Henrico crafter turns plastic bags into eco-friendly purses

Mandy Pleasants hangs wallpaper for a living, but during the economic slowdown she has become a bag lady.

The label doesn't insult her; in fact, she's working hard to spread the word.

Pleasants, 30, turns bags - the plastic variety - into colorful, environmentally friendly hand-woven purses. She calls her business Blue Sky Bags.

"It [wallpapering] has slowed down so now I work probably one day a week," said Pleasants, who lives in a Glen Allen townhouse with her husband, Michael. "Because people are so into these, this is turning into my main job."

Friends and family members are only too happy to donate bags, which has forced Pleasants to turn a guest room into storage, with bags grouped by color. In her living room, a circular rack holds about 25 purses of all shapes, sizes and colors.

A fall purse was composed of the familiar Barnes & Noble forest-green bags. A white bag speckled with red signaled Target bags, and one of the most stunning purses - white, flecked with turquoise and black - was crafted from Puritan Cleaners bags.

The closure on each pocketbook is a loop that fits around a large wooden button. Pleasants buys round pieces of wood from craft stores, drills holes in the center for attachment and paints the buttons in enamel colors that match the purses.

Recently, we asked her about her eco-friendly purses:

Where did the bag-into-bag notion originate? It was when I was watching a documentary on plastic and its effect on the environment. Someone had made a really cheesy white hat. I just happened to have a closet full of bags, colorful ones, that I had been saving because I don't throw anything out. I decided to make a purse last summer during the two weeks when I was watching the Summer Olympics in front of the TV.

I love all crafts and I hate to throw anything away. I don't really sit in front of the TV without making a bag or painting, just whatever I can do.

Is the technique more like weaving or crocheting? It's definitely crocheting, weaving, some sewing and knotting. Most of the front would be crocheted, but putting it together is knotting and weaving.

How many plastic bags and how much time does it take to make one purse? It's not just the style but the size of the bags. If I get a big one that a comforter comes in, it might not take as many. It's about 100 to 150 usually. It takes about 10 to 15 hours, depending on the size of the purse.

Do you use a pattern? No. I can't even read patterns. I just go with it and as it develops, I might decide to put a cuff on the top or a collar or a flap, change the shape. It's just a process.

How much do they cost? Where can they be purchased? By contacting me for a custom order or online through my blog. They're around $100 to $125; a little girl's bag would be $75.

Contact Julie Young at (804) 649-6732 or .