The Skye’s the Limit: Have You Made the Peppermint Skye Shorts?
- Words by Peppermint
Tired of having to choose between the breezy drama of swishy flowing skirts and the sensible practicality of shorts? Suffer no more! Collaborating with brilliant British patternmaker Mandi Bharij from Make With Mandi, we have created the Peppermint Skye Shorts – the answer to all your problems… or at least, all the pants-related problems!
These swing shorts skilfully combine fun and function, with flow aplenty around the legs and hips – and pockets, of course! The curved front yoke paired with an elasticated back waistband is all class at the front, comfy at the back, making them the ultimate throw-on-and-go piece for all your warm weather adventures.
This fantastic pattern was created in partnership with our good friends at Spoonflower. The world’s largest marketplace of independent designs from global artists, Spoonflower is leading the way in custom, sustainable textile printing. Their on-demand process significantly reduces materials, energy and water, and uses non-toxic inks and fabrics that are ethically sourced.
To create our version, we used the Organic Cotton Sateen from Spoonflower, printed with a botanical palm leaf pattern by Italian illustrator Francesca Besso.
If you haven’t made your own version yet, what are you waiting for? The sky’s the limit with the possibilities of the Skye Shorts. We asked five fabulous sewing influencers to whip up a pair in a Spoonflower fabric of their choice. From @FiveSpicePower‘s rockin’ broc, @Geri_In_Stitches‘s peppy poppies, @SableCraft‘s checkerboard chic, @Holly_Dennett‘s William Morris moment and @SewUThinkUCan‘s crafty culottes. We heart them all!
Find out what they all had to say about the pattern and get inspired to make your own!
DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN NOW!
FIVE SPICE POWER
Fabric Choice – Organic Cotton Sateen in Broc On
“I would like to stress, before anyone accuses me of deliberately setting myself up to be the butt (haha, butt) of a million ‘bushy crotch’ jokes, that I really didn’t think twice about choosing this hella cute broccoli themed fabric when the Spoonflower team reached out to me late last year. No, I thought about it HUNDREDS OF TIMES, and not once did I notice the potential for bush-related hilarity. See, the Spoonflower team was incredibly generous in the range of patterns I could choose from. Choose one of the hundreds of beautiful patterns, they said to me, a woman who once spent three hours in a Hannah’s trying on two pairs of shoes. Ultimately I settled on either this or a repeating motif of cats skateboarding. Sensible, adult choices for the working professional who means business.
“Despite the ongoing apocalypse this arrived shortly before Christmas and I set about turning it into a pair of #PeppermintSkyeShorts (by Make With Mandi for Peppermint). I haven’t actually sewn anything since making MSP his Christmas shirt (he wore it like a Good Lad despite it being two sizes two large and giving him the general appearance of a small boy who has been told to wear his brother’s shirt to save money) so this was a pleasantly quick re-entry into sewing. It checks all the boxes: cute, airy, elastic waist, pockets, didn’t cry sewing it. I made only one departure from the instructions and that’s only because I’m a wilful tart and refuse to be taught how to sew on a waistband. Altogether it makes a lovely addition to my summer wardrobe and I will definitely be leaving many butt prints in this on park benches and hot car seats in the sweaty months to come.”
GERI IN STITCHES
Fabric Choice – Organic Cotton Sateen in Wild Poppy Meadow
“Most honoured to be asked by Peppermint and Spoonflower to sew up a pair of #PeppermintSkyeShorts in a Spoonflower print of my choice. I picked this Wild Poppy Meadow print in the organic cotton poplin and it’s such an easy and beautiful fabric to sew with. The large flower print has all the colours that I love.
“This sewing pattern looks deceptively like a mini flare skirt but it is actually a pair of shorts, so I can prance around however I like while keeping my modesty intact. It has an elastic back so it’s pretty and practical. Pattern made in collaboration with Make With Mandi.”
SABLECRAFT
Fabric Choice – Organic Cotton Sateen in Dotted Checks
“My vibes for 2022 are: chaotic french clown. When I’m not in my carhartts at the barn of course. I whipped up these #PeppermintSkyeShorts on… the coldest day in Rochester so far. The real feel is -5 today. I’m leaning in to weird checkerboard patterns this year so I was so lucky to work with this organic cotton sateen from Spoonflower.”
HOLLY DENNETT
Fabric Choice – Poly Crepe de Chine in William Morris
“My new make, the Peppermint Skye Shorts. I decided to use this amazing Spoonflower viscose fabric as I knew it would have an amazing drape that would work well for this pattern. The fabric is perfect for styling for winter and will also be great in the summer. I shortened the length of the shorts so they sat at a more flattering length on my legs.
“These shorts were the quickest make I have made in a long time! Was fun only spending a few hours on a project and then have some brand new shorts. Recently my makes have been big ones that have taken a lot of sewing days.”
SEWUTHINKUCAN
Fabric Choice – Lightweight Cotton Twill in Big Scale Dancing Lines
“We do not work for the fabric or the pattern, they work for us. A tale of a true ‘make it work’ project. I was asked by the lovely people at Peppermint Magazine to try their free pattern designed by Make With Mandi using a fabric of my choice from Spoonflower.
“The #PeppermintSkyeShorts pattern is more like a flared skort that is designed to be sewn with very lightweight fabrics. Enter the magnificent Big Scale Dancing Lines fabric in cotton twill I chose from Spoonflower. It was anything but light and flowy and there was no way it could work with a pattern with that much flare. I went into hacking mode and decided to reduce the flare quite a bit and lengthen the shorts into culottes. Though I’m not a fan of the pattern’s curved waistband, I’m quite happy about the result and the fit overall and absolutely love it paired with another fave of mine which also happens to be the free #PeppermintPaddingtonTop.
“The fabric is fantastic. This set which can easily be dressed up and down is going to be worn a lot. We as sewists have the freedom to dictate what we want to the pattern and fabric and not the other way around.”
Pop over to spoonflower.com for more inspiration, then download the free pattern and make sure you tag #PeppermintPatterns (and #PeppermintSkyeShorts) in your creations!
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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. 🌿
