Bushfire Action: How to Help
- Words by Peppermint
It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed and helpless at the scale and severity of the current bushfire emergency. But by rising up together and all pitching in, we show humanity at its finest. There are so many places who need support right now, so we’ve gathered together just some of the people and organisations who are providing direct, tangible help to those on the ground.
Foodbank. Australia’s largest hunger relief organisation is sending food and water to the areas that need it, with interstate donations passed directly to fire-affected communities in NSW and Victoria. Whilst they always welcome food donations, after being overwhelmed at the volume of goods, they’re now asking people to prioritise the giving of funds. Thanks to our amazing community who took part in our Brisbane FoodBank drive – you all rock!
Animal Rescue Craft Guild. Part of the Animal Rescue Collective, the Craft Guild are asking for people to knit, crochet and sew items including koala mittens, bat wraps and joey pouches for injured and displaced wildlife.
Spend With Them. Burns survivor and motivational speaker Turia Pitt has launched ‘Spend With Them’ – an Instagram account featuring businesses from fire-affected communities. This was inspired by the Buy From The Bush initiative – a social media campaign launched late last year to support businesses facing drought.
Fire Relief Fund for First Nations Communities. This fundraiser was started to provide culturally sensitive, specific support to fire-affected First Nations communities and has already raised over $500,000.
Givit. As well as offering a service where exact items people need are listed and the public can give their own (or register items they wish to pass on), Givit is currently running campaigns specifically supporting NSW and Queensland bushfire victims.
Make It Rain: Find The Firies. Fancy a training session with Chris Hemsworth, or a personal styling session with Isabella Pennefather from Spell? How about a tennis lesson with Pat Rafter? Many celebs, artists and musos are offering their time in an auction to fund the NSW RFS Northern Rivers and Far North Coast Brigades.
Celeste Barber. As of Friday morning, this incredible fundraiser is almost at $50 million! Chip in your two cents (or more) to help support the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Australia Zoo. The Irwins – and their Wildlife Warriors animal hospital – have treated over 90,000 animals who have been hurt in the bushfires (like the ridiculously cute bats pictured above), and have been sending medical supplies to rescuers and carers on the frontlines.
Red Cross. One of the original support networks, who have been working tirelessly to provide much-needed emergency assistance, help at relief centres, food and water, grants and psychological first aid.
One Day Closer To Rain. A Facebook group (of 220,000 members) that was created to allow those in rural Australia to sell their homemade crafts, providing an opportunity to support those in drought-stricken communities.
WIRES Wildlife Rescue. WIRES have been rescuing and caring for wildlife for over 30 years and is the largest wildlife rescue organisation in Australia. They are currently experiencing an unprecendented demand and urgently need donations to help support their animal rescues.
Roadtrip For Good. A social initiative designed to help businesses affected by the bushfires get back on their feet. Businesses can register themselves on the interactive map to show that they are ‘open for business’ and ready for visitors. This will provide financial support in these communities that need it most. Plan your own #roadtripforgood to these beautiful towns.
Just remember that this crisis is far from over, and people, communities and organisations will be needing our help for many months to come. If you can’t provide any assistance right now, hold off for a few weeks, or even a few months. Every little bit counts!
Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
Mother Teresa.
IMAGE ABOVE: AUSTRALIA ZOO
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TOGETHER WE STITCH RETURNS! 🪡✨
Ditch the dishes. Clear your cutting table. Pop the kettle on. Because Together We Stitch is back from 15 to 22 March for seven joy-filled days of sewing, learning and reveling in the joy of shared community, no matter where you are in the world!
Hosted by Megan from @SewAndTell.Co, this global online sewing event brings thousands of makers together for a week of practical know-how, confidence boosts and those “why didn’t I know this sooner?!” moments.
This year’s line-up is packed with masterclasses and practical inspiration, like:
🪡 Simple knit finishing tricks to make your garments look store-bought by @SewAndTell.Co’s Megan Linley
🪡 Troubleshooting your sewing machine by Jenni Miller from @LetsGetSewingNow
🪡 Hands-on pattern adjustments for sway back from @GinaReneeDesigns
🪡 An interview with Brandon Hayden from @HappilyDressed about building a garment around the fabric you love
🪡 Iron Care 101 by @MicheleMuska
🪡 Kate Boyle from @MindMovementHealth shares posture tips and exercises to help prevent sewing aches and pains
🪡 An easy jeans-to-skirt upcycle project from @LaCreativeMama’s Victoria Martinez Azaro
🪡 DIY custom fabrics and creative craft-room upgrades by Stephanie Young from @So_Stephanie_Says
🪡 Plus choosing prints with intention, making your dream wardrobe a reality, and meeting the creator of Project & Cut, Clinton Blackmore to talk all things PDF pattern future
Together We Stitch is all about expert-led sessions, creative demos, practical tips you can take straight to your sewing table, and a community that celebrates every win along the way. Join live or catch the replays when it suits you.
Head to togetherwestitch.com or hit the link in bio to save your seat. 🪡
#TogetherWeStitch #SewingExpo #SewingInspo #MeMade #SewingCommunity #SewistsOfInstagram
Coffee begins long before your morning cuppa! ☕️
2026 has been declared the International Year of the Woman Farmer, led by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the @UnitedNations. It’s a global spotlight with a practical purpose: to recognise women’s indispensable roles across agrifood systems, and to push for the changes that still haven’t arrived evenly, like equal access to land, finance, training, technology and decision-making.
Into that bigger picture steps Elizabeth Duna, a coffee farmer from Papua New Guinea and the chairwoman of the Keto-Tapasi Progress Association. Elizabeth is also the only female chairperson across the @FairtradeANZ cooperative network in the Pacific, overseeing farmers across the association and helping ensure Fairtrade standards are met.
We had the privilege of chatting to Elizabeth (just in time for International Woman’s Day this Sunday, too!) about what’s been growing and changing within her cooperative, what ‘fair trade’ means to her, and the hopes that manifest in a ‘simple’ bag of coffee beans.
Link in bio ☕️
#FairTrade #FairTradeCoffee #InternationalWomensDay
DIFFICULT ✊🏻✊🏽✊🏿
The collab we needed for International Women`s Day… and every day!
From @DangerousFemales:
"Hands up if you’ve ever been called difficult behind your back, to your face, or by an Australian Prime Minister during a Q&A?
DIFFICULT by Grace Tame, in her own handwriting is… one word: ICONIC!
100% of profits from our tees are donated, 100% of the time. Funds from this @TamePunk tee will go to @BerylWomen_inc, a First Nations led women’s refuge in the ACT.
Kinda ironic, don’t ya think?
Supporting an org in the parliament state with words from a politician for Australia’s longest running and underfunded women’s refuge.
Thank you @TamePunk for being difficult." 🫶🙌
Link in bio to get behind this tee!
#InternationalWomensDay #DangerousFemales #GraceTame #Difficult
NEW PATTERN ALERT 🎉
She’s giving comfort, she’s giving style, she’s giving palate-cleansing sewing. There’s nothing quite like an easy breezy dress that’s not only a dream to wear but a delight to sew, and the NEW Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress delivers!
Cute, classic and cool with a touch of retro: the Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with sleek lines and elegant curves. Bust darts are in play for shaping and spacious pockets to hold all your treasures. Top-stitching detail around the neck and armholes invites creative contrast threads and the keyhole loop closure at the back neck begs for a feature button (or a tie closure!).
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection. Karmme also stocks darling tassels so we popped a hot pink one on as a closure!
The love child of Imby Langenbach, Karmme Apparel (fittingly pronounced ‘calm’), is a haven of boho apparel sewing patterns alongside complementary fabrics steeped in tradition with modern iterations from Jaipur, India. Hand block-printed and digitally printed soft cottons produced by Indian artisans showcase rich colours and designs from Imby’s travels, perfect for showing off me-made masterpieces.
Our dresses were superbly stitched by our sewing manager @Laura_The_Maker, and modelled magnificently by Shannon @Pins_And_Tonic and Serah @SerahSews. And that perfect pink wall was courtesy of the good folk at @ShareTheDignityAustralia, an organisation that aims to bring dignity to women, girls and those who menstruate who are experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
Patternmaker: @GarmentaApparel
Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
#PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress #PeppermintPatterns
Connection 🫶🏻
Such great ideas from @GrowWithColby:
“A common theme I noticed in 2025:
Everyone is craving more connection.
Use these friend nights to make it happen in 2026.
Send this to the people you want to do these with.”
#Connection #Friends #Community
No bull - these pants are the cat`s (or cow`s) pyjamas...
Jenny from @RhubarbSundays:
And they are done! My @PeppermintMagazine #PeppermintFernPleatedPants made using a gorgeous fabric from @IndyBindyFabrics! I absolutely love this fabric! It’s soft and drapes beautifully. And the best thing about it is that, from a distance, it looks like an abstract print and then you look closer and theres a curious bull looking right at you. 🤣🤣 🐄 🐮
Really happy with the end product. They are very comfy! I didn’t make many changes to the pattern. Just a touch more room in the rise and a little bit off the waist. I’ll post some closeups of the details tomorrow when I actually take them off. 🤣 "
Grab the pattern from the link in bio!
#PeppermintPatterns #IMakeMyOwnClothes #ClothesThatFeelLikePyjamas #SewersGonnaSew
