Under her grandmother’s tutelage, Jenny Stuart started making her own clothes as a girl and has never stopped. Always self-taught, along the way Jenny has made costumes for Sydney museums andd ramatic productions and clothes on commission and in her shop under her label Pinkle & Co@pinkleandco2.

Now based at Boonah in Queensland, Jenny originally trained as a primary teacher working mainly in outdoor and environmental education.

“A two-year year stint with Sydney Living Museums enabled me to transition to full-time textile artist which is an absolute dream. I now run an Airbnb and create with textiles and plants,” Jenny said.

“For the EFWA Upcycling Challenge, my hero textile is a vintage patchwork feed-sack quilt top found languishing in a dusty corner of a secondhand shop which I want to protect and invigorate. My vision is to create a lined bomber jacket. Other recycled fabrics will be used for lining etc.

“Most of my adult life has been focused on making and growing with an emphasis on repurposing and protecting. For 15 years i’ve had a small Etsy shop selling clothing and homewares most of which are constructed with reimagined materials.

“It is wonderful to see the spirit of reuse alive and well. I’ve been an ardent supporter of the circular economy for 50 years and try to live by example – thrifting, salvaging, growing, making presents, creating as a lifestyle and hoping to pass that on!”

Find out more about Jenny’s fabulous upcycling work on

instagram - http://instagram.com/pinkleandco2