Crocheting With Non-Traditional Materials | Yarn Not Invited

Coming up with an idea for a crochet video tutorial can be challenging with all of the ideas popping 

in and out of my head...and out again. It's not easy choosing a project my viewers will be interested 

in learning. What about crocheting with something other than a fiber yarn or thread?

What do you think? Not sure? Neither am I. It's a good thing I'm a member of several crochet 

groups. So, I already sought out the members of the "Create Crochet Team" and "Crochet & Sewing 

Tips, Free Patterns, For Everyone Group" to see what type of  materials were tried.

Their response was amazing. Some of the members crocheted with materials I never thought of. I 

wasn't sure what plarn was, so I googled it and saw that it was crocheting with plastic, mostly 

grocery store bags. I also googled plarn in google images to see images of what was being crocheted 

with plarn. Wow! I saw some amazing things. 

Here is photo of a deer head mounted 

on a wall. The body of the deer 

resembles an afghan made out of small 

granny squares. 


And the colorful antlers 

coordinates beautifully with 

the deer's body. 


It was created by Magda van der Vloed, a South African artist 

who makes her pieces out of plastic bottles and bags.

As for my crochet groups, they also have a lot of talent 

and creativity and thanks to their help I now have the info I 

need to plan my next crochet video tutorial. For material I've 

decided to go with copper wire although plarn (plastic) may be 

a future consideration. 

So check out the list below and be inspired to try crocheting 

with something new and different. 

List of non-traditional crochet materials 

Plarn; Basket reed; Sheets; T-shirts; Leather cord; Hemp cord;

VHS tape; Copper wire; Garden twine; Rubber bands; Rope; 

Towel strips; Straw; Hay; Horse hair, Gold-filled wire with 

beads; Human hair

Thanks to the members below for participating in my non-

traditional materials crochet survey.

+MaryChristoffersen

+RinJonesDawson

+NikkiShipley

+LenaeSilva

+AndreaGailWrightJaume

+StefanieNorisChau

+AileenAtThesunroomuk

+JenniePetersonButler

+BeckyForbes

+CarolynDupreMills

+LeiPowell

+MamtaMotiyani

+Whitney Ellington