Meet the Patternmaker Behind the Peppermint Valley Jumpsuit
- Words by Peppermint
If you’re looking for the perfect throw-on-and-look-cool outfit, we reckon our latest free pattern – the Peppermint Valley Jumpsuit – does just the trick. This exclusive, highly wearable pattern was created for us in collaboration with the lovely French patternmaker Readytosew and is brought to you in partnership with our good friends at Spoonflower.
Founded in 2015 by Raphaëlle Bonamy, Readytosew focuses on straightforward, minimalist and easy-to-sew patterns that allow everyone to develop their sewing skills and create a sustainable wardrobe.
“To consume more intelligently and sustainably, we need to restore value and meaning to our garments,” Raphaëlle says. “Creating a unique garment, tailored to your shape and desires, is a concrete way to help the planet while nourishing your creativity and manual skills.”
In the spirit of going behind the seams, we caught up with Raphaëlle to learn more about her label and to rack her brain for tips and tricks when creating the pattern.
Tell us about your journey into the sewing world?
I actually didn’t become a sewist and then a patternmaker, it all happened at the same time. After I graduated in furniture design, I worked in this field for a few years and then realised I really wanted to design pants instead of chairs and dresses instead of tables! I started learning patternmaking and sewing (at the same time) after work and then, when I felt confident enough, I started my sewing pattern studio, Readytosew. I’ve been happily running this company for over five years now. It’s just me so it comes with a lot of challenges!
We just adore the Peppermint Valley Jumpsuit! Any tips and tricks for sewists when creating it?
I adore it too! It’s a very simple make and I’ve included plenty of tips, sew-alongs and even a video to help sewists create the perfect jumpsuit in the PDF file. All my PDF patterns come with clickable links to some tutorials and sew alongs on my website!
What inspires your patterns?
I think I get my inspiration from everyday life. I tend to design clothes made for daily life – very casual and easy to wear. My work is based on observations of people’s needs and how they interact or not with their clothes to bring unexpected solutions that are always simple but human and appealing.
Do you have any recommendations for fabric choice for those struggling to make a decision?
Yes, the best fabric choice in my point of view is linen or any linen blend. It will drape beautifully over the body and it’s very easy to sew.
Where do you plan on wearing the jumpsuit?
Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to wear this jumpsuit much in the months to come because I have a little baby bump coming up! But I will definitely wear it later because it’s breastfeeding friendly!
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Brighten up your inbox with our not-too-frequent emails featuring Peppermint-related news, events, competitions and more!
explore
More articles
Have you made the Viola Quilted Jacket yet? This pattern hits the sweet spot for both established sewists keen to learn a new skill (quilting!),…
Hang out with us on Instagram
“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
