Spilling the Tea on Queensland’s History
- Words by Peppermint
Mid-century ‘kitchenalia’ and ‘Queenslandiana’ are having a renaissance of sorts among local designers and makers. But what do 200 tea towels en masse say about aspects of our collective memory and design aesthetic?
A vibrant tribute to the humble tea towel, the State Library of Queensland’s latest exhibition – Queensland to a T – examines just that. Dated between 1950 and 2016, the tea towels reflect our state’s changing ideas and interests – and the stubborn longevity of some stereotypes. Most of the collection was designed for popular consumption and is from the Glenn R Cooke Souvenir Textile Collection.
Collecting is about learning and these tea towels help tell the social history of the state and explain how Queenslanders saw their local communities.
Glenn, a social historian, curator and collector, believes the collection is the only one of its kind in the world. “I have searched the great cultural institutions of the world which, at most, have a handful and none have such a comprehensive focus,” he says. “For me, collecting is about learning and these tea towels help tell the social history of the state and explain how Queenslanders saw their local communities.”
Playing with themes of destination, design and domesticity, the free exhibition – which you can learn more about here – leans heavily into nostalgia and will run from 6 August to 22 January. Soak up the kitchen kitsch and take a gander at a few classic tea towels from the collection below!
left THE SUNSHINE STATE, ITEM NO. 3, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND. right AUSTRALIAN PINEAPPLES, ITEM NO. 49C, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND.
left LONGREACH ARTS AND CRAFTS, ITEM NO. 299, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND. right GREAT BARRIER REEF, ITEM NO. 67, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND.
left LORIKEET, ITEM NO. 88, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND. right THE PET PORPOISE POOL COOLANGATTA TWEED HEADS, ITEM NO. 331, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND.
left AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL ART, ITEM NO. 37, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND. right MOOCHETH, THE IBIS, ITEM NO. 95, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND.
left AUSTRALIAN WILD FLOWERS ITEM NO. 521, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND. right CALENDAR FOR 1986, ITEM NO. 1298, GLENN R. COOKE SOUVENIR TEXTILES COLLECTION, STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND.
This article was created in partnership with our friends at the State Library of Queensland! Queensland to a T runs from 6 August through 22 January. Follow the link here for more details.
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“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
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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
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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 😂
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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.
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🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
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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. 🌿
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Link in bio! 🪡🎨✂️
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