My grandmother made these with me as a kid. She passed and I couldn't carry on the tradition. After stumbling on your video not only did it bring back the good memories you shared but you explained it so perfectly and so easily for us beginners. Thank you so much!!!

I volunteered at a recycling center for school back in 2004. It really opened my eyes. I had no idea recycling had so many rules. And apparently most other people didn't either. A vast majority of my time there every day was spent putting the recycling material we received into a compactor to make "bricks" that were then hauled to the landfill. Seriously, the job was basically bailing the incoming recycling materials and then throwing them away. My best guess would be maybe 5% of the material actually got recycled. The trash trucks would come 4-5 times a day but the actual "recyclable" bins were emptied every 10-14 days because that's how long it took to fill them. I'm sure things are different today, but when I did it, humans manually inspected the recycled material. One thing I never knew was that if you intend to recycle a plastic bottle, you must remove the lid. If the lid was still on, the container was trash. Milk jugs, water bottles, soda bottles, you name it. They almost all went to trash because they were lidded. And the milk jugs were the worst... We did this sorting outside. Sometimes milk jugs would be "recycled" when they were still 1/4 or so full. And they would EXPLODE when tossed, spraying sour milk everywhere. It was horrible. Which is the next thing I didn't know. Anything you send for recycling must be cleaned and washed. Any residue at all and it's trash. And I don't mean rinsed out, I mean clean. Some water is okay, because we were outdoors it was expected. But if you toss a can of food, it has to be COMPLETELY free of debris. Like clean enough you'd feel comfortable drinking out of it five days later. SOOO MUCH METAL WENT TO THE DUMP because it was dirty. That includes tin foil. If it doesn't look like it did when it came off the roll, it CANNOT be recycled anymore. Also there's a type of plastic, I believe it's number 5, that is unrecyclable for the most part because of the type of plastic. How do you know if it's number 5? Look at the container, it should be stamped between a logo of 3 arrows. Pretty much every sturdy plastic container you see is type 5. Some examples that come to mind are sour cream containers, yogurt, presliced lunch meats, disposable cups, plastic utensils and Tupperware type containers. Those can only be recycled by a few locations, and typically involves you shipping them in bulk at your own expense. It's almost a guarantee your local recycling center can't process those, so they go straight to the landfill. And my last piece of knowledge - the 3 arrows going in a triangle. That logo is not the "recycling" symbol. That is a design created by the plastic manufactures to denote the type of materials used. The triangle shape means nothing, it's just to mark the location of the "type" of plastic used, which is a numerical value stamped in the center of it. It was created when consumers became "recycling conscious" in the eighties. The marketing for the symbol lead people to believe that any product with that symbol was recyclable, so that people would continue to consume plastic items. The three arrows mean nothing at all. It's just a design. All that matters is the number inside them. Oh, and if your recycling is inside of a plastic bag of any kind, the entire bag was discarded, even if they were perfectly washed. Nobody cut the bag open to inspect the items. Nowadays I believe you're allowed to dispose of your recycling in clear bags, at least in some areas.

Instead of taking the waste to wherever, you can iron it into a blanket. Make sure you cover the plastic bags with paper before ironing it.

LOVE IT! That is a single crochet. I’m going to make a rug for outside my RV. If you learn a half double crochet the finished product will be thicker. It’s a much chunkier stitch. I’ll be making mine with a puff stitch. That’s a SERIOUSLY THICK stitch. That would make for a cushy sleep mat‼️ this will be (one) of the cRaZiEsT crochet projects I’ve ever done; THANKS‼️

You go Josey, very well done. I've been carrying my own cloth and net bags for decades and I get very tired of people sayings things like "oh I left them (their reusable bags) in the car". These plastic bags are a scourge and at least you are making something useful and beautiful out of them. Wish I could crochet but my old fingers are a bit arthritic now. Keep it up! thanks

I didnt realize how important this video was going to be. Thank you so much for teaching me the 2 things my grandmother couldn't. How to turn around on the 3rd level and how to cast off. (And that was with yarn) ❤❤❤🥹🥹🥹 i know she's up there whooping and hollarin' shouting FINALLY!! today. 😅😅😅 🙏🙏🙏 thank you. I understood it much better on the plastic and now as an adult. Darn ADHD. 😊

You explain it a lot better than others thank you

For the row of chaining you do to start off the mat - if you have a crochet hook one size bigger you can use that just for the first row of chains, and it makes it match the rest of the crochet better in terms of stretchiness and length!

I used to do something similar with plastic bags, but I braided them into rag rugs and secured them together with fishing line. Glad to see someone else trying to do something useful with what most of us don't think twice about tossing. Great job!

Wow .these could be made for the homeless to sleep on💛

After you get the bags stacked you can fold them longways and then cut the ends off and handles. It holds it all together while you cut.

Thx so much!!! I think i am going to use my plastic bags to make big grocery bags, great idea and thx so much 4 this amazing video👍

When you talking about recycle and crochet love it.Thanks

That is brilliant! I'm going to try that and I will post it when I'm done. Thanks!

You can also use the scraps I'd you make pillows for the homeless fill the pillow up with left over I saw it on another page what they do

Great job with your explanation in this video! it was easy to follow and i appreciated you step by step very much! Thank you!

Just wanted to share that I really enjoyed this video that mysteriously popped up in my feed. Even though I know how to make works like this, your video was very soothing and re-assuring and came with the added bonus of making the precise terms and snooty names of things easy to understand. You are a great teacher! Thank you and I pray YHWH bless you! Have a fabulous day!

My mom and my grandma made tote bags like this when I was little and I always wondered how. THANK YOU for this tutorial!!!!

Why are all the smart alecs telling her how to do it different? She is showing everyone a simple project everybody can do. Applaud her. Just because you are a super crocheter doesnt mean you have the right to shoot her down. Remember the KISS principle Keep It Simple Stupid. She is brilliant!

Do Half double crochet stitches...they are easy before you put your hook into the hole to wrap your yarn and pull it through, wrap the yarn once around your hook first. now crochet as you have in the past. But instead of having 2 loops on your hook, you will have 3. yarns over your hook and pull through 3 loops. your stitch will be bulkier and will fill out the small holes in the mat. You are crocheting, my dear! Great job! Some day you might want to buy a skein of yarn and a smaller hook! LOL!

Very cool....I just taught myself to crochet...still learning....love it..started In Feb. This is so cool.. I have many bags....will be doing this....Thanks..Awesome video

Wonderful! Such a talented young lady. Thank you for your video. 😊

I can’t crochet but I’m going to try knitting one. Hopefully it turns out well

If you pull down on the loop you will see the hole is upside down teardrop shape so the hook will go through easier with the hook facing down instead of up, like she does! (Crochet has been my passion for over 55 years) Also it is good to attach a tie up and carry strap since they must take it with them.

My church makes about a dozen of these a year for the homeless. They are lightweight and don't take up a lot of space so they are well appreciated,

4d chess knot tying, man your on a whole nother level!!

It's possible! I had way too many hotdog & hamburger bags. So I wove them into a mat to sit on at all our son's little league games. He out grew the game. But I use the same mat at our grandsons sports events.

Josie you rock!!😊

What a great idea!!!! Thanks for sharing 😊

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing. I would never have thought of this and actually something I can do while Im camping. 😊

Thank you so much for sharing Josey!

I sold my art the first time when I was eight years old. Crocheted "Slave Sandals". I couldn't' get a single sale at my garage/Kool-Aid stand sale so I closed shop and went to the beach. I put my flashiest pair on and sat to work. In no time I had orders, my pile disappeared and I was able to pay mom back for the beads, hooks and stretchy yarn. But, during my first ever sale I realized I loved beads. A star was born. I built and built my resume'. I put beads on and in everything. I sewed my only child's clothes and hand made her blankets. I wove amazing dog collar strips with preordered dog names then charged to either make a collar or attach it. Now mind you, this was the 60's to the mid 80's at this point. I then met a man who did rendezvous. They are 1840's reenactment events where everything from toes to guns are for that era or before. While getting into this wild fun I wandered alone at the Feast of the Hunters Moon in Lafayette Indiana. I met a bead dealer like no other. Now mind you, I bought beads from a store on State and Michigan in Ann Arbor Michigan. It was the 70's when I was 13 and roaming around the Quad during the Hash Bash. Yes, I said Hash. Needless to say everyone was happy! After having my first run in with a Hair Krishna who gave me a vegetarian "meatless" ball for free then snatch it back when I couldn't donate, I wandered into one of the wildest stores I had seen in my short life. Few have met that level of cool in my 62 years. BEADS! EVERYWHERE! Strands by the thousands on the walls, muffin tins layered upon layer on waves of somewhat unstable tables. I guess they liked living on the edge back then....lol I was hooked on a new kind of bead that day. Antique, Ancient, Primitive and anything odd. If I had known then what I know now, I would be a millionaire. From Ghost beads to Ancient Roman glass beads, African trade beads, hand drilled bone, teeth and shell beads of the Native Americans, Chevrons only Kings could own, Cake beads from Venice, Red White hearts from Bohemia *old Czech Rep.*, and my dreamy cobalt anything as long as it was old. Cobalt these days is weak compared to old cobalt beads. I believe it is due to the supply lines from China providing only the best to their country and so on. However, spoiler alert, Cobalt is used in batteries. Currently there are mines in Africa and the Cobalt is being used in said batteries. Unfortunately, the poorest of the poor are literally being paid pennies a day, a slaves wage if that, to dig this stuff out of poorly maintained mines. The old, the young, the sick, the strong, anyone who is suffering from lack of means is working there and they are dying so Cobalt can run electric cars and cell phones. It sickens me. The mines are also owned by China, or so I have been told. So that makes old Cobalt beads much better than new ones. Sorry about that PSA, so, if you want to know about beads, ask me. I became a leading bead dealer for quite a few good years before I retired. I got what I needed, I helped people, I paid fair wages and I did good deeds then sold out to be more grounded. Life is good.. Oh, and the cutting and tying part of that job...I would hire that out! LOL....Have fun people and do your part to make the world a better place to be. Earth first, fun second.

That is Radness!

Thank you for instructions appreciated it

Loved your video.

Great job Josey! I watched a few videos before yours and they did not help me. I was able to make my first 3 rows in just a few minutes after watching your video. Thanks!

Great job!! Great idea!

I think those would be great to give to the homeless.

Leave the loop at the end so they’ll have something to keep it closed during travel

That is so cool!! Awesome of you!❤❤

Hey, just what I’ve been looking for! Great video, all really well explained and easy to follow:-))

You're awesome! What a great idea, very proud of you and I HATE plastic bags as well :)

I love the stripes

Fantastic project!!!

I really like this idea! I plan to make several! Thank you! I have so much plastic bags !

That’s crazy clever! ❤

....That's so beautiful and creative! I'd want to make mine long enough to fit my feet, though....

Thats so cool and creative of you . ❤ Thank you for sharing

My aunts use to use bread bags!

Fun. And I love your not perfect description Beautiful end product!

Nice! I would love to have one of these!

Thank you. 💞💋💐🌺

This is awesome - this would be a great projects for schools

Awesome video Josey, im still ur biggest fan❤

That’s so cool 😎 thank you 😊👍🏾👌🏾🌺❤️🌹

You should LEAVE the TAIL at the end OUT! ... That way you can roll up the blanket and wrap the tail around to keep it rolled up like a sleeping bag. Or just use it to hang it (to wash/ dry it or whatever)

Very cool! I wonder what would happen if after the rug is finished, it's ironed (as seen in that twin brothers' channel) to make it into a fused mat. Inky one way to find out!!

Good video. I’m all for getting rid of excess trash in this world. Stray plastic bags are very damaging to wildlife, and nature.

This was super impressive and inspiring

Yes

Woooooooow its very beautiful

My meemaw would make mats out of bread loaf bags. They were so pretty

This is so cool! You young people amaze me with your innovative ideas💕

Ill take that 8th sub spot. Keep it up girl. ♡ Mat Little.

awesome 👏

Amazing!... 👍

I love it

this is genius! what are the uses people have found for these? i can think of a half dozen off the top of my head

Woooooooooow its very beautiful

I like it.

Chain- single crochet- double crochet- triple crochet good job.

Our County in up state NY has stopped using plastic bags and are now using paper bags again. So these shopping bags are rare to find in my area. I was wondering if could use trash bags (of course NEW ones, not used). Will it still retain the desired offects? Its a different type of plastic. 😊

.... I've seen crocheted tote bags using different colors of plastic bags such as fuschia, bright yellow, red, green, and other pretty colors. I wonder where one could find plastic bags in those colors?....

Lindo Trabalho

You could make a bag out of bags 👍🏻😂

What happens when these get wet? Do they get moldy and stinky? How long do they take to dry? Have you laid down on one of these? Not waterproof. Water and mud sqwoosh right through it. Better for controlling dry leaves?. Once wet, they stay wet. Not cushy untill there are MANY MANY layers. Try one in the back yard.

Wow i did the same but with any paper i could use and i made paper chinese square like chains

How many bags does it take to make one mat? Thanks for this video.

Would this work for a floor mat? Does it stay down?

You can also you air packs that come in Amazon packages

Super

Everyone lets make them for the homeless❤❤❤ lets start a chain ❤❤❤❤❤

Plarn!

Please let me know from where did you get d big chrochet needle

Make pillows with the scraps

Q size. Thank you

What good are they. It would collect dirt, bacteria.

#dogood #coronacreativity idea

Easier if you fold them?? And isn’t that thick?

What am I doing wrong I don’t like the way my chain is coming out it’s not coming out like urs

My son is making one but it’s not even. What is being done wrong?

What number crochet hook do you use!

What size crochet hook you are using ?

Lol. Plarn

Qual número de agulha vc usa ?

Help my chain isn’t coming out like yours what am I doing wrong help

If you have trouble with your wrist or hands working with material etc. that is thick this project is not for you. Speaking from experience.

About how much time does it take to make a mat by an experienced person?

What size needle is that?

Do you donate to your towns homeless shelter?