It’s Quiltin’ Time – The Endless Possibilities of Quilting
- Words by Peppermint
top image JUSTICE MCNEIL OF THREAD AND SPROUT
As we wander deep into winter in the southern hemisphere, our hearts and wardrobes begin to yearn for the cosy, the cuddly, perhaps even the snuggly. And what represents those qualities more than the humble quilt? Unfortunately, it’s not yet acceptable to swaddle yourself in Grandma’s old quilt and head out into the world – as Edna Mode once said, “No capes.” But, fear not! Quilting, you see, is not just for quilts.
According to the Secret Sewing Council which defines all the definitions and makes all the rules, “quilting” is not “the act of making cute quilts” but in fact the technique of joining a minimum of three layers of fabric and stitching through all the layers to create a three-dimensional padded surface. Anything can be quilted!
So toss your blankies aside and allow us to take you on a magical journey of the endless possibilities of quilting.
From little things…
Piecing together a big ass blanket can be an intimidating endeavour. Why not build up your quilting muscles with a small project?
Suzy Quilts – whose website is a wonderful repository of quilting knowledge where you are starting from baby basics or jonesing for those high-level quilt patterns – has some great tutorials on small quilting projects for groovy accessories like a quilted sleep mask or a cool quilted collar!
Eliane of Patchwork & Poodles was looking for a way to use up offcuts from her quilted coat projects when she developed her adorable Mini Quilted Zipper Pouch project. And, of course, we would be remiss not to mention our own teensy quilting project – the quilted coasters we made with Spoonflower.
The amazing technicolour dreamcoat
When taking quilting to the world of apparel, the obvious place to start is with quilted coats. It’s effectively a blanket with arms, perfect for encasing yourself in cosy contentment.
Brittney Frey and Romy from @SewLike have both shared some pretty comprehensive tomes of tips and tricks for crafting a quilted coat, while Eliane has compiled a rousing roundup of coat sewing patterns that work well with quilted fabrics.
Theoretically, you’d think you could take any pattern and simply cut the requisite pieces out of quilted fabric but it’s not that straightforward. The process of quilting adds bulk and reduces drape so you should consider how that will impact the fit and flow of a garment. In general, quilted fabrics work best in garments where structure is a plus.
See my vest
If coats are a tad too bulky for your climate or vibe, or maybe you want to keep your core warm but suffer from chronically hot arms, a quilted vest might be the solution for you! Embrace the adult bib life with these cool quilted vests, which go over your head and fasten at the sides, to create the optimal canvas for your beautiful quilt work on the front and back. Meredith from Sew Liberated goes into more detail about how she made her version here.
Quilts maketh the clothes
Even more traditionally free-flowing garments are not impossible to quilt – they might just require an extra moment of consideration. @Tartan_Tarlatan and @The.M.Archives show off their sweet pants made from secondhand quilts, and @Spaghetti_Western_Sewing and WithWendy’s adorable quilted baby doll dresses give that chic, straight-from-bed, Cecilie Bahnsen vibe.
Skip the Q
And a final pro tip… If you are hesitant to dive into the deep end of quilting – Wadding? Wacky rulers? Walking feet? What does it all mean? – there is often a treasure trove of secondhand quilts hidden in op-shop corners waiting to be re-loved and transformed into something new!
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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. …
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🌻 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. 🌿
