Vintage, Preloved and Household Items: Sewing with Upcycled Fabrics
- Words by Peppermint
While we love fashion and allllll the pretty things, we don’t love the waste that comes with it.
Along with the staggering 6000 kilograms of clothing that is dumped into Aussie landfill every 10 minutes, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate about 500,000 tonnes of leather and textiles are discarded each year – yikes. They’re pretty horrifying stats, and ones that get us wondering what we can do to help prevent excessive textile waste while indulging in one of our favourite pastimes: sewing.
Using upcycled fabrics is a great, sustainable way to get your stitch on. To help you make more mindful choices for all your projects, we teamed up with our sewing pal Mel Tesch (of @melt.stitches) to put together this handy guide to sourcing preloved fabric, utilising scraps and upcycling that’ll have you reducing your waste in no time.
IMAGE: MEL TESCH (@MELT.STITCHES) WEARING HER DRESS MADE FROM A THRIFTED SHEET!
WHAT CAN YOU UPCYCLE?
Good news, sewing fam – you might be sitting on material for your next me-made project already! Have a look around your house for these goodies you might have otherwise overlooked.
Tea Towels
Got a kitchen drawer with tea towels coming out the wazoo? Why not upcycle them into a tote bag (hello free Peppermint pattern!) or a pot pourri pouch? Bonus points for kitsch vintage prints.
Bed Sheets
There’s only so many sheets your linen cupboard can hold and old bed sheets are great for using as toiles or testing out a new pattern you may be in the process of drafting! Thrift store finds are often perfect for making retro, bold and patterned pieces too, like this stunning floral number from Mel Tesch or this super cute playsuit from Amy Nicole Studio.
Unwanted Clothes
It’s time to leave the 80s behind Dad… Turn old band tees into rad undies or make some fabric yarn for future craft projects. In Issue 39, Leah Musch (aka UnMaterial Girl) showed us how to whip up a tote bag from a t-shirt!
Doona Covers
Why should your bed get all the fun prints?! Old doona covers are a go-to for patterns that require lots of yardage. And it technically means you get to stay in bed all day… kind of.
Tablecloths
Tablecloths are another great option for dresses and other patterns that require a decent amount of fabric… like this Wrap Top from Chloe of Live For Less using a preloved tablecloth.
Curtains
Curtains are often made of a heavier material which means they’re perfect for your next upcycled pants, cushion, tote bag or quilt project.
Pillow Cases
Show some love to the mini people in your life – pillow cases have the perfect amount of fabric to make a dress for a little one.
Unwanted Toys and Cushions
Before you toss that manky teddy bear, why not repurpose it as hobby fill for your next toy or pincushion? Grab a copy of Issue 48 for Peppermint’s free bush buddies pattern!
Fabric Scraps
Been hoarding fabric scraps from your last project? There are tonnes of scrap busting projects out there – this list of 101 ideas can get you started. Think food covers, beeswax wraps, scrunchies, fabric labels, neck scarves, jewellery, drawstring bags for gifts, wheat/rice bags, coasters, rag rugs or bowls, pot holders and oven mitts. Go and get your google on – the opportunities are endless!
IMAGE: RECYCLED TEXTILE MARKET VIA FACEBOOK.
GO SECONDHAND
If you can’t find enough fabric around your house, see what secondhand gold you can uncover elsewhere. Vintage fabrics can give your project a truly unique feel, and happily there are lots of awesome places to search for treasure.
eBay, Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace
Go hunting online and you’ll be rewarded with loads of pre-loved fabrics, especially pretty vintage ones. Swoon!
Shop the Remnants in Fabric Stores
Still considered new fabric, these pieces are generally cheaper and you’ll help save smaller pieces from getting binned. Plus you might find end-of-line designer fabrics too. Win-win!
Buy From Online Groups
There are various Facebook groups where you can get your mitts on pre-loved pieces – some of our favourites include Fabric Destash Australia, Vintage Fabric Destash Australia, The Great Fabric Destash, The Great Aussie Only Fabric Destash Group.
Thrift Stores
The classics like Lifeline, Salvos, Vinnies, Australian Red Cross, RSPCA and Savers are often fabric goldmines and usually have a dedicated space at the back for all things craft. Oh, and be sure to check out the linens section!
Specialist Pre-loved Fabric Stores and Markets
Places like Brisbane’s The Sewing Lair and Recycled Textile Market and Sydney’s The Sewing Basket are all well worth a visit – once you’ve spent hours perusing the goodness, you may never return to a stock-standard fabric store.
Elsewhere, places like Brisbane’s Reverse Garbage, rescue and sell industrial discards from landfill. They carry things that will inspire you to think even more creatively – hello rubber pieces, leather scraps and deadstock fabric galore!
To sell or swap leftover scraps of your own or to find supplies to finish that project that’s been lurking in your sewing basket for far too long, head to Craft Swap Meet, an online platform for Australian makers, crafters and creatives to sustainably buy, swap and sell materials.
The Wardrobes of Neighbours, Coworkers, Friends and Family
Don’t be shy – do a call-out asking for people’s leftover fabric. They may well want to clear out the clutter so you’re essentially doing them a favour, you lovely thing!
Hot tip: if you’ve sourced some secondhand fabric and don’t know quite what it’s made of, do a burn test. Just not while you’re still inside the op shop…
IMAGE: @_DOMUM WEARING THE PEPPERMINT PEPLUM TOP MADE FROM SCRAP FABRICS.
MINDFUL MAKING
Whether it’s realising just how much fabric you’re left with after cutting a pattern, completing a laborious jumpsuit and then realising it isn’t quite your style, or finally finishing off a pair of jeans only to find that you’ve made them a tad too small (gah!), textile waste is an unavoidable part of a sewing habit. There are, thankfully, ways to try and keep those remnants to a minimum though.
Be mindful when placing your pattern to utilise the fabric (and the spaces between the pattern pieces) as best you can. Unstitch projects that don’t go as planned (or, of course, sell or gift the item to a friend!), and save the scraps for another time. Look out for zero-waste patterns, where the pieces fit together perfectly to eliminate leftover pieces, or try going against the grain – to maximise fabric – when grain lines are not important.
And finally, for those scraps that you’ve exhausted all avenues for, send them off to a textile recycler. Planet Ark have a Recycling Near You directory, Waster have lots of great tips, and the recently launched Textile Recyclers Australia are helping to keep textiles out of landfill by upcycling unwanted textile resources.
TOP IMAGE: HOW TO MAKE A TOTE BAG FROM A T-SHIRT WITH LEAH MUSCH IN ISSUE 39.
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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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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. 🌿
If your fingers are twitching for some crafting, take a peep at this massive list of marvellous makes that can be whipped up in a flash, put together by our Sewing Manager Laura. Ok yes, it was originally a roundup we created for easy Christmas gifts, but now it can be your blueprint for easy craft wins to go on your 2026 making must-do list!
If money and time are slim for you right now – as they are for many of us – these 22 projects will help you avoid the chaos and consumerism of the malls, scratch that creative itch and produce a fun me-made make that won’t break the bank.
Link in bio! 🪡🎨✂️
#PeppermintMagazine #MeMadeGifts #DIYs #EasyWins
"I, like so many of my fellow sewists, live a life of endless lists of ‘to-sew’ patterns, fabrics and garments. My stitchy to-do list is longer than my arm and it ain’t getting any shorter. There are just so many wonderful surface pattern designers, indie pattern-makers and small businesses who I want to support, that I am simply never short of inspiration for garments I’d like to sew. But you know what just does not seem to make its way to the top of the list? Pyjamas. Jimmy-jams, PJs, jarmies. They just don’t rate highly enough for me to commit time and fabric to them. I mean, barely anyone even gets to see them. The ratio of bang vs buck is low on the ‘thanks-I-made-it-ometer’."
You’ve probably heard it from your Nan: always wear nice undies, because you never know what might happen! (And who might catch a glimpse.) But just in case the unexpected happens while you’re slumming it at home in your washed out tracky dacks, Peppermint sewing manager Laura Jackson’s adding pretty PJs to her list of preferred ‘ghost outfits’… Because shuffling off this mortal coil can be perfectly stylish, too.
Read more of `Haunt Couture: Why Laura Jackson Decided To Up Her Pyjama Game` at the link in our bio!
Words and photos: @Laura_The_Maker 💤
#PJPatterns #MeMadePJs #Pyjamas #GhostOutfit
STAY SOFT ☁️
We love when some of our friends collide! And this collab between @SueChingLascelles and the legends at @DangerousFemales is a goodie.
From Sue-Ching:
New year, new mantra babes, because we tried being tough and it was exhausting. So now we’re going to lead with kindness and compassion and see what happens. We have nothing to lose! So let’s stay soft this year. Love ourselves and each other.
New limited edition tee designed by me for @DangerousFemales. 100% of the profits go to supporting DV services. Available NOW and did I mention limited edition? Such a cutie reminder for the year we’re going to have. The year we deserve to have.
BIG LOVE ya big SOFTIES 🤍
Sue-Ching x
Photos by @AMRPhotographer_
#DangerousFemales #DVAwareness #StaySoft
