“Our Creative Community is Vital”: Welcome Spring with the Finders Keepers Markets in Brisbane
- Words by Peppermint
images AUTUMN/WINTER SEASON. PHOTOS BY SAMEE LAPHAM.
Hold on to your hats shoppers, the Finders Keepers markets are back for a bright and beautiful spring/summer season! With the smell of jasmine in the air and sunny skies, over 90 local and interstate makers will be blooming at the Brisbane Showgrounds from 2–4 September!
We’ll be there with our latest issue, our best outfits and, as always, good chat! Swing by and document the day with a shot in front of our fabulous floral photo wall, grab a subscription special or a sewing pattern and then rest your weary market feet as you flick through a copy of Peppermint at the Read and Refresh Lounge.
Tickets are on sale now (just $5) and when you buy a ticket, you’ll go in the running to win one of five subscriptions to Peppermint! Happy days! Head to the link here for all the details.
To get you excited about all things Finders Keepers and help you curate your shopping list, we caught up with a few fantastic Brisbane stallholders!
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Retritus
We’re thrilled to be joined at our space by Norton Fredericks from Retritus (you might recognise his pieces from our amazing Issue 51 cover). Norton will be selling some of his gorgeous wares and also spinning yarn live during the weekend!
Tell us a bit about what you make…
I am a queer, Indigenous, sustainable fibre artist and workshop facilitator based on Bullongin Country, who specialises in felt-making and natural botanical dyes. I create wearable pieces, soft furnishings and large-scale tapestry art. I can also create custom work that utilises leftover floral arrangements from life events like weddings or funerals to create extra special memory cloth.
What are you looking forward to most about the Brisbane market?
I am most looking forward to meeting new people and connecting with a broader audience. I have been creating new products, especially for this market, and I’m excited to see what people think of them!
Why is the creative community so special?
The creative community is so special because we love to uplift and support each other. I love having deep conversations with other creatives about their practice. It’s so inspiring.
Rose and Reggie
Tell us a bit about what you make…
Hi, my name is Rose and I make clothing. Fun, bright and ethically made clothing!
What do you love about The Finders Keepers?
I love the people that attend Finders Keepers; both stall holders and customers. Everyone is so supportive, they all have such great style and it’s a big weekend filled with amazing conversations.
Connecting with the Finders Keepers community really fills up your cup and keeps you motivated to keep going.
What are you looking forward to most about the Brisbane market?
I can’t pick one thing, I love the whole weekend. I love the set-up, meeting new customers, eating great food, showing off our new styles and making new friends.
Why is the creative community so special?
Because they are so supportive. Sometimes it’s hard work being a creative. Connecting with the Finders Keepers community really fills up your cup and keeps you motivated to keep going.
Lauren Rogers
Tell us a bit about what you make…
I am a proud Australian Ngarabal visual artist. My artistic vision and inspiration come from my adventures around the country. I like to use layers of fine dotting, linework, colour gradients and Aboriginal symbolism and iconography. I love bright colours that show extreme contrast and capture imagination.
What do you love about The Finders Keepers?
The Finders Keepers is a space for creatives to connect, learn and celebrate! I love that the Finders Keepers is leading a conscious shopping marketplace and that it embraces, celebrates and provides a platform for local artists to showcase their craft!
What are you looking forward to most about the Brisbane market?
Meeting all the fabulous makers from across Brisbane, seeing their beautiful creations and feeling inspired!
Why is the creative community so unique?
Art has been a part of human culture for many centuries. It has been used to express emotions, to communicate ideas and it has been a way to pass down knowledge from one generation to another. Our creative community is vital in continuing the story and keeping our imaginations running wild!
The Finders Keepers is Australia’s largest curated marketplace of makers, designers and entrepreneurs. Online, and via their major market events, the Finders Keepers is where communities come together to shop, explore and discover the very best from designers, makers and entrepreneurs in our country.
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Between 2000 to 2015, global clothing production doubled... while the duration of garment use decreased by 36%.
We are throwing away clothing at a faster rate than ever before. How can we tackle this problem?
✨️ WEAR
Be an outfit repeater - wear your items of clothing as long as possible. Learn to style your garments in various ways. Loved clothing lasts.
✨️ SHARE
If you really need to move it along, share the love with friends - hold a clothing exchange night! Or organise a timeshare with a friend where you swap a few favourite pieces of fashion. If you really can`t find a new home for it, then donate to an op shop or charity.
✨️ CARE
The care of your clothing – washing, drying and ironing – can account for approx 30% of a garment`s total carbon footprint. Hand wash, line dry, wash in cold water, and only wash when necessary.
✨️ REPAIR
Mending – and making – slows down fast fashion buying habits. Repairing used to be common practice, until disposable fashion took over. Extending the life of clothing by just nine months can reduce carbon, water, and waste footprints by 20–30%. Fixing doesn`t need to just be utilitarian – get creative with visible mending!
*Fact from The United Nations Environment Programme
#PeppermintMagazine #WearShareCareRepair #SustainableFashion
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Accessible to beginner and experienced sewists alike, its classic style makes this skirt a wardrobe staple and a pattern you can happily play on repeat. Curved front pockets and the fun exposed-zip detail at the centre back make this style pop! The Acacia is a blank canvas, awaiting inspiration – add contrast top stitching, trim the pockets with bias binding or even change the length. We’ve chosen the smooth, clean lines that come from facing the waist, with back darts to ensure a neat fit on the hip. *chef’s kiss*
This pattern was made with the support of the lovely folk at @WeftAndWarpFabrics 🫶🏼 The team at Weft and Warp graciously sent three sewists the fabric of their choice to whip up their own Acacia A-Line – the results are super sweet!
Head to our website to see the makes from @The.Sewcialite @HandmadeByCarolyn and @You_CanSew - link in bio!
#PeppermintAcaciaAlineSkirt #PeppermintPatterns #WeftAndWarpFabrics #MeMade
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Pattern: #PeppermintTanseyTop
Fabric: Japanese cotton @RawFibre
#MeMade #PeppermintPatterns
How`s your long weekend going? Working hard on your PhD? 🪡✂️🧵
Image from JoellsLeatherWorks on @Etsy
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This incredible mini egg embroidered 3D artwork was created by @Emma_Giacalone_Textiles, a textile artist in Gloucestershire, UK.
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INGREDIENTS: Freehand machine embroidered onto 100% cotton, using Egyptian cotton thread, and wool felt backing.
#EasterArt #GoodEgg #TextileArt
No ordinary wrap dress! 💃
Wrap dress wardrobe malfunction? Not with the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress pattern! We designed the Waratah to make sure this never happens.
Enjoy a few BTS videos from this super fun shoot. Maybe some inspo for Easter weekend sewing?
MODELS/SEWISTS: @Melt.Stitches, @KatieMakesADress @Tricky.Pockets @Laura_The_Maker
Head to the link in bio for the #PeppermintWaratahWrapDress 🪡
#PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #MeMade #WrapDress
