Hubba Hubba Ding Ding! Meet the Bowen Dress Patternmaker
- Words by Peppermint
Get ready to float your way through the day with our latest free pattern, the Peppermint Bowen Dress, a bodaciously breezy tent dress! This exclusive, highly wearable pattern was created in collaboration with patternmaker Kim Sisson from Hubba Ding and is brought to you in partnership with our good friends at Spoonflower.
Founded in 2021 by Kim (though she previously made patterns under the handle If Kim Wore Clothes), Hubba Ding is focused on making super simple, beginner-friendly patterns that will take pride of place in your me-made wardrobe.
“‘Hubba hubba ding ding, sister you’ve got everything!’ That’s what my poppa used to say when one of his granddaughters was wearing a super snazzy outfit,” Kim says. “It’s silly, but damn it made us feel good, and that’s how I want you to feel in your new me-made creations!”
In the spirit of going behind the seams and to show the Bowen Dress the love it deserves, we caught up with Kim to learn more about her label and to rack her brain for tips and tricks when creating the pattern.
DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN NOW!
Tell us about your journey into patternmaking…
My mum taught me to sew when I was young and I’ve been sewing ever since. I guess that’s what makes it really special for me – the fact it’s a craft that my beautiful mum taught me. She had the patience of an absolute saint! When I started out, I would make clothes for my Barbie dolls. That’s still some of the hardest sewing I’ve ever done – so darn fiddly! Then I graduated to sewing for myself, friends and family – I even sewed my ball dress one year, it wasn’t the prettiest dress you’ve seen, but I did it – and then I learned how to create patterns and started sharing them online.
What inspires your patterns?
I’m constantly inspired by people I see in the street, Pinterest, Instagram – I’ve got a list as long as my arm of styles I want to try to create. My patterns are just the clothes that I want to wear, so I’m lucky that when I’m adding yet another dress to my already exploding wardrobe, I have a great excuse – it’s for Hubba Ding!
Any tips and tricks for sewists when making the Peppermint Bowen Dress?
It’s so straightforward that I don’t think there are any particular tips or tricks. Just the usual – take your time and have fun with it!
Do you have any fabric choice recommendations?
Buying fabric is always the hardest part – I spend ages deciding what fabric to buy. But if I had one tip, I would say that you can, generally, never go wrong with cotton. Especially for the patterns that I design, cotton is perfect because it holds its shape and it has a beautiful structure, so it’s great for gathering but also drapes nicely. It’s also really easy to sew. I very rarely steer away from cotton and when I do, I end up regretting it! There are exceptions of course, but in general, go for cotton.
Where do you plan on wearing the dress?
Everywhere! It’s such a versatile dress, it can be worn anywhere and everywhere. It’s summer here in New Zealand at the moment, so today I’ll be throwing it over my togs and heading to the beach.
What do you love most about the sewing community?
I can’t tell you how much I love being part of the sewing community. Everyone is so kind and supportive; I can’t believe how many people have chosen to support my little business. It’s so special to me!
I get the biggest buzz from seeing people wearing the clothes that I’ve designed, and equally I love showcasing peoples’ makes on my Instagram and giving them a shout out. There are some seriously talented and inspiring sewists out there – I love seeing what they make.
Every quarter we work with a talented patternmaker to create a new design for our me-made mates. Head to the link here for a plethora of pretty patterns – all free for you to download and make to your heart’s content – along with plenty of sewing tips and tricks.
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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. 🌿
