It’s Plastic Free July, and I'm challenging myself to find alternatives to single use plastic for an entire month - and to write a daily blog on the most interesting parts of the experience. Today I started working on a craft project using single use plastic bags.

Thanks to this plastic free challenge, I realised that I don’t need a plastic bin liner - and barely need a bin, as most of my rubbish is either compostable or recyclable. This means I’m responsible for the recycling or upcycling of the 36 bags that are sitting in my kitchen cupboard.

I wanted to upcycle them, as I felt like taking on a craft project. But it needed to be useful, as there would be no point in creating something I didn’t want around after a while. Now that I’m recycling properly, I thought it would be useful and symbolic to turn these plastic bags into a recycling basket.

I’m going to base my project on this one.

This is how far I got tonight (please don't use this as a tutorial, as I don't know how it ends!):

Step 1: Find around 30 plastic bags

Step 2: Cut each bag into 3 strips

Step 3: Tie the strips into 3 long ropes, then coil to prevent tangling

This is where I got stuck. My plan was to braid the three ropes together, then coil them into a basket, sewing the coils together.

Of course, it’s really difficult to braid long pieces without them tangling, so I gave up for tonight.

Then I Googled it and found this person who used a cardboard loom to braid 7 strands together without them tangling, so I’m wondering if it will help me braid 3 strands together.

Have you made something out of plastic bags? And do you have any tips for braiding long strands together?

Inspired? Start your own challenge here!