Made the Wide-strap Maxi Dress Yet? Here’s Some Hacks to Get You Hooked
- Words by Peppermint
There’s a whole lot to love about the Peppermint Wide-Strap Maxi Dress pattern. We collaborated with Lauren Boyle of Perth-based pattern label, Elbe Textiles, back in Issue 44, to create this effortless wardrobe staple – the quintessential throw-on dress to take you from day-to-night and season-to-season.
By the looks of it, you love it too – judging from all the unique and creative versions you’ve been sewing up and tagging with #peppermintmaxidress on Instagram. We’ve been so inspired by all your makes, we decided to round up just some of the lovely versions and clever hacks that have caught our eye at Peppermint HQ.
Not only is this pattern very wearable in it’s full-length glory, it’s easily ‘hackable’ too. You could shorten it into a floaty summer top, add gathered tiers for extra flounce factor or create a patch-work inspired look. The only limit is your imagination!
top image @JASPER_CREEK above @ST.EFFIESTUDIO // @CALEXAN4 // @ASHBETTERIDGE
Maybe you’ve had your eye on it for some time and it hasn’t quite made it to the top of your sewing pile yet, and you need a little reminder to get your maxi on. Or possibly you’ve already made it and need some inspo for version two (or maybe three…?), so here’s a few tips, tricks and treats from our friends in the sewing community.
above @POPSCANSEW // @KATIEMAKESADRESS // @E.ONUEL
HACK #1 || CROP IT TO A TOP
The subtle A-line of the pattern naturally lends itself to being hacked into a cute summer top. Just shorten to the desired length and you’re ready to go!
top image @JASPER_CREEK above @TAMMY.HANDMADE // @RUBY_MAKES // @SEWNINBRUNSWICK
HACK #2 || ADD GATHERED TIERS
Add extra flair by adding layers with gathered tiers. You can do this by measuring out rectangular pieces of fabric to the desired length (extra long for extra gathers) and the height that you’d like each tier to end up. Mel from MeltStitches has some great tips for calculating tiers at Minerva.
above @GYASTI // @HOUSE_OF_TAYLOR_CLOTHING // @THE.OVERCONFIDENT.BEGINNER
HACK #3 || PATCHWORK IT
Looking to use up fabric scraps? Pretty patchworks are a great way to create bold, fun patterns and the Maxi Dress is the perfect vehicle for a colour clash. Sew your pieces together first to create one large piece of fabric, then cut the pattern piece out as per the instructions.
above @THEPLEATEDPOCKET // @S.IS.FOR.SEW // @_PENSANDNEEDLES_
HACK #4 || ADD A SELF-FABRIC WAIST TIE
A super simple and practical hack! We love the idea of adding a self-fabric waist tie to cinch it in and change the silhouette.
above @YAYSTITCH
HACK #5 || COLOUR-BLOCK IT
Another fun idea we’ve seen around is a colour-blocked maxi split right down the middle. It makes for an easy variation… just grab two fabrics in your favourite colour combo and sew together.
above @MEGHANDMADE // @LEJDITEA // @KIMYAYSEWS
NEED EVEN MORE INSPO?
The ideas are endless, as this pattern is extremely versatile. Frill-seeker? Tucks? Ties? Our sewing pals have got you covered. Download the free pattern and then follow the #peppermintmaxidress hashtag on socials to hunt out a myriad of ways to turn this much-loved pattern into something super spesh.
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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
