Bring Your Own Bedding With These Clever Blanket Upcycles
- Words by Peppermint
Doona days are great but not every day can be a doona day. A blanket, however, is different: thrift yourself a quality wool throw and it can take you places that no doona ever could (the office, for example, if you’re crafty about it). There are many clever folk making fabulous fits from beloved blankets – wool versions tend to last a very long time, so they’re perfect for upcycling.
If you don’t have any old blankets in your cupboards waiting for a makeover, there are often plenty of preloved ones for sale in thrift stores. For top quality, keep an eye out for heritage brands like Onkaparinga and Waverley Mills; if your op-shop has already been raided, there are plenty of vintage sellers on social media, Etsy and eBay (expect to pay between $20 and $100).
Being the good sorts we are, we’ve trawled the internet to find snuggly sewing inspiration for your vintage bounty, plus shoppable makes to keep you nice and toasty for the wintery days ahead.
above RUBY RAISIN
UNDER COVERS
If you like the look of these very smart cocoon coats by Sydney label @Ruby_Raisin_, you’d better get on the email list – fresh drops have a habit of selling out in minutes. Or follow the lead of @BritaSews and @Rhi___Made and get DIYing. (In case you didn’t spot it, Rhi’s velvet-lined make is based on the #PeppermintButtonUpJacket. Click here for the pattern – it’s free!).
HOT PROPERTY
If you can’t get away with wearing your bedding to work, you could always try smuggling one of these blanket-cover cuties under your jacket. We reckon these hot water bottle covers by stitchy stores @My_CreativeFinds and @Mop_And_Dolly are just adorable, but you could also go wild and stitch yourself (or someone small) this lovely whale by Twig + Tale (we can’t promise this one will go unnoticed in the office).
SNUG AS A BUG
Is there anything sweeter than a sleeping child? Nope. But you can wrap a very-much-awake child in a warm-and-fuzzy blanket coat and hope for an impromptu nap. We love these styles by professional stitchers Karyn Kong @Eva.Mei.Vintage.And.Modern, Jane @LilPopet and Carol Knudsen @deer.and.sparrow.
IN STITCHES
Where there are blankets, there ought to be blanket stitch. Bonus points if there are also multiple shades (à la sewist and stylist @InannaSolveig) or infinite layering possibilities (à la this vest by UK maker Elizabeth Cake @A.Circular.Story and this shift dress by Wagga Wagga maker Janine Middlemost @Middlemost).
POCKET PARTY
Polly Pockets, Pizza Pockets, pocket rockets… we’re yet to meet a pocket we don’t love. We’re particularly enamoured with the generous side pockets on the shacket UK sewist @LouisaMiriamSmith crafted from her nan’s wool blanket. She writes: “My grandmother always loved to know I had warm clothing to wear, so I think she would be pleased with this transformation.” In other pocket finds, we have the cosy laptop covers of Bel Dowde @RambleFolkCo and this sweet duffel bag @EllaWidmer_ made with help from sewing teacher @Shaye_Hardisty.
TIME FOR TWEE
A couple of these blanket cushions would do quite nicely in a rambling English manor. For maximum effect, be sure to style with leaf tea and high-brow literature. We heart these makes by (from left): Cindy Choua @WonderWhatYouWere, Gemma Cutts @PaperCuttsDesigns and Wendy Doughty @My_Random_Makes.
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. Which means we are officially entering party season. Work parties, friend-dos, family get-togethers and then we’re straight…
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STAY SOFT ☁️
We love when some of our friends collide! And this collab between @SueChingLascelles and the legends at @DangerousFemales is a goodie.
From Sue-Ching:
New year, new mantra babes, because we tried being tough and it was exhausting. So now we’re going to lead with kindness and compassion and see what happens. We have nothing to lose! So let’s stay soft this year. Love ourselves and each other.
New limited edition tee designed by me for @DangerousFemales. 100% of the profits go to supporting DV services. Available NOW and did I mention limited edition? Such a cutie reminder for the year we’re going to have. The year we deserve to have.
BIG LOVE ya big SOFTIES 🤍
Sue-Ching x
Photos by @AMRPhotographer_
#DangerousFemales #DVAwareness #StaySoft
Furred, feathered, fishy, scaled… The pets we choose are as diverse as our personalities. (And apparently, quite often we resemble each other.) But they all deserve to be cared for in ways guaranteed to keep them safe, healthy, and happy. Basically, to be loved – something most of us pet lovers go to great (often expensive) lengths to achieve! (Looking at you, ginger furball, claiming my just-washed bathrobe as today’s fave bed…)
But if you’re concerned about the environment, you might experience cognitive dissonance about the impact your favourite fluffy’s having on the planet. Our pets’ needs are complicated: food, toys, bedding, accessories, and… wait for it… poo patrol paraphernalia. Turns out pets have quite the carbon paw print! So, what to do?
Start by picking more sustainable pet products and eco-friendly pet accessories, and thinking outside of the (litter) box about waste disposal. We’ve gone digging to find some (by no means all!) of the brands that keep both pet welfare and planet front of mind.
Read more at the link in our bio!
🐶🐱🐍🐹🐤
#SustainablePets #AnimalPawPrint #CarbonFootprint #EcoPets
If you’ve ever wanted to try sewing a lace insert, take the Daisy Dress as your cue to dive in and give it a go!
Not a huge fan of lace? Fret not flower! You could use the lace trim insert line on the sleeve to add a strip of contrast fabric, ribbon or even another type of trim like giant ric-rac! Or, of course, leave it out entirely for a simple, classic version.
Thanks to @SewYourWay_ and their fabulously stylish sewing accessories for supporting the Daisy Dress. This Australian, female-led business is all about modernising sewing, crafting and quilting, and making creating easier and more inclusive for crafters of all ages, abilities and genders. Their Silipins are a must; the heat-safe, silicone head pins are designed for accessibility and ease – game-changing for sewists with arthritis, grip issues or dexterity challenges. Founder Zoe Patterson realised there was a huge community of sewers, quilters and crafters that lacked access to new and innovative sewing tools – so she did something about it!
Head to the link in bio to read more about the Daisy now – the digital pattern also comes free with Issue 64.
🌼 Photos: @KelleySheenan
🌼 Patternmaker: Betsy @GarmentaApparel
🌼 Model: Grace @OhSewGrace
🌼 Fabric: @Potter_And_Co_Australia
🌼 Tools: @SewYourWay_
🌼 Lace trim: Star Guipure 40mm @TheMakerSocietyAustralia
#PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintDaisyDress #SewYourWay #PotterAndCo #LinenDress
“I really believe that every single one of us has creativity within us. Even those who claim they aren’t creative, or that they ‘can’t paint’ or whatever narrative they hold – I truly believe it’s there if we only reach out and grab it. Of course, it expresses itself in a multitude of ways: some of us are creative with words, or images, or sculpting. Some in the way we tend our homes, engage with our children or create our gardens. But the basis is the same creativity, and my mission with Ruco is to inspire it. I aim to create colours and sets that will themselves ignite that creative spark and give people permission to play freely and enjoy the process.”
Looking for a delightful way to add some colour to your creativity? From vegan, artist-grade paints to refillable ceramic paint pots made to last, Ruco Paints is a beautiful example of sustainability meeting artistry.
Founded by Marlena Taylor and handcrafted on the NSW North Coast using slow, traditional methods, @RucoPaints grew from a desire to live creatively, raise a family with intention, and offer an alternative to fast, disposable art supplies. We chatted with Marlena about the journey so far, the magic of small batches, and why ‘living a making’ (as per her favourite quote from poet and philosopher Mark Nepo) matters.
🎨 Link in bio 🎨
Photos: @LilyJeanPhotographs
#HandmadePaints #WatercolourPaints #AustralianArt #EcoArtSupplies
The fabulous Fern! We heart this make from the wonderful Trixie Johnston of @WithLoveTrixie:
"I’m chuffed to have collaborated with @PeppermintMagazine to bring you my version of the #PeppermintFernPleatedPants ✨
Featuring a wide leg fit with pleated front, slash pockets and a nifty centre back invisible zip. I really enjoyed the way this pattern is drafted to fit, which means a lot coming from a mum navigating postpartum curves. It’s tailored yet comfortable and hugs me in all the right places without any additional fit adjustments.
I also want to give a massive shout to the Fern’s sewing partners @Sohmo_Au for sending me a cookie tin of quality sewing goodies that I used throughout the project and @IndyBindyFabrics fabrics who provided the most incredible black cotton Sashiko-ori fabric. This fabric was made on a custom loom that weaves in a traditional sashiko (decorative running stitch pattern) and it’s a texture unlike anything I’ve sewn before.�
Details: �
• Size G – No mods. (I selected the size based off my waist measurements) Note: Size ranges from A-P (!!!)
• Fern Pleated Pants Pattern, SOHMO tools and Fabric were gifted however, Peppermint magazine’s ‘Pay what you can’ model provides such amazing patterns at a sustainable, affordable cost.
• Matching top is a modified version of The Carol Top from @SummerHaus_ (size 10)"
#PeppermintPatterns #IndyBindyFabrics #Sohmo #MeMade
“When people get old, they die. This art form is like a plant. You may think it has died, but nurture it, and it will come back to life. It lives on through generations.”
These words by Gami, an artisan who helped revive the lost tradition of Lambadi embroidery, speaks to the wisdom that Meanjin/Brisbane photographer Melanie Hinds (@WithThePeaches) experienced during her visit to Sittilingi village in the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu, India, in 2023. Melanie went there to document how the once-nomadic Lambadi tribe are reviving their traditional embroidery craftsmanship and transforming their community through the @PorgaiArtisans Association’s artists’ residency.
Her photos became part of the ‘Stitching Stories’ exhibition at the India Ocean Craft Triennial (IOTA24) Program hosted in Fremantle: an intimate portrait of the women empowered both economically and socially by the initiative, and their captivating work. Gaelle Beech of @TheAnjelmsProject also helped make this exhibition a reality.
Nothing goes to waste in their craft, says Melanie, with even the smallest fabric scraps transformed into toys for children or woven into ropes for beds. “Through their intricate hand-stitched work, these women are preserving a centuries-old craft.”
Discover the beauty in our ‘Pride of place’ feature in Issue 64, at stockists now.
#PeppermintMagazine #PorgaiArtisans #LambadiEmbroidery #Craft #TraditionalEmbroidery
