How to Make Mats For The Homeless
This is something ANY size of church can do. If you think it is something that your church would like to do, here's how!
There are 5 ways that people can help. Some just do one thing, and others do ALL five things. Pray about it, and do what God tells you to do. Here are the options.
1. Be a collector: Collect CLEAN plastic bags from the grocery store, Target, Wal-Mart, Academy. The store t-shirt bags are what the mats are made of. The bags need to be in good shape -- not full of holes.
2. Be a folder: Return the bags to their original shape.
3. Be a cutter: Cut the bags into 2.5 inch strips.
4. Be a PLARN (Plastic Yarn) Maker: Link the strips to form PLARN and roll into balls. I typically put together 600 strips to form 1 ball. Then it takes between 5 and 6 balls to complete a mat. That is a total of 3000-3600 strips or 600-700 bags per mat.
5. Crochet the mat: Crochet the mat into a 3 foot by 6 foot mat. It is a single crochet with a size P or Q Hook. Our crocheters are using the size Q hook.
- Make a chain 36 inches long which is about 66 chains. Make the loops loose with a little space between each loop.
- Make an extra loop at the end to use as your turning point.
- Start at the 3rd loop to make your second row.
- Continue until the mat is 6 feet long.
- Crochet from front to back so that it does not pucker up.
- Crochet 2 rows of a single crochet to form a tie that is 80 inches long. Connect the tie to the mat so the mat can be rolled up and carried like a sleeping bag.
Looking for a way to pay it forward in your own community. Here it is! All it takes is some plastic grocery bags, a rotary cutter and a mat, a ruler, and a crochet hook. Pretty easy! :)
How to Make Mats For The Homeless
