Cute As a Button! We’re Feeling Sew Inspired by These Belle Shirt Beauties
- Words by Peppermint
Have you made your own beautiful Peppermint Belle Shirt yet?
Created in collaboration with Modern Sewing Co’s marvellous Hetty Adams, this versatile blouse boasts some special features that will keep it a standout star in your wardrobe, from its statement bell sleeves and wide-set placket. You can even lengthen it and wear it as an adorable A-line mini dress!
To ring the bells in celebration of this glorious pattern and to give you a healthy dose of sewspo to start your own, we asked five fantastic sewing influencers to create their own versions in a Spoonflower fabric of their choosing.
From @TheLadyWhoLunches’s beautiful botanical dress and @Gabby_Sews’s plaid perfection to @TimeToSew’s terrific tiger print and @CaitSnyd_Sews‘s dopamine dressing realness, read on to hear all their secret thoughts on the pattern and get inspired to create your own version!
DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN NOW!
THE LADY WHO LUNCHES
Fabric Choice: Cotton Sateen in Primary Pop Botanicals
Peppermint reached out to me to see if I’d sew this pattern up and provided fabric. I enjoyed a lot of the elements of this pattern — especially the separate collar pieces. I think it was missing instructions for the hem. [Editor’s note: they’re added now!] But I did a nice clean hem technique I usually use for shirts.
I used Spoonflower’s Cotton Sateen in Primary Pop Botanicals from Tara Normal. LOVE! And would you believe, my pattern matching is accidental? My buttons are all mismatched red from my stash!
GABBY SEWS
Fabric Choice: Organic Cotton Sateen in Americana Plaid
I’m always down to try a new button-up shirt! This is the lovely Peppermint Belle Shirt released by Peppermint and designed by Modern Sewing Co who you well know is one of my faves! I had the opportunity to try out some printed fabric from Spoonflower for this make. I chose the Organic Cotton Sateen base with a simple plaid design and it was such a dream to sew and press. Nothing like taking a steamy iron to a crispy cotton!
I amped up the playful orangey-red plaid with candy-esque yellow buttons and made no mods, but feel that the sleeves are too long for me so I’m not getting the full impact of the gathers and dramatic cuff. Next time I’ll shorten them by 1.5 inches! I’d love to make this again in dark navy cotton for a very smart look.
CAIT SNYD SEWS
Fabric Choice: Cotton Poplin in Abstract Ocean – Electric Blue
Peppermint reached out to me earlier this year, asking if I would be interested in sewing their latest pattern, the Peppermint Belle Shirt. I was excited to work with them as they had such a big influence on me when I first started sewing – they have a library of ‘pay what you what’ patterns from various indie designers! I got to choose my fabric from Spoonflower and went with this graphic abstract print since I was high on the “dopamine sewing” journey. The graphic print goes well with the smock-style blouse. I think it would be lovely in a lightweight linen as well.
TIME TO SEW
Fabric Choice: Organic Cotton Sateen in Leopard Parade Blue on Magenta Fabric
A pink tiger print and shirt pattern proved to be an irresistible combination… Thanks, Peppermint and Spoonflower for making it happen! This is the Peppermint Belle Shirt in organic cotton sateen.
Pattern notes:
- Size 8. The body is slightly A-line shape – worth noting if you’re not someone who likes to wear shirts tucked in. I shortened the body a few centimetres as well.
- I could have shortened the sleeves by four to five centimetres but since I didn’t make a toile, it was too late by the time I realised. I compensated with extra tight cuffs so the sleeve doesn’t slip down onto my hand but the button angle isn’t perfect as a result.
- I used two buttons per sleeve cuff instead of one given the width of the cuff. The side effect of a tight cuff is that it emphasises the puff effect.
- And hurray for being able to use 15mm buttons! I have loads in my stash. And pattern matching across the front of course!
Fabric notes:
- Spoonflower’s Organic Cotton Sateen is quite thick and weighty with a very smooth hand feel thanks to the sateen weave.
- It’s not crispy like poplin and not much drape either so works very well for a long-sleeved button-down shirt – if you’re looking for a light summer shirt I’d give this a miss as it’s too thick.
All in all, a fun make in a print and colour that feels very me!
Pop over to spoonflower.com for more inspiration, then download the pattern and make sure you tag #PeppermintPatterns (and #PeppermintRozelleSlip) 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. …
Hang out with us on Instagram
🌻 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. 🌿
