It’s a Ruff Story: Turn Up The Romance With The Valentine Ruffle Top!
- Words by Peppermint
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person in possession of an event invitation (like, say, a date) must be in want of a suitably romantic outfit… Enter the Peppermint Valentine Ruffle Top! This floaty, flirty number will ruffle all the right feathers, and is designed to steal hearts, snag phone numbers and claim a permanent spot in your wardrobe.
PHOTOS: KELLEY SHEENAN MODEL: JAYA KING, REBEL REBEL SHORTS: MODEL’S OWN LOCATION: FELONS BARREL HALL, BRISBANE, PINK/BLUE ARTWORK: MULGA
Not for nothing are these off-the-shoulder cuties sometimes referred to as ‘Bardot tops’ – the icon that is Brigitte turned the silhouette into a symbol of effortless chic during her screen siren days in the 60s and 70s. Wear it on-shoulder or off for the perfect mix of elegance and ease – this pretty pattern will shimmy its way into your heart, guaranteed.
The Peppermint Valentine Ruffle Top is the perfect project for an adventurous beginner: no fiddly fastenings like zippers or buttonholes, while still being a satisfyingly creative sew. Its relaxed fit, elasticated neckline and playful ruffle create a silhouette that’s equal parts dreamy and wearable.
For this make, we turned to Spoonflower’s Essex Linen in Confetti Rainbow Opal A, a dopamine-boosting print designed by Australian surface-patter artist Lauren Kelly of Thistle and Fox. The blend of linen and cotton gives this fabric just the right amount of structure while maintaining a lovely drape – ideal for showcasing those ruffled details. Plus, the dreamy pastel confetti pattern? Joy in textile form! Try cotton poplin or mid-weight cottons for a more structured top, or get flowy and floaty with silk, viscose, rayon or seersucker.
Speaking of Spoonflower, we couldn’t love them more! As one of the largest marketplaces for designs by independent artists from around the world, Spoonflower offers everything from fabric to wallpaper to home decor, all printed on demand with water-based inks and thoughtfully sourced materials. Not only does their process help reduce environmental impact, but every purchase directly supports the artist behind the design – with up to 15 percent royalties going back to the creator. So, when you pick a Spoonflower print, you’re not just making something beautiful for yourself – you’re championing small, independent artists too.
Need more ruffles? (Frankly, who doesn’t?) May we introduce you to your perfect match: the Pasadena Rara Skirt. Another ruffle-packed Peppermint pattern, this playful tiered skirt is just the thing to pair with the Valentine Ruffle Top for maximum flounce factor. Wear them together for a co-ord look that’s equal parts fun and fabulous, or mix and match them with other me-mades to keep things fresh.
Ready to ruffle some fabric? We can’t wait to see your creations! Be sure to tag #PeppermintPatterns and #PeppermintValentineRuffleTop when you share your make – we’ll be swooning over them all!
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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
