Meet our EFWA 2024 Upcycler: Karen Lynch

Karen Lynch is a fibre artist, who lives and works on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.  She uses yarn, fabric, and natural materials to create her work – materials are often salvaged, recycled or foraged. Karen loves using crochet and basketry techniques, and enjoys exploring using different materials in novel ways.

“I am very engaged in the world of wearable art and I also love to refashion/upcycle garments for myself and others. Something as simple as removing or shortening sleeves of a blouse, or reworking a dress into a skirt, can give new life to the wonderful natural textiles that already exist on Earth.

 “I love to salvage, forage or upcycle to gain my raw material for wearable art, sculpture and refashion garment making. I absolutely love shopping in op shops; the treasures they hold are endless.

“My hero textile for the EFWA Upcycling Challenge is second-hand crocheted cotton doilies. Collected mostly from op shops on my recent caravanning holiday to Victoria, I am unravelling these salvaged treasures. Using my spinner, I am then plying together 2,3 or 4 strands (depending upon the thickness of the thread) of crochet cotton. Using this newly recreated cotton yarn I am crocheting a dress. I am hoping to naturally dye the garment once complete.

Karen was Sustainable Nature winner of the 2023 Australian Wearable Art Festival.

Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_lynch_fibre_art