Could a Sewing Retreat be the Answer to Reignite your Sew-Jo?
- Words by Peppermint
above MAGGIE MARILYN
Is your sewing practice in a bit of a rut? Are you afraid that any more time spent inside your dank and airless sewing dungeon is going to lead to a full Yellow Wallpaper situation? Well, your sewing machine has a handle on top for a reason! It might be time to try shaking things up by taking yourself (and your sewing) out on the town to a sewing retreat or getaway.
There is a great deal of variety on offer within the wonderful world of sewing retreats in terms of format, location and organisers – from local weekend events to extravagant international experiences. At their heart though, they’re all about having some creative fun with like-minded individuals and getting out of your comfort zone, both figuratively and literally! Sewing retreats are a great way to learn new things, make new friends (or connect with old ones) and experience the childlike euphoria of a school camp with the adult experience of being in charge of your own holiday plans.
above SEW WE CAN EVENT BY THINKING OF YOU GIFT, PHOTO BY KELLEY SHEENAN
START LOCAL
If you are interested in investigating if sewing retreats are for you, it may be smart to start small. Check out if any local sewing shops or groups are holding weekend workshops or events. These can be a good way to try out the experience of sewing in a secondary location alongside others without spending huge amounts of money or travel time. Plus the more structured format of these events can make it easier to interact with new people than in more freeform styles if you’re feeling nervous. Sew Quirky, Thinking of You Gift, Sewing Adventures and Ministry of Handmade all run a variety of workshops and events throughout the year in Brisbane centred on various projects.
above SEWING ADVENTURES VIA FACEBOOK
above REBECCA MAE DESIGNS’ ITALIAN SEWING RETREAT
DESTINATION SEWING
Once you’ve found your groove in the social scene, you can focus on what some might call the most important part of a getaway – location, location, location! Many sewing retreats offer the opportunity to treat yourself to a little luxury alongside your stitching whether that’s soaking up the seaside rays in Shoalwater Bay, lounging in a luxury farmhouse or even jet-setting to Italy to stitch under the Tuscan sun. Wherever you can go, you can sew!
above DORSET VIA THE AVID SEAMSTRESS
above CREATE RETREATS WARBURTON
DO IT YOURSELF
If you can’t find any retreats that tickle your fancy, there’s always the possibility of organising your own! Sewing retreats can be large-scale, logistically complex affairs, but they can also be as easy as getting together some crafty friends, booking a cosy cottage and bringing along your UFOs (that’s unfinished objects). In fact, there are even accommodation spaces specifically set up for creative retreats like Craftaways, Create Retreats and the Old Laravale School, which feature everything you need from centralised workspaces with lots of room to spread out, to excess powerpoints for plugging in multiple machines.
above THE OLD LARAVALE SCHOOL VIA FACEBOOK
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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
