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

Go Fly a Kite with the Help of Goodwill

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Jul 10, 2013 2:23:00 PM

kiteI remember flying kites with my dad when I was little and learning how to make them in our 5th grade geometry class, but I never new much about their history before writing this post. 

I had no idea that kites (which were developed in China in the 5th century B.C.) were used to send messages during war and rescue missions.  As it developed, kite making spread to Polynesia where kites were used to send religious messages to the Gods.  In WWI there were even kites that could lift men into the air to survey the grounds below, and spy on the opposition.

man carrying kite body3.fwMaybe with practice I could also make a kite to lift my friends in the air, but so far I’ve only mastered the basic kite pattern (and of course you should not try to make a man-lifting kite either unless it is your trained profession). 

But leisure kites are a great project to make with your kids, to use in your 5th grade geometry class or to use as an excuse for a summer party with friends.  So go get your materials from Goodwill and get started!

IMG 0520What you need:

-Light-weight fabric from Goodwill (polyester lining works well -I used the underskirt of a dress)

-Wooden skewers or small dowels (which you can look for in Goodwill housewares section)

-Tape

-Kite string or monofilament

I made my kite 20in tall so that I could use two wooden skewers for the cross bracing.  If you make a much bigger kite you should use slightly bigger dowels.  Both crossbars should be the same length and be drawn at right angles to each other.

kite dimensions1.  Draw one line, the length of the height of your kite.  Then draw a perpendicular line ¼ of the way down from the top of the first line (the same length as the height)

corner2. Next draw lines connecting the ends of the lines.  Cut out half an inch from the outside the lines. 

3. Fold the edges over by ½ in and stitch, making sure to fold the corners down first, and then folding the sides on top to make pockets for the crossbars in each corner (follow the red dotted lines on the picture.)

IMG 05224.  Next tape two skewers together for each crossbar to make the appropriate height for your kite.  Insert each piece into the corner pockets and tape the joint to hold the crossbars together at right angles.  It is also a good idea to tape down the crossbars at a few different intervals.

kite25.  For the bridle, make small holes where indicated on the pattern.  Tie each end of a length of monofilament to the dowel behind one of the holes and thread it through to the front of the kite.  Secure with tape.  You want enough string to give you about 8 inches distance away from the kite.  For added stability (to keep the kite from spinning out of control) tie a tail onto your kite by looping it behind the bottom skewer.  It should be about 6-10 x the length of your kite. (I used more of the same fabric I used for the kite, but you could also use ribbon. 

6.  Next tie the rest of your kite string to the bridle.  The ideal position is at the kite’s balance point, but it might take a few tries to find, so when I find it (after flying for a bit) I use tape to secure the line in place.

Here are some troubleshooting tips if you are having trouble flying:

    kiteIf the kite wont leave the ground

      Or if it flies unenthusiastically, try moving the string-bridle attachment point a little closer to the tail of the kite.

      Make sure you are in an open area with a breeze.  If there’s no airflow the kite wont go anywhere!

        If the kite is spinning too much

          Or if your kite keeps diving and acting erratically, move the string-bridle attachment point a little towards the top of the kite, or add more tail!

          Once you’ve got a breezy day and time with your friends I think you’ll see how much fun flying your own kite can be.  If you would like, have a kite design competition or make several kites for your friends to paint (using acrylic paint).  See what wild designs you can make.  You’ll find almost everything you need for this fun, inexpensive hobby at Goodwill (you might even find a copy of The Kite Runner in the book section too) and you’ll be ready to try it this weekend, or anytime this summer!  Happy Kite-ing.


           

          Topics: kites, upcycle, Upcycling, Bay View, Upcycling Expert, Annie Temmink