Shop That Stash: Tablecloth Upcycles Your Nanna Would Approve Of
- Words by Emma Mulholland
If you’re an op-shopper, you know that vintage tablecloths are hotter than a just-filled hot-water bottle. It seems we’re all suckers for the stories, the tea stains and those lovely finished edges. So, if you’ve been lucky enough to source the goods (or liberate one from your mum’s stash), then you want to be very, very sure about your intentions before you start snipping.
Let us guide the way, dear reader, with these perfectly lovely upcycles – they’re so fine and so beautifully made we’re sure the original stitcher would approve. As ever, we’d love to see your handiwork; be sure to tag us in your makes at #PeppermintMagazine and you might just spot your former table linen on our Insta feed.
ABOVE: SUMMER JACKET BY SARAH @MakingClothesWithStories
TOP POINTS
There’s a reason why so many table coverings are destined for a life sitting atop of high-waisted jeans and drapey linen pants. They’re soft, detailed and even if they’re quite stained, there’s usually enough fabric to make a sleeveless top. We love these makes by (from left) LA store @StanClothing, Lilli @FrocksAndFrouFrou and Kate @ByKateRobyn.
If you’re in need of an easy-sew, infinitely hack-able pattern, might we recommend the Peppermint Tansey Top? Should you need convincing, we invite you to take a look at this super-pretty upcycled-tablecloth version (below), stitched by Jess @MadeByMeJessieB in just over an hour.
FANCY PANTS
When it comes to the tablecloth upcycle, few do it better than Georgie Carter @Georgie.Keep.Sewing (yep, she of The Great British Sewing Bee fame). These lacey lovelies (above, far left) are based on Anna Allen’s Pomona Pants pattern.
We also heart these fine makes by Ohio label @ForEmilyWhenever (centre) and Geneviève @SewKnitGen, who used the Peppermint Wide Leg Pants pattern, a design we created with In The Folds.
POWER DRESSING
“Feeling very Dolce & Gabbana in what is actually a €10 tablecloth I bought in Florence,” writes the very crafty Alma @AlmitaMade (above, far left). Brisbane’s Sue-Ching @SueChingLascelles is responsible for the seersucker delight in the middle, while Jane @JaneInIreland has produced the perfect (no frills, spills OK) party dress using a tablecloth she found at a charity shop in France.
MATCHMAKER
Forget setting the table – instead, wear the set! These pretty separates are the work of Funky Bob @Funky_Bob_Vintage, a label based in the Czech Republic. These three are custom makes, but if you like what you see and you’re not quite ready to snip your vintage treasure, mosey on over to the website, where there’s lots of table-linen finery to add to your wishlist.
UNDER COVERS
London sewist Bahram @BahramYara admits there may have been a few meltdowns in the making of this Harrington jacket (above, far left), but we reckon it was probably worth it for this stunning result. We’re also coveting the delightful summer jacket (centre) by Imby @Karmme_Apparel – it’s based on the Anthea Blouse, another pattern by Anna Allen. Sarah @MakingClothesWithStories has also brought a fine make to the table. We’ll take one of each, please.
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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
