FAQs for Operation Bed Roll

I don't live in Greensboro. Can I start Operation Bed Roll in my hometown?
YES, please do! Operation Bed Roll: [insert your city here] has a nice ring to it! Here's a handy guide to teach you how to do it.
What do I do when I finish my bed roll?
Reach out to your local law enforcement agency and ask if their Community Resource or Patrol Divisions would want to give this away to people in your community. Make sure to explain that these aren't blankets, but bedrolls.

Alternatively, you can also ask local non-profits that support people experiencing homelessness to see if they want to accept them as donations.

The City of Greensboro Field Operations Department is no longer accepting bed roll donations and encourages volunteers to make connections in your area for distribution.
How long does it take to make one bed roll?
From start to finish, including making 500-700 bags worth of plarn, it took me about one month to make one bed roll. That one month also included working a full-time job and other activities, so the time is not spent only making plarn and crocheting. This time frame varies from person to person, of course.

One way to cut down on the amount of time you spend making plarn is to find a friend who wants to help, or ask us for pre-made plarn! Non-crocheters who are interested in helping can make plarn for someone who crochets. As a 'plarn dynamic duo,' two people can greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to make one bed roll. This is also a great chance to get kids involved in this unique service learning project.
What if I can't crochet, but still want to help?
We do not accept pre-made plarn or whole plastic bags. If you have a friend that can crochet and wants to participate, you can make plarn for them. Or maybe you could form a plarn club? Helping someone by making plarn decreases the total time it takes to make the bed roll quite a bit!
Where can I find Q sized (16mm) crochet hooks?
There seems to be a growing hook shortage in Greensboro, but here are some places you can purchase the correct hook for this project:
- Stitch Point, 1614 W. Friendly Ave., 336-272-2032*
- Gate City Yarns, 321 S. Elm St., 336-370-1233*
- Craft stores like Michaels, AC Moore, etc.
- Online sites such as Amazon (make sure to double check you are getting a 16mm hook)
* You may want to call ahead to make sure the correct hooks are in stock.
Can kids participate?
This project is great for all ages and abilities. Depending on your child's interest and ability, he or she can help cut bags and even knot them together with some guidance. Local children as young as second grade have learned to crochet, so with a little determination, your kids could become plarning masters. Operation Bed Roll also makes a great service learning projects for students from second grade up.
How do I learn to crochet?
If you would like to learn to crochet, check out this video to see the very basic stitches you will need to know to make your bed roll. You can also find the official Operation Bed Roll Pattern on this page.
Are you collecting plastic bags?
No, but please consider helping others by making pre-made plarn for others. If you have a friend that can crochet and wants to participate, you can make plarn for them. Or maybe you could form a plarn club? Helping someone by making plarn decreases the total time it takes to make the bed roll quite a bit!

If you don't have the time to do that, plastic bags can be recycled at local grocery stores. Look for the collection bins near front entrances.
Where should I get bags?
Ask around, there are plenty of folks with lots of plastic bags at home. Reach out to your community or faith organization, or even just your friends on social media, you will get plenty.

Please do not ask stores for boxes of unused plastic bags. We request that all bedrolls be made of reused plastic bags to reduce waste and spread the world about plastic bag contamination in recycling.

Plastic Bag 101

Here is your not-so-fun fact of the day: plastic bags have a “use lifetime” of 15 minutes. These bags are designed to be used to carry your newly purchased items from the checkout to your car, then inside your home.

What happens next?

Most people think that because these bags are made of plastic they can be put in the home recycling bin. Many plastic bags even have the recycling symbol printed on them. But plastic bags are not recyclable through Greensboro’s residential recycling program. They have to be taken back to the grocery stores to be recycled.

If plastic bags go in your recycle bin, they wreak havoc at the recycling processing centers. Plastic bags, sheets, tarps, electrical cords, hoses, and other items called “tanglers” do just what their nickname suggests — they tangle around the machinery that sorts the recyclables. This tangling causes the assembly-line style plant to shut down up to 10 times a day while employees climb in and around spokes, cogs, and other dangerous mechanisms to cut the tanglers out.

Now that you are armed with this knowledge, spread the word!

I don't live in Greensboro. Can I start Operation Bed Roll in my hometown?

What do I do when I finish my bed roll?

How long does it take to make one bed roll?

What if I can't crochet, but still want to help?

Where can I find Q sized (16mm) crochet hooks?

Can kids participate?

How do I learn to crochet?

Are you collecting plastic bags?

Where should I get bags?

Plastic Bag 101