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Girard plarn project puts plastic bags to good use
By LINDA M. LINONIS
GIRARD
Plarn refers to plas- tic yarn. It’s a combination of the “pl” in plastic and “arn” in yarn.
The name is secondary to how plarn is used. Just ask Donna Stark, a 60-year member of First Christian Church, 140 E. Broadway Ave.
Stark said she was browsing on the Internet when she came across “plarn.” The idea intrigued her, and she thought it would be a good outreach project.
The project focuses on making mats out of plastic bags. Stark said the bags are folded into fourths, then the ends are cut off and then folded into fourths again and cut into about seven or eight strips. The strips are knotted together to form a ball of plarn.
The crocheters then use the plarn balls to crochet the plastic yarn into mats. This is the more challenging, and time-consuming segment. To crochet a mat about 3 feet wide and 6 feet long, it takes about 500 to 600 bags or 6,000 loops. Stark asked her fellow members of the Disciples of Christ congregation to collect extra plastic bags and the project received a donation of some 3,000 plastic bags.
Websites offer many ideas and patterns for the bags. But this church group is making mats for the homeless. The mats, which are strong and waterproof, provide a barrier between the ground and a sleeping bag.
“If you put it on you, it’s warm,” Stark said. “And they can be easily washed by hosing them off.”
Stark said the idea of making the mats has many pluses. It uses the many plastic bags that every household accumulates, is a good way to recycle them and the result helps someone in need.
The group at First Christian meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every other Monday in Hannah Fellowship Hall at the church. Other churches heard of the project and some volunteers showed up, also making it an interfaith group. If you can’t crochet, your hands can fold, cut and loop.
On a recent Monday night, eight women were working on the project. Susan Stark, Donna Stark’s sister-in-law, said she’s working on her first mat. “I think it’s something nice to do for mission outreach,” she said.
Beth Monroe, Donna Stark’s sister and fellow First Christian member, said she participates “to help the homeless.”
Anka Krakora, a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Niles, said she learned of the project at a women’s retreat and decided to volunteer. “It’s something you can do here with the group and work on at home,” Krakora said. “I like the ‘girls’ club’ part of it ... it’s nice Christian fellowship.”
Krakora added, “If this can help someone who is homeless, it’s good. If we would see Christ in other people, the world would change.”
She is among the crocheters. “I’ve been crocheting about 50 years.” Krakora acknowledged using plastic yarn takes getting used to and fingers get tired.
Donna Jean Ragozzine, also a First Christian member, said she enjoys the “friendship and fellowship.” She doesn’t crochet but is on the fold, cut and knot crew.
Jill Falgiani, also a First Christian member, said she is “happy to help someone.” She crochets and said “this is more of a challenge but gets easier as you do it.”
“I like the idea of doing something to help others,” said Barbara Planton, a 40-year member of First Christian. “This is something to do and it’s helping somone in need.” Planton said she usually cuts. “It’s nice being part of this group ... and getting to know other people,” she said.
Diane Pustay, a 50-year First Christian member, said, “All my ‘buds’ are here, and it’s something nice to do.”
Also involved are Connie Malito of First Christian and Sarah Korb of First United Methodist Church of Girard.