The days of finding beautiful blankets for next to nothing in the local thrift/charity store are sadly over. Fortunately, however, Annette Versteege is one of those people who could never resist picking up beautiful things, and with her collection of blankets and other vintage cloths, she started her web store Tsjilp. “Just for fun,” she says. Her pieces are real gems – especially the cushions that are made from a woolen blanket on one side and a beautiful piece of vintage curtain fabric on the other.
Why blankets?
“There’s something about fabrics that I really love; it goes back to my days when I was studying at the fashion academy. It’s purely out of nostalgia that I pick them up. Nowadays, it takes a lot more time to find them, but that’s okay as my web shop will slowly head in another direction. I simply look where there is a surplus. I go with the flow.”
Where do you get your inspiration from?
“Everywhere. The Internet is a great resource, but I also find it in my teenagers at home, my friends, magazines, art and news. Or even snatches of conversation – I love to echo those onto a fresh pillow.”
What’s the nice about running a shop?
“Creating something yourself is wonderful. Just having a fresh stack of pillows to add to the shop and enhance the product offer is all it takes to lift my spirits. I always want to keep things close to the original source, which is why I continue to do everything myself. I’m not fussed about becoming rich or “big;” for me, it’s about finding satisfaction in my work.”
Mijnwebwinkel.nl/winkel/tsjilp
