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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There’s no points for perfection, but you’ll get a trophy for trying. If nothing else this year, take the leap and try something new.
#OtterBeeStitching #Embroidery #BeBrave #TrySomethingNew #EmbroideryArt
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#PeppermintMagazine #SlowSunday #SwitchOff #Unplug #ReadAMagazine
A toast to the old you 🥂
We wholeheartedly love this post from the brilliant @EmilyOnLife:
“2026: Reinvent, burn it down, let it go (whatever it is). Year of the Snake it up. Exercise your boundaries, exercise your body, take one teeny step every day towards a life that feels better to be in.
But don’t you dare shit on your old self while you do it.
Hold yourself with reverence and tenderness and respect, because you got you this far. You did your very best with the information and tools you had at the time. You scraped yourself together, you made it work, you survived what felt impossible to survive: again and again and again.
You are perpetually in the process of becoming, whether you can feel it or not, whether or not you add it to your 2026 to-do list.“
Some very wise words from @Damon.Gameau to take us into 2026 🙌🏼
⭐️ We made it!!! ⭐️
Happy New Year, friends. To those who smashed their goals and achieved their dreams, and to those who are crawling over the finish line hoping to never speak of this year again (and everyone else in between): we made it. However you got here is enough. Be proud.
It’s been a tough year for many of us in small business, so here’s to a better year in 2026. We’re forever grateful for all your support and are jumping for joy to still be here bringing you creativity, kindness and community.
We’re also excited to be leaping into the NY with our special release sewing pattern – the Waratah Wrap Dress!
How great are our fabulous models: @Melt.Stitches, @KatieMakesADress and @Tricky.Pockets - and also our incredible Sewing Manager @Laura_The_Maker! 🙌🏼
Ok 2026: let’s do this. 💪🏼
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #MeMade #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
Putting together our annual Stitch Up brings on all the feels! We feel humbled that you’ve chosen to sew Peppermint patterns, we feel inspired by the versions you’ve created and we feel proud of you.
Where to begin?! As always, there has been a plethora of Peppermint patterns flooding our feeds this year, and we wish we could showcase more than just a handful of magnificent makes from you, our clever community. We encourage you to flip through the me-made items in your wardrobe or scroll through your grid and remind yourself of the beauty you’ve created with your own two hands (and maybe a seam ripper and some choice words). Congratulations to all of us for our creative achievements this year!
We’ve put together some (but absolutely not all) of our favourites from 2025 over on our website. We hope it inspires your next make!
🪡 Link in bio 🪡
Pictured: @FrocksAndFrouFrou @MazzlesMakes @KatieMakesADress @_Marueli_ @IUsedToBeACurtain @Nanalevine.Couture @PiperInFullColour @MadeByMeJessieB @SarahMalkawi @Made.By.Little.Mama
#PeppermintPatterns #SewingPatterns #MeMade #MeMadeEveryday
