Maker-Led Workshop | Banners to Beaches: Craft a Beach-Ready Tote from Reclaimed Event Banners

Join local makers Henry Dunbar from Cycle Killer Accessories and Topaz M. Terry from AMEND+ADAPT for "Banners to Beaches: Craft a Beach-Ready Tote from Reclaimed Event Banners" on Friday, March 20th from 6-8pm in the Heurich House Museum’s conservatory! Turn reclaimed event banners into a beach-ready tote you’ll carry all summer long.

Join us for a hands-on workshop where we transform retired event banners into durable, water-resistant tote bags perfect for the beach, pool, farmers market, or everyday adventures. We’ll provide all the materials you’ll need — reclaimed event banners, straps, thread, scissors, and sewing machines. No prior experience is required, and instructors will guide you through the process of cutting, sewing, and assembling your custom bag.

Participants are welcome to bring their own strap material to personalize their tote. Sip on local craft beverages from the museum’s biergarten, 1921 while you work on products! Leave with a one-of-a-kind bag and new skills in creative reuse.

Details: 

• $45 per person ($40 for museum members)

• $50 person including a drink

• All supplies included

• Take home your tote

Schedule: 

• 6pm: Doors Open, Purchase your Drinks (Biergarten opens at 4pm if you want to visit before the workshop!)

• 6:15pm: Workshop Begins

• 8pm: Workshop Finishes, Biergarten Closes 

About our Instructors:

Henry Dunbar is an Arlington-based maker who has been upcycling art and wearable pieces from used bike parts for more than 10 years. He works part-time at AMEND+ADAPT/BicycleTrash and launched his own company, Cycle Killer Accessories.

Topaz M. Terry is an Upcycling Specialist and Sewing Educator focused on reclaimed and salvaged materials. She operates the AMEND+ADAPT Sewing Studio on the Brookland Arts Walk in Northeast DC and manufactures the BicycleTrash brand of products.

About Maker-Led Workshops:

Maker-Led Workshops are a new initiative of the Heurich Urban Manufacturing Incubator. The workshops provide makers with a free in-person platform in the museum’s conservatory to test and develop a new revenue stream to support the growth and stability of their businesses. 

Heurich Urban Manufacturing Incubator: 

The Urban Manufacturing Incubator is rooted in the museum’s belief that house museums should be dynamic and relevant to our modern communities. The mission of the Incubator is to provide economic opportunities to our local small-scale manufacturing communities through: appropriate interventions in business life cycles, collective action, and social enterprises. The local small-scale manufacturing community in DC is composed of two groups: Artisan Makers + Craft Beverage Producers. These groups are directly related to Heurich history - the historic mansion was built and decorated by local craftspeople from 1892-1894 and the Chr. Heurich Brewing Co. (1872-1956) produced DC’s hometown beer brand for over 80 years.