Upcycling Expert - Annie Temmink

Annie Temmink

Annie completed her BA in sculpture and math from Davidson College in North Carolina, and received a Thomas J Watson Foundation Fellowship to travel independently for twelve months studying fashion and textiles.  From Indonesia to Japan, India to Uganda and Tanzania, she worked with village women, dove through sprawling second-hand markets and explored fashion in the world’s biggest cities and smallest towns.  The scope of her studies took her from preparing plants for organic dyes to exploring the factories that produce clothing for brand name stores.

Much of Annie’s inspiration comes from common or unwanted materials whose wide availability sparked her interest in recycling materials six years ago. Now she transforms repurposed clothing into sculpture for solo exhibitions and larger installations. Her work catches attention including that of trend forecasting companies in New York and private collectors on the east coast. Annie looks forward to blogging about her experiences and showing you how to create fabulous projects (clothing, jewelry and beyond) with materials from Goodwill.

Annie currently designs and makes clothing and accessories (and dances like-a-fool) in Charlottesville, Virginia. To learn more and to see Annie's projects visit: www.artemmink.com

Bunting and Button Downs

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on May 29, 2013 1:40:00 PM

buntingIt’s started showing up in shop windows, at weddings, diner parties, and baby showers.  It’s festive, fun, great for the Fourth of July, your tiny apartment, your next dinner party, or even a cookout.  I’m sure you’ve seen it too –those strings of brightly colored flags? (Though like me, you may not have known that it’s called bunting).

Bunting is great because of its colors and patterns. It’s also a great project to make out of the button-down shirts you’ll find at Goodwill.  (You can now even match your clothing to your decorations, woo.)

What you’ll need:

  • a button down that fits you or a friend.
  • 2 or 3 other patterned, woven fabrics (from shirts, sheets, pants, dresses, or other Goodwill linens).  I like to make them out of the same fabric type (all cotton for example.)

bunting1.  Cut out triangles of equal size from fabric that looks good with your button down (while you’re at Goodwill, hold your shirt up to others to find another pattern that will go well).

    2. Iron the edges under.
      3. Sew onto your shirt. 
        4.Cut out the layer of original fabric from under the fabric you’ve just sewn.
          • buntingBe neat, because you will use these triangles to make your bunting. Use these cutouts as a pattern for your other fabric, and cut out as many triangles as you want for your strand(s) of bunting.
            5. Sew these triangles to a length of cord:
              • If in a hurry, overlap the wide end of the triangle with the cord and run a zigzag stich over the triangle to attach it to the cord. 
              • If you have a little more time, turn the wide edge under, over the cord to make a neater edge. Note that the triangle edges will fray because they haven’t been hemmed.  If this bothers you, you can sew two triangles together and flip them inside out, or use fabric that won’t fray (like felt or leather).

                You’re finished. Now just find a good place to hang them up (call your tall friends).

                bunting

                Topics: upcycle, Upcycling, Upcycling Expert, Annie Temmink