Sewing School: The Peppermint Tansey Top Is Here to Win Your Heart
- Words by Peppermint
Like a good friend, a warm bath and a camomile tea, the dreamy Peppermint Tansey Top will always be there for you. Market wanders? Impromptu lunch date? Roadside flower-foraging? She’s got your back (and check out that gorgeous gather at the yoke!).
With her boxy fit and carefree flair, you’ll be reaching for your Tansey the second she’s done on the clothesline. Prepare to make multiples as she’s an easy sew (no buttons or zips!). You’re going to love the simple-but-stylish little details on this soon-to-be-staple slipover, like the wide turned-up cuffs and that sweet dipped hem at the back.
The Tansey is our very first ‘Peppermint Pattern’ and to bring our vision to life, we worked with renowned fashion educator, designer and consultant Thuy Nguyen of Fashion360. Based in Brisbane, Thuy has worked with many major Australian labels and is known for her considered approach to body shapes and immaculate detail.
Call us biased but we think the Tansey would pair nicely with a Peppermint Pocket Skirt (there’s a little length for a French tuck, should you please). Of course, high-waisted jeans would also do the trick.
As for fabrics, she’s an easygoing sort. For warmer weather and draping purposes, something light – like linen, gauze or seersucker – would be perfect. Or, for a more structured look, follow our lead and go with something heavier. We chose Spoonflower’s Cotton Poplin in the most heavenly print, Watercolor Abstract Indigo Sky, by Amber Gibbs – a surface pattern designer based in Portland, Oregon.
We heart our sewing partner Spoonflower for helping to make this pattern possible! From fabric to wallpaper to home decor, Spoonflower is one of the largest marketplaces for designs by independent artists from around the world. They are committed to taking steps to reduce environmental and negative impacts as much as possible, making their products with water-based inks and thoughtfully sourced materials using their innovative, on-demand printing process.
Each order is printed in the USA by their team of manufacturing experts, and when you make a purchase, an independent artist earns up to 15 per cent royalties on their design. Pop over to Spoonflower for inspiration for your next me-made project.
The best bit? The printed pattern comes free with Issue 61! Subscribers also score a code to download a digital version of the pattern – bonus! The digital pattern is also free when you buy a digital copy of Issue 61, or you can purchase the pattern here under our ‘pay-what-you-like’ initiative – how cool is that?!
We can’t wait to see your creations – don’t forget to tag #PeppermintPatterns and #PeppermintTanseyTop to share your makes!
photos KELLEY SHEENAN model ELLA CRAWFORD
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Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
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🌻 The Paddington 🌻
This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!
How stunning is our model Elon MelaninGoddessEfon – she told us it was one of the first times she had been asked to come to a shoot with her natural hair. 🌻
We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential – the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist.
Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Fabric: @Spoonflower
Model: MelaninGoddessEfon
“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
14-17 February 2026
ICC, Darling Harbour
Photos: @Samsette
#LifeInstyle #SustainableShopping #SustainableShop #RetailTradeEvent
Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge 🌟 30% off ALL A0 printing 🌟 when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern – how generous is that?!
Head to the link in bio now 📞
*Not a real number in case that wasn`t clear 😂
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
