How to Fuse Plastic Bags



Plastic bags can become a really neat craft supply!! Today I'm going to teach you how to easily fuse/melt plastic bags into sheets of 'paper'...then a sweet Valentine Idea at the end!

You will Need: a large paper bag or piece of kraft paper, colored plastic bags without print, an iron, scissors.


Cut off the handle at the top and trim a thin piece off the bottom of your bag (so air can escape easily).


Fold your bag into a square, approximately 8 layers thick. Place the folded bag between 2 pieces of kraft paper (or a cut open paper bag with no print on it).


Begin ironing your folded bag on a medium/regular iron setting (back and forth motion with iron). It will take about a minute with peeking at the bag along the way.


At first, it will still look the same, but as it begins fusing, the shinyness of the plastic goes more matte and you can see a harder look to the plastic. The bag above is almost done, but I saw a few bubbles, so I ironed a little more. After a few times doing this, you'll feel really comfortable with the completion appearance.


This is a finished fused plastic! It can now be cut out into shapes for crafts, used as pages in a minibook (like this), let it behave like fabric and sew a pouch or bag from it, the options are endless :]
Note: The edges are usually not as thick or strong as the rest, it's okay to trim those off.


Sometimes the kraft paper comes off on the fused plastic (probably because I'm too anxious to let it cool). When this happens, use a damp cloth and the paper will rub off.


Tip: If you're using a plastic bag with an image or text printed onto it, the image should be folded inwards, otherwise it will transfer onto the kraft paper like above. Which in this case... I really liked but it's not usually a good look. Target bags look really cool if you face the print inwards and line up the circles :]


Start watching for colorful plastic bags and begin a fused plastic collection for your crafts :)

A Little Valentine...


Draw a heart onto a piece of fused plastic & cut out.

Outline the edge with a permanent marker, write a message on the back and you have a really bright & juicy Valentine! This would also make a cute magnet, bookmark or scrapbook embellishment! :)

Enjoy!
Leigh-Ann :]

Note: Fused Plastic is not my invention, just something I love and learned from a magazine a few years ago.

ps. Swap partners will be announced this evening.

35 comments:

  1. omg i love this! thanks for posting this. i'm definitely going to try it. it's like free plastic for crafts lol

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  2. Love it! I've always wanted to try fusing plastic bags, but have never gotten around to it. I think you just re-inspired me!

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  3. This is something I would love to try! Knowing me though...I will find a way to muck it up :)
    Thanks for the great tutorial! Looking forward to finding out who my swap partner is YAY! xx

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  4. Adorable!! Thank you for sharing!!

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  5. Cool, what a great way to reuse some old plastic bags. We don't get that many of them in the shops here as they all supply paper bags and we bring our own carrier bags but I love that idea. I must try it over the weekend. Thanks for sharing :)

    All things nice...

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  6. this is AMAZING! Thanks so much for sharing this is also a great way to recycle!! <3

    --Is this also the process you do for like, juice pouches? (capri sun, kool-aid, etc)

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  7. Wow! What an awesome idea!!! I have a whole garbage bag full of shopping bags awaiting recycling (our local pick-up won't take plastic bags). I love the idea of repurposing and resuing them! Thank you so much :)

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  8. This is fantastic. I'm going to give it a try!

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  9. this is great! I will try this, this weekend. thank you for always sharing.

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  10. my mom will start looking for her plastic bags :))

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  11. Where do you find all of these fantastic colors?! This is always something I've wanted to work more with but my grocery bags kind of dicourage me. haha

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  12. this is cool!
    i need to try it out someday. :)

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  13. I have seen this before and have wanted to try it - love your little Valentine take on this. Thanks for the re-inspiration! I want to try this project this weekend. :o)

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  14. wow who woulda thought! thats very pretty!

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  15. Such a cool idea. Now I know what to do with all my bags that get holes in them!

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  16. great idea. I have a ton of plastic bags under my sink that the city won't recycle and I can't bear to send to the dump. Problem solved! Glad you shared.

    Kristen

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  17. I love the valentine! btw, I've found that using freezer paper, it doesnt really stick to the bag. :)

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  18. super cute! I love it!! I'm going to be trying this soon. :) Thanks for sharing!

    xoxo,
    cat

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  19. I think fusing plastic is such a great way to re-use such wasteful things! Love the tutorial. Love the entire blog really.

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  20. I've been contemplating fusing plastic bags for a while now but all the bags I have are boring white & brown. Maybe I'll just have to add some embellishments! Love your hearts!

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  21. Such a great idea! I never thought of this.
    Thanks for sharing!

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  22. great idea!!!!!
    i just made my album for style school!! you are amazing!i am a fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    lots lots of kisses!!!!

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  23. This is amazing LA! Thank you for sharing! ^_^

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  24. You could also use wax paper instead of kraft paper! I would really recommend sewing pieces together to make recycled bags for grocery shopping! Threadbanger has a great tutorial for making a laptop case. Preeeety cool. I love the colors you're using! Love!

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  25. ahhhhhh:) I absolutely LOVE this!!!

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  26. What!?!? Who would have though of a sweet way to recycle!?! This is SO freakin awesome!!

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  27. I have never seen this.. Thank you for sharing. I will try it soon!

    Twila
    blog.twilasvintageclothing.com

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  28. this is really, really cool! : )

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  29. I just love your blog posts - I can get lost in them! I mentioned you in my blog today - Just sharing the inspiration! :) Have a great one ~ Renee

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  30. This was a fun tutorial! I made a heart like the one you showed and used it in my husbands Valentine gift!

    www.nowoodenspoons.blogspot.com

    Thanks again!!!!

    xoxo,
    Cat

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  31. this is so cool. i'm also pretty happy i found your blog. thanks for sharing.

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  32. Hi just came across your blog finding instruction on a how-to for fusing bags - this is great - thanks for sharing!
    JoAnn

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  33. Mine came out rippled. What am I doing wrong?

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  34. Hi Shelley,
    I haven't encountered that issue. Did you have the layers of plastic between the kraft paper and iron it with pressure?
    - LA

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