, 2 sc in next sc around; 40 sc.
Round 34: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc around; 50 sc.
Round 35: Inc 10 sc evenly spaced throughout round (after every four stitches), taking care not to increase directly over increase in row below; 60 sc.
Round 36: Inc 10 sc evenly spaced throughout round (after every five stitches), taking care not to increase directly over increase in row below; 70 sc.
Rounds 37-49: 70 sc around.
Rounds 50-56: Dec over next two sc, 1 sc in each of next 6 sc around; 31 sc.
Stuff lower body.
Rounds 57-60: Dec over next two sc around until opening is closed. Bind off. Weave in ends. Glue commercial eyes onto head or use matching small size bottle caps for eyes. Glue on carrot nose (pattern below).
Carrot Nose:
Row 1: With size 11 crochet hook and size 10 orange thread, make magic circle, 6 sc into ring; do not join. Pull magic circle tight.
Row 2: 2 sc in each sc around; 12 sc.
Rows 3-4: 1 sc in each sc around.
Rows 5-10: Dec 2 sc evenly spaced on each row, stuffing lightly as the hole gets smaller; 2 sc. Bind off; weave in end.
Hat:
Note: Right side (top of hat) faces you.
Row 1: With worsted weight yarn and size F crochet hook, make magic circle; 6 sc into ring; do not join. Pull magic circle tight.
Row 2: 2 sc in each sc around; 12 sc.
Row 3: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc around; 18 sc.Row 4: *1 sc in next sc, pull up loop through starting magic ring and sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc; repeat from * around; 24 sc.
Row 5: 2 sc in next sc (inc should be in long sc), 1 sc in each of next 3 sc around; 30 sc.
Row 6: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 4 sc around; 36 sc.
Row 7: *1 sc in next sc, pull up loop through middle of long sc below and sc, 1 sc in each of next 5 sc; repeat from * around; 42 sc.
Row 8: 2 sc in next sc (inc should be in long sc), 1 sc in each of next 6 sc around; 48 sc.
Row 9: 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 7 sc around; 54 sc.
Row 10: *1 sc in next sc, pull up loop through middle of long sc below and sc, 1 sc in each of next 8 sc; repeat from * around; 60 sc.
Row 11: Work 60 sc around.
Row 12: Dec across next 3 sc, 1 sc in each of next 7 sc around; 48 sc.
Row 13: *Pull up loop through middle of long sc below and sc, dec across next 3 sc, sc in each of next 4 sc; repeat from * around; 36 sc.
Row 14: Row 12: Dec across next 2 sc, 1 sc in each of next 4 sc around; 30 sc.
Row 15: Sl st in next sc; ch 1; working in only front loops (this row only), inc 6 sc evenly spaced around; 36 sc; sl st in first sc.
Row 16: Ch 1, working in both loops, 36 sc around, sl st in first sc.
Row 17: Ch 1, 36 sc around, sl st in first sc.
Row 18: Ch 1; working in front loops only (this row only), 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc and 1 dc in next sc, 2 dc in each of next 3 sc, 1 dc and 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, sl st in next sc, ch 1 and turn.
Row 19: Working in both loops, wrong side (underside of brim) facing you, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in each of next 3 dc, 1 dc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc, sl st into back loop of next sc in row below; bind off. Weave in ends. Hat may be glued on snowman's head if desired, but that might take away your husband's enjoyment of trying the hat on while you're trying to count stitches or when you're involved in some other tedious task that requires full concentration. Make sure you snap a picture of your DH wearing the tiny hat!
Scarf:
With worsted weight yarn and size 13 knitting needles, cast on 12.
Row 1: K 1, P1 across.
Row 2: K1, P1 across.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 24 inches. Add fringe, and wrap around snowman's neck. And he's ready to greet the season!
For a split second there I thought it's real! Great job.
ReplyDeletethis pattern is so clever and attractive. i'm gonna link it to an article on my blog for next week. please check it out:
ReplyDeletehttp://crochet.craftgossip.com
jd in st louis
Love your plarn snowman project. I stumbled your post too. Thanks for sharing your pattern.
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled in also! I can't wait to try this! Thank you SO much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome! I cna't wait to make it!
ReplyDelete