What the Fabric Store Wore
- Words by Peppermint
In each and every issue of Peppermint we partner with our pals at The Fabric Store to bring you amazing free sewing patterns (brought to life by Emily at In the Folds) that bring inspiration to our beloved sewing community.
But how do the very people who are surrounded by amazing fabrics day-in, day-out choose what to make next? What homemade creations are they most proud of? And what advice do they wish they’d had when they were rookie sewers? We sat down with staff from The Fabric Store locations in Australia and New Zealand to find out what floats their sewing boat – warning, may induce urgent need to whip up many me-made outfits…
KATIE // Brisbane // @katiepryersmith
How did you first get into sewing?
I grew up with sewing. My mother and auntie had their own bridal made-to-measure boutique on the Gold Coast, and I remember as a young child playing with my cousin in the shop whilst our mother’s created beautiful gowns and had client fittings. In my teens I would head to the shop after school and occasionally help sew beads onto gowns. My grandfather used to make dresses for my nan back in the day, and my mum taught herself how to sew from his old tailoring books. I went on to study fashion design, and after graduating I worked in bridal alterations and then in retail designer dress fabrics. I’ve been working in that field ever since, and have focussed my sewing into the pursuit of a full me-made wardrobe whilst doing the odd side project.
What do you love most about making your own clothes?
Sewing my own clothing has helped build my self-esteem. I was heavy in high school and didn’t have a personal style – I struggled to find clothes I liked that fit so was always self-conscious and shy. Creating my own clothing after high school helped me take back control and learn to appreciate and dress for my figure, rather than trying to follow the latest trends. Sewing soothes my soul and I can’t imagine a life without it.
What tips would you give a complete beginner?
Find a local beginner sewing class or sewing friend to help guide you through a project. YouTube has wonderful instructional videos and sewing vlogs from the community (pattern reviews and fabric hauls are fun too). LIsten to podcasts for motivation (like Love to sew) and search pattern hashtags on Instagram before choosing what to sew. The sewing community is your best resource!
What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever made?
An unlined denim coat I made this year. Living in Brisbane we don’t need a big winter wardrobe so this was the second coat I ever made – I used a funky metal zipper, created bound buttonholes for the first time and covered all the seams with Liberty bias. The pattern’s Le809 from French indie company ‘DP Studio’.
What’s your next project?
I’m on the hunt for a cute pinafore pattern – I’m visualising my summer wardrobe filled with funky dress and t-shirt combos. So many things to sew and so little time!
Sewing my own clothing has helped build my self-esteem
ALICIA // Melbourne // @paper_moon_makes
How did you first get into sewing?
As a kid my nana used to sit me on her lap to use her old Singer – happy memories!
What do you love most about making your own clothes?
I love having a choice to bypass mass-market clothing supply chains. Making your own clothes can be a radical act. Also I just really love the process of bringing a concept I have in my mind to life – and I love to use nice fabrics!
What tips would you give a complete beginner?
Just go for it! Start with simple shapes to get your confidence up. Don’t worry too much about mistakes or perfection – everyone’s spent time with an un-picker. Also avoid velvet to begin with – the pile creeps too much!
What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever made?
Fully lined coats – something about pulling it all through at the end is magical.
What’s your next project?
Perfecting summer patterns – a wrap jumpsuit and my pants block.
BRIANNA // Sydney // @bri.sandles
How did you first get into sewing?
I started sewing in high school, and I liked it so much I took textiles as an elective.
What do you love most about making your own clothes?
I’ve never really been one to follow current fashion trends, and I think being able to make your own clothes is a great way to express yourself – it gives you a freedom to be you and not feel the need to conform with what’s on trend. There is also a great feeling of satisfaction knowing that no one will ever have the exact same thing, and knowing it’s been made well and will last longer than a season.
What tips would you give a complete beginner?
YouTube! YouTube is your best friend for when you don’t know how to do something quite right. There are so many good vloggers/bloggers that are willing to share their handy tips and tricks of the trade, and they’re honestly sometimes the things you will keep practicing for the rest of your life.
What’s your favourite fabric to work with?
Linen/cotton for sure! It’s such a satisfying blend to work with – it handles nicely, feels great to wear and I find it creases less than a pure linen would.
What’s your next project?
Between sewing and ceramics it’s hard to find time to do everything I want to do, and I tend to lean towards one or the other at times. But I think I’m going to spend the time finally making the pinafores I’ve been wanting to make all winter (lucky for me they’re trans-seasonal).
Being able to make your own clothes is a great way to express yourself – it gives you a freedom to be you and not feel the need to conform with what’s on trend
HANNA // Wellington // @hanxhan
How did you first get into sewing?
I leant to sew when I was 9 years old in a house bus! My best friend was learning to sew and I absolutely had to do it too,.
What do you love most about making your own clothes?
I really love colour and interesting fabrics. I could never find anything I wanted to buy in clothes shops when I was younger and this was a great motivator for me to learn more sewing techniques and cultivate the patience to finish things properly.
What’s your favourite fabric to work with?
My favourite fabric is linen these days, as it’s easy-care with young kids.
What’s your next project?
The Persephone Pants by Ann Allen, in a 10oz light denim from work!
SONYA // Christchurch // @sonya_lois
How did you first get into sewing?
I grew up with my mum making most of my clothes, so I started playing with a sewing machine from a young age and developed a great love for it!
What do you love most about making your own clothes?
Being able to sketch a design and then bring it to life is a great feeling.
What tips would you give a complete beginner?
Play! Jump on a sewing machine and just play around – stick with basic shapes to begin with until you gain more confidence.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever made?
During my final year studying fashion I made jackets that incorporated augmented reality, which then revealed your personals stats via an app.
What’s your next project?
A leopard print cotton wrap skirt using an amazing vintage pattern from the 70s.
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“My piece of advice for makers and designers? Run your own race… make sure your key decisions stay anchored in your brand’s core beliefs.”
- Bec Bligh
Quick show of hands: who’s opened a water bottle expecting a refreshing sip… and instead been greeted by the unmistakable whiff of uh-oh?
Because for something that follows us everywhere (desk, car, hikes, yoga…), the humble drink bottle is strangely prone to becoming a science experiment. Hard-to-clean corners and gaskets. Mystery smells. Bec Bligh and her husband Tim know it well. A six-month sailing trip along the Queensland coast left them with a lifetime of memories and one stubborn annoyance: mouldy water bottles they couldn’t properly clean.
So they did something about it.
Enter @EverVessel. Thoughtfully designed borosilicate glass and stainless steel bottles that keep things beautifully simple: durable materials, wide openings, easy-to-clean parts and none of the techy gimmicks that tend to age badly. Turns out simplicity, done well, is pretty powerful stuff. (Their many design awards agree!)
And lately they’ve added a little extra delight: the Artist Series, where creatives like Paola Castro, Ben Miners and Martin Thompson transform these everyday companions into tiny travelling artworks. There are more colabs in the works, too: hydration, but make it joyful! 🎨💧
We chatted with Bec about the sailing trip that started it all, the philosophy behind Ever Vessel, and why the most sustainable product is often just the one you keep using.
Tap the link in our bio to read the full conversation. 🚰
#EverVessel #ReusableWaterBottle
Pull up a chair… there’s room at this table!
For the first time, Feast for Freedom is bringing people together for a spectacular long-table dinner as part of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
A Longer Table is exactly what it sounds like: one beautiful shared table inside the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1), piled with generous dishes inspired by this year’s hero cooks, Noha and Nige.
From 6 to 9pm on Wednesday, 25 March, this is what you can expect:
🍽 A three-course shared feast
🍷 Matched drinks
🎶 Live entertainment
✨ A room full of good humans
Your ticket doesn’t just buy you a delicious dinner. It supports the ASRC’s vital work and helps create a fairer future for people seeking asylum.
Seats are limited, and long tables have a way of filling up quickly – head to @MelbFoodAndWine’s website to book now: feastforfreedom.org.au/mfwf
#FeastForFreedom #MelbourneFoodAndWineFestival #LongTableDinner #FoodForChange
Sew versatile! 🪡
Another great make from Lisa from @SunnySewsEveryday:
My #PeppermintWaratahWrapDress is finished and I’m so proud of it. It has been designed not to flap open and flash your pants in the wind, so I feel confident it will be a great wheelchair or standing dress in English weather.
#PeppermintPatterns #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
Frame your face with the Peppermint Bucket Hat!
Stay safe and stylish in the sun with your very own self-sewn and self-drafted wide-brimmed bucket hat. This beginner-friendly sew is perfect for a sunny day. Get out your pencils – this pattern is created using equations and maths!
This DIY project was featured in Issue 53 and now you can access it for the lovely low price of only $5.
Sun-safe chic is always in style. ☀️
Find it via the link in our bio!
Photos: @KelleySheenan
#PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintBucketHat #BucketHat #BucketHatPattern #DIY
✨ INSTANT CLASSIC ✨
The Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with a few special details based on the ever-stylish shift shape – the perfect dress you need in your wardrobe right now!
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from our lovely sewing partner @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Location: @ShareTheDignityAustralia
#PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress #PeppermintPatterns
It’s time to Feast!
Some recipes travel a long way before they land on your table to delight your taste buds. This year’s Feast for Freedom invites us to gather our friends, cook something delectable and raise funds for the incredible work of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1) while we’re at it.
The 2026 Feast features recipes shared by two remarkable cooks: Noha, who brought the flavours of Palestine with her when she arrived in Australia, and Nige, a Sri-Lankan Tamil cook whose journey with food began in the most unexpected of places.
You can host your own Feast up until 30 April – simply register online and get planning! Host a dinner, organise a workplace lunch, or gather your community… However you do it, the idea is simple: cook, connect and celebrate the cultures and stories that shape Australia.
Want to find out more? Head to the link in bio to meet Noha and Nige, learn more about their stories, and discover a delicious recipe to try.
#FeastForFreedom #PeppermintMagazine #FoodForGood #ASRC
