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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On the 14th of April 2013 the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed, tragically killing 1134 workers and injuring over 2,500 more.
Every year we commemorate this devastating and avoidable loss of life and advocate for better working conditions for all during Fashion Revolution Week, which runs from 22nd-28th April in 2026.
This year there are different themes for each day of the week, with the annual Mend In Public day falling right in the middle, on Saturday 25th April.
This is your cue to gather your community, settle in and commit some time, attention and creativity to mending your clothes in the pursuit of extending their life in your wardrobe. Be it patching, embroidery, sewing or stitching, there are many ways to resolve structural and aesthetic issues in your garments that will see you donning them for years to come!
If it’s a bit tricky to get mending on the day itself (it will be ANZAC Day here in Australia) then fear not. Any time is the right time for mending so if you need to take needle in hand on another day that will do just fine!
Comment below if you know of any events you`d like to share happening in your community.
Learn more and get involved:
@FashionRevolutionAustralia
@Fash_Rev
FashionRevolution.org
#FashionRevolution #WhoMadeMyClothes #MendInPublicDay
“This is just a reminder to you to go for your big dreams! They might just work out.” ❤️
And we’re so glad you did, Emma!
From @CinnamonDaisyStudio:
No biggie, I’m just in a really cool magazine 🥹
When @Laura_The_Maker reached out to me last year to ask if I’d be interested in being featured in @PeppermintMagazine I didn’t hold back. I 100% fan girled 🤣 it was obviously a yes!
Getting to talk about the positive impact sewing your own clothes has on your body image is the BEST. I started sewing my own clothes because the standard doesn’t fit me. But I wasn’t expecting to heal my body image at the same time. What a wonderful byproduct ❤️🩹
So this is just a reminder to you to go for your big dreams! They might just work out ❤️
Mother`s Day Chocolate Treats Subscription Special! 🌟
This very sweet subscription offer comes with some glorious goodies, thanks to our friends at @TheOriginalCocoaTradersCo!
Our lovely community manager Em, runs us through the offer.
SUBSCRIBE FOR $79 AND RECEIVE:
🌟 1 x 12-month Peppermint Subscription!
PLUS!
🌟 Vegan, gluten-free, 43% cocoa, Certified-Organic Taming The Jackalope Drinking Chocolate from @TheOriginalCocoaTradersCo
🌟 Vegan, gluten-free, 70% cocoa, Certified-Organic Ship To Wreck Chocolate Flakes from @TheOriginalCocoaTradersCo
🌟 Issue 64 (includes a free code for the #PeppermintDaisyDress digital sewing pattern!)
🌟 A5 art card of our exclusive ‘Together We Rise’ Issue 60 cover design by @LukeJohnMatthewArnold
🌟 All wrapped in fabric from @DoopsDesigns
Price includes postage! This special offer is available to Australian addresses only. Don`t miss out – there`s limited numbers!
🌟 Link in bio!
#PeppermintMagazine #MothersDay
Calling all brands who give a damn! 📣
Bookings for our wonderful Sew&Tell digital issue are now open – if you are an awesome creative brand that fits right in with Peppermint`s ethos of style, sustainability, sewing and substance, get in touch. Or if you know of one who might be keen – tag them below. We have packages for budgets both big and small, but spots are limited, so don`t wait too long to get in touch!
Drop us a line at Mandy@PeppermintMag.Com for a chat with Mandy, our lovely advertising manager – she`ll help you find the best way to share your good work with our awesome audience.
We`d sew love to work with you! ✨️🧵✨️
#PeppermintSewAndTell
💛 BFF GIVEAWAY 💛
Generous, messy, creative, spiky, warm, enigmatic… our best friends come in many flavours. But they all have one thing in common: they make the world a far better, more interesting place to be.
Inspired by Sam and Sadie’s complicated ‘forever’ bond in Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by @GabrielleZevin (a firm Peppermint fave ‘friendy’ read), we’ve rounded up some iconic fictional duos from books, movies and TV - the ride-or-dies, bosom buddies, chosen family, the ‘you’re-my-person’ people.
They all remind us that the non-romantic kind of love is always worth the effort (and it’s often the kind that lasts!). Think Anne Shirley and Diana Barry, Calvin and Hobbes, Snoopy and Woodstock, Eloise and Penelope… Head to the link in bio to read the full story and meet them all!
We’ve got two copies of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow to gift to one lucky Peppermint reader and their bestie, thanks to @PenguinBooksAus.
To enter:
✨Follow us and @PenguinBooksAus
✨Tag your best friend in the comments
✨Tell them why they’re so darn great!
Because as Sadie tells Sam: true collaborators in life are rare. And very much worth celebrating.
Winner drawn Tuesday 21 April 2pm. Australian addresses only. Good luck! 📖
#BFF #BookGiveaway #TomorrowAndTomorrowAndTomorrow
Mother`s Day Chocolate Treats Subscription Special! 🌟
It`s almost time to celebrate that special person in your life who has motherly energy – mum, aunty, single parent, queer parent, grandparent, caregiver... or maybe just someone who happens to love getting chocolate treats (and hey, maybe that someone is YOU!).
This very sweet subscription offer comes with some glorious goodies, thanks to our friends at @TheOriginalCocoaTradersCo!
SUBSCRIBE FOR $79 AND RECEIVE:
🌟 1 x 12-month Peppermint Subscription
PLUS!
🌟 Vegan, gluten-free, 43% cocoa, Certified-Organic Taming The Jackalope Drinking Chocolate from @TheOriginalCocoaTradersCo
🌟 Vegan, gluten-free, 70% cocoa, Certified-Organic Ship To Wreck Chocolate Flakes from @TheOriginalCocoaTradersCo
🌟 Issue 64 (includes a free code for the #PeppermintDaisyDress digital sewing pattern!)
🌟 A5 art card of our exclusive ‘Together We Rise’ Issue 60 cover design by @LukeJohnMatthewArnold
🌟 All wrapped in fabric from @DoopsDesigns
Price includes postage! This special offer is available to Australian addresses only. Don`t miss out – there`s limited numbers!
🌟 Link in bio 🌟
#PeppermintMagazine #MothersDay
