Capri Sun Magazine Bag

**Um, good evening Dynamos!  I am writing this from my deathbed sickbed, where I just noticed that this post (which was supposed to go up during recycling week) somehow got saved as a DRAFT instead of published.  Crazy.  So I'm putting it up tonight with a little update on my slowly recovering health.  Let this be a cautionary tale to you all, GET YOUR FLU SHOT NEXT FALL!!!!   It's been a week and a half, and it's turned into a flu/bronchitis hybrid that's nasty and viral (meaning: no antibiotics to save me!).  I spend about 20 hours a day asleep, and the other 4 I spend coughing.  I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  I can see small improvements though, and I am optimistically hoping that I'll be back to normal by the weekend... Or at least as normal as I've ever been... :)  Love, love, love to you all! xo Jaime**

If you read THIS post, you already know that Capri Sun pouches go directly into landfills when you throw them away (even if you put them in the recycle bin).  If you don't believe me, they even tell you on the Kraft Foods website (Capri Sun's parent company) that the Capri Sun packaging isn't recyclable in any facility (check it out for yourself HERE).

But, that doesn't mean that we can't recycle the pouches ourselves!  We can use those sturdy, awesome, never-will-decompose-in-our-lifetime pouches to make some pretty cool stuff!

I already made a cool little camera case (that doubles as a phone case/keychain wallet), which got me thinking about beachy vacations and pool parties.  I love relaxing by the pool especially when I can take magazine and stretch out in a lounge chair (and Jake is watches our kid). LOL!!!

I made this magazine bag just for those great days!  It's not a purely crochet bag, but if you're cool with a little bit of sewing in addition to the crochet, it's a quick and easy project. And, since the pouches are waterproof, it'll protect your magazines from splashes! Unless, of course, you get pushed in...

Capri Sun Magazine Bag
Supplies:
15 Capri Sun pouches
Wonder Clips (by Clover.  Optional, but you can't use pins to hold the pouches together with pins because they make holes in the plastic)
Sewing Machine
1/8" hole punch (it's half the size of a normal hole punch. I picked up mine for $5 at a craft store)
Small amount of worsted weight yarn in 2 colors (I used Red Heart Soft in Turquoise and White)
Size G crochet hook
Yarn needle
Scissors

Arrange six of the pouches into two rows of three pouches.  Sew them together with your sewing machine using a zig-zag stitch.  I sewed all of the vertical seams first, and then sewed a single horizontal seam to stitch the two rows together. Do it again, so that you now have two sheets of six pouches each.  This is the front and the back of the bag.

Cut the remaining three pouches in half (up the center).  Sew two of the strips together along the short side, using the picture above as a guide.  Repeat two more times, so that you have three long strips.

Use the Wonder Clips to attach one of the long strips to the bottom of the front of your bag.  Sew it in place.  Use the clips to attach the back of the bag to the other side of the strip.  Sew it in place.  The bottom is done!  Now let's sew in the side panels!

Use the Wonder Clips to attach the side panels (long strips) to the front, back and bottom of the bag.  The big trick to doing this quickly (and neatly!) is to line up the top of the side panel with the top of the front and bag and clip into place.  Then move down the side of the bag, clipping it in place as you go.  When you get to the bottom, there might be a little excess, but you can trim it off (if necessary) after you sew the side panel in place.  Use a zig-zag stitch to sew the side into the bag.  Repeat on the other side. Trim off all excess thread tails!

Using your 1/8" hole punch, punch 70 holes (as evenly spaced as possible) across the top edge of your bag.  This works out to 10 holes in each whole Capri Sun pouch, and 5 in each half-pouch (on the sides).

Crochet Bag Top
R1: attach turquoise yarn in the center hole of one of the side panels.  ch 1, sc in each punched hole along the top edge of the bag, sl st to first st to close round (70 st)
R2: change to white yarn, ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first st to close round (70 st)
R3: change to turquoise yarn, ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first st to close round (70 st)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Crochet Bag Strap
*carry non-working yarn up the side of the piece as you go to avoid having to weave in 70 loose ends (which would make this strap unbearably tedious to complete)**
using turquoise yarn, ch 11
R1: hdc in 3rd ch from hook, hdc in each ch across (9 st)
R2: ch 2, hdc in each st across (9 st)
R3: change to white yarn, ch 2, hdc in each st across (9 st)
R4: ch 2, hdc in each st across (9 st)

R5: change to turquoise yarn, ch 2, hdc in each st across (9 st)
R6: ch 2, hdc in each st across (9 st)
R7-70: repeat Rows 3-6 sixteen times (9 st)
Fold bag strap in half, longways (make sure the side that you carried the yarn along is facing the inside of the strap piece).
R71: ch 1, sc along the long open edge of the strap, catching stitches from both sides to crochet the strip closed (approximately 100 stitches), sc 4 stitches along the short edge at the bottom, and then sc along the other long side of the strap (work directly into the stitches, approximately 100 stitches)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Attach bag strap to the crocheted top edge of the bag at the side panels.  Using turqouise yarn, stitch it in place.  Weave in ends.

You're all done!  Fill your cool new bag with magazines, sunscreen and Nalgene water bottle (Reusable and BPA free!  Score!) and take it to the pool!  You'll be soaking up compliments while you soak up the rays!

xoxo

If you'd like to see more recycling with crochet projects, check out the January 2013 section of my Free Crochet Patterns page.