Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 62 i Peppermint Magazine

All writers published in this issue’s Letterbox will receive a Bottle, Tee & Tote Bundle from Worthy, each valued at $94.90! Did you know that one million bottles are purchased around the globe every minute and end up in landfill or our oceans? Worthy was born out of a desire to change this, by reducing the usage of single-use plastic drink bottles. Founder Angela Michel set out to revolutionise the way bottles are made, creating an innovative reusable drink bottle that is made in Melbourne from 100% sugarcane. Carbon neutral, zero waste and entirely BPA-free, these light, bright, dishwasher-safe bottles are all you’ll need to squash your thirst – and your footprint! worthyau.co DEAR PEPPERMINT This is just an appreciation email for your site being so helpful to me. The…

Tell us about the business! How did Paire come about? During a research trip to India, I was shocked by the fashion industry’s exploitation of workers and the environment. I learned that Indian cotton farmers were experiencing alarmingly high suicide rates and fast fashion was wreaking havoc on the environment. I reached out to my best friend, Rex, who comes from a family with over 40 years’ experience in textiles. We shared a belief that the fashion industry wasn’t working right. We wanted to reinvent how clothing is made by combining age-old techniques with modern innovations. After months of trial and error, we found the perfect blend of sustainable materials, like merino wool and cotton, which launched our journey. You started with socks. Why socks? It’s a product that has…

Nature has always been a playground for me to get lost in and feel inspired by. Tell us about your journey to becoming an artist… I have always been an independent and creative person with a deep love for nature. Growing up, I was quite content to play and create things on my own. I felt like there were always endless possibilities! I think this allowed me to explore myself and my interests in a more creative way. After struggling to push through a university degree in social work, I decided to end it and take time to travel and explore my passion for illustration. I began a little social media page and created a small business called Paper Hands, offering original art, prints, textile designs, murals and homewares products.…

What inspired the “Wharenui Harikoa”? The vision for Wharenui Harikoa [translates to ‘House of Joy’] was gifted to us from our Tūpuna [ancestors] in 2018. We knew our wharenui would have a global impact of aroha [love] and connection. The vision was to manifest intergenerational healing and deeply felt joy, one loop at a time. We also envision working with indigenous communities around the globe, re-imagining what indigenous joy looks like through our medium of crochet. What do you hope it brings to those who experience it? Love, security, freedom, joy, connection. The intention from the beginning was that people would step inside this woollen whare and feel like they were being embraced by their nanny’s blanket. What makes crochet healing? The physical act is connecting loops. It is meditative…

A cute-as-a-button way to use up your scraps and add some personality to a skirt, dress or even a tote bag, this Posy Patch Pocket pattern will bring a whole lotta fun (as well as your lip balm and keys). Mix and match your fabrics or go with a monochrome masterpiece; this project puts you in the designer’s seat. Want to add some embellishments like beading or embroidery? Be our guest. Let your imagination bloom, as the options are limitless! posy patch pocket WHAT YOU’LL NEED Fabric (scraps from other projects will do the job!) Fusible interfacing Thread Fabric scissors A blunt-ended tool for pushing out edges (eg. knitting needle) Sewing machine LET’S GET MAKING! Trace off and cut out patterns: [A] Petal Posy Centre Full Posy Choose your fabric…

KARKALLA AT HOME Mindy Woods Karkalla is the name of a beautiful coastal succulent that the author, chef and proud Bundjalung woman Mindy Woods learned to pick as a child. It was also the name of Mindy’s award-winning restaurant in Byron Bay – which has since evolved into the culinary and cultural experience Karkalla on Country – and inspired the title of her Australian-native-focused cookbook. Inside these pages, you’ll find 40 ingredient profiles and more than 100 delicious recipes to try! THUNDERHEAD Sophie Beer Written for tweens and teens, but definitely one that adults will also enjoy, Thunderhead is a hilarious and captivating illustrated novel with soul. The protagonist is an awkward, music-obsessed youth whose best (and only) friend moves schools, leaving Thunderhead to tackle high school alone. While trying…

Many of us find solace in making, whether music, artwork, garments or a garden. Art has always been therapeutic for Holly Neilson of Paper Hands; losing herself in playful, dreamlike watercolours allows her to process emotions and find peace in moments of stress. “The act of painting gives me space to explore my inner landscape when words sometimes cannot,” she says. “I am lucky that art has always been a safe space for me to be me, without any worry of judgement.” For our cover artist, Jess Bird, making was a means to escape a chaotic home life in childhood. Later, while drowning in depression, it became a way to forge connections and discover if others felt the same. Referring to painting as her “emotional homework,” Jess believes art helps…

RUFFLES, NOT RIFLES If you’ve been hunting for patterns suited to “1940s spaghetti-western, prairie, disco, goatherd-ess, nonno-core, alpine-ski-lodge kinda people”, Spaghetti Western’s Sadie Egan is your gal. Based in Northern California, Sadie draws on vintage styles to create comfy duds for modern times. Head to her site for a free Pearl Head Scarf pattern – described by one reviewer as “hipster Handmaid’s Tale”. Blessed day! spaghettiwesternsewing.com TINY WONDERS The woman behind Yarn Industries, Emma, likes to keep things small, from the teeny Aussie natives she embroiders for her dangly earrings to her little Melbourne/Naarm studio, which is just two square metres. The former graphic designer also sells embroidery kits for beginners – her way of passing on the skills her grandmother shared with her. Awww. yarnind.com CLUTCH YOUR PURLS Self-described…

What is Yarn’n and how did it come about? Yarn’n is a First Nations-owned company dedicated to producing sustainable toilet paper made from 100% recycled materials. Founded in 2023, Yarn’n was built on three core pillars: educate, unite and inspire. Our mission is to educate Australians about First Nations culture and environmental sustainability, unite communities through shared values and common goals, and inspire positive change for future generations. By offering a product that reflects these values, Yarn’n aims to raise awareness and appreciation for First Nations culture across Australia while promoting a more sustainable future. How does Yarn’n bring about change? We proudly donate 50% of our profits to the Yalari Foundation, empowering Indigenous children through education and scholarships. Producing our toilet paper from recycled stock uses significantly less water…

Art helps us connect to ourselves, and that helps us connect to one another. Tell us about yourself and what you do! I’m a queer [she/they] 36-year-old self-taught artist and writer from the US. I make things and write things in my attic-turned-home studio. I’m obsessed with graphic novels, new pens and coffee. Daily, I live a slow, magical life – being a mama of two amazing kids, pretending our tiny city plot is a little farm where we grow food, raise chickens and gather friends, and being a gushy goon with my partner. We have two cats, Tegan and Mochi, and a black pug named Frankie, who is most definitely my best friend. We love to travel together and are always thinking about when and where our next trip…

There is no such thing as failure, there’s no such thing as luck. It’s about waking up every day and doing it over and over again. If Lottie Dalziel had to pick one delightfully weird career highlight, it would be this: having a life-size picture of herself, perched on a rubbish bin, plastered on the side of a council garbage truck roaming Bondi’s streets. This moment in May 2023 marked the achievement of a “business goal” she once joked about to friends who were both amused and curious about her new business venture; one that would make her 13-year-old self “pretty proud, while literally laughing and going, ‘This is ridiculous! Who are you, what’s going on here?!’” The 31-year-old Brisbane-born social entrepreneur has done impressive work since her pivotal 2018…

A lot of the time I’ll start with the fabric and it will tell me what to turn it into. What made you start Veronica Tucker the Label? I was working as a womenswear designer for one of Australia’s biggest department stores and I started feeling very uncomfortable with being part of the fast fashion machine. So I began sewing again (after a four-year hiatus, following too much sewing at fashion school). I started making custom pieces for friends and clients I got from my Instagram account, which had 50 followers at the time. I mainly began creating because I felt constrained by brand DNAs at work and the cost restrictions of doing anything with too much fabric and too many details. I wanted to make the things I truly…

Cardigang cardigang.com.au Raffia bags and bucket hat kits will keep you in the loop when it’s too hot for winter woollies. Oche Pots ochepots.etsy.com Digital patterns for amigurumi, like these oh-so-sweet World of Dolls multicultural gals. Wool and the Gang woolandthegang.com Complete kits for fashion-forward makes, from simple to sophisticated with helpful video tutorials. Craft Club craftclubco.com One for ambitious newbies, the Strawberry Pot DIY features lots of techniques (and video tutorials). By Katerina by-katerina.com This Sunset Breeze Dress pattern by Catalina Ungureanu is not only fabulous, it’s also free!…

Ok, what’s your advice for first-timers? The beauty of crochet is that you only need a crochet hook and a ball of yarn to start playing. As pretty as the multicoloured balls of yarn are, it’s best to use a light, solid colour, so you can see the stitches clearly as you learn. Crocheting with friends is fun, so find someone who wants to learn – doing it together can be a great way to start. YouTube tutorials and books are fine, but they can gloss over some of the important things you need to know. In-person learning is wonderful, if you can find someone to show you. Perhaps there is a family member who can teach you, or your local craft store may run beginner classes or crafty get-togethers…

This is what we are always doing; looking and seeing. Swathes of brilliant fuchsia and azure blue, whimsical yellow birds and rich, tactile layers of hand-stitching and screenprints… the work of the Yarrenyty Arltere Artists reflects the colours and textures of the landscape surrounding their desert art room. Located near Mparntwe (Alice Springs), the artists work across various media including textiles, etching and printmaking, with facets of their daily life and environment providing infinite inspiration. “We get ideas from what we see all around us,” says artist Marlene Rubuntja. “This is what we are always doing; looking and seeing.” Vivid hues mirror the desert after the rain, when it is alive with flora and wildlife, and will lift your spirits, says the artist. Marlene has been a part of the…

Love is in the air with the pretty Peppermint Valentine Ruffle Top. Off the shoulder or on, the Valentine Ruffle Top is a seriously sweet style! No zips or buttonholes but enough of a creative construction to make it a satisfying sew, it’s the perfect project for an adventurous beginner. From the picnic rug to cutting a rug, this pretty pattern will shimmy its way into your heart. We were excited to work with Spoonflower’s Essex Linen in Confetti Rainbow Opal A, a print created by Australian surface-pattern designer Lauren Kelly of Thistle and Fox. We heart our sewing partner Spoonflower for helping to make this pattern possible! From fabric to wallpaper to home decor, Spoonflower is one of the largest marketplaces for designs by independent artists from around the…

JANE GOODALL HOPECAST Hopeful chats packed full of lessons from Dr Jane Goodall’s extraordinary life and her change-making guests. It’s compassionate, curious and inspiring! AVANT GARDENERS Friends Madeleine Gasparinatos and Emily Allen are enthusiastic gardeners with lots to learn, so they interview the experts (often with wine in hand). BEING BIRACIAL This podcast about identity, cultures and gossip is for anyone who has struggled to claim all their “mix” (or those who love a yarn and a laugh). SEWING CLUB It’s a podcast that’s like a book club, but about sewing! A lovely monthly chat with Kylie (Kylie & The Machine) and Gemma (Sewing Gem) featuring a pattern make and review. BLOODLINES TO COUNTRY Brisbane Yuggera Elder Aunty Kerry Charlton explores the struggles her ancestors and family faced upholding their…

Here’s a question for you: do you think, in general, that people are doing the best they can? When academic and author Brené Brown was posed this question by her own therapist, her response was, “Are you kidding me?” When I initially read this in Brené’s book, Rising Strong, I had a similar reaction. Surely not. Especially not those who were not doing their very sustainable best, those not marching in the streets for equality, those not treating others with kindness and respect at every possible opportunity. But Brené’s husband, Steve, had an answer that hit home for Brené, and also for myself. “I don’t know. I really don’t,” he said. “All I know is that my life is better when I assume that people are doing their best. It…

SOLMATES Refillable roll-on sunscreen applicator made from recycled, Certified Ocean Bound plastic. solmates.com.au ZEROCARE SUSTAINABLE HAIRCARE Mermaid goals! Create perfect beach-wave separation with this FSC-certified hemu wood Eco Detangle Comb. zerocaresustainablehaircare.com CLAWS FOR CHANGE Whales, seahorses, turtles or a giant clam… Show off your love of the ocean in your hair! Sales from these cute clips, made from plant-based cellulose acetate, go to marine protection efforts. clawsforchange.com ABEL CYAN NORI PERFUME MINI Take the beach with you everywhere, with this genderless sweet-and-salty musk fragrance inspired by the vastness of the ocean. Ingredients are plant-derived, ethically sourced and biodegradable. abelfragrance.com PROJECT TEN Totes cool! Meet the perfect beach companion – the Oversize Tote from Project Ten, made from recycled pre- or post-consumer waste plastic. projectten.com.au WOOHOO Vegan, unscented, award-winning lip balm…

Three tiers for our latest pattern, the Peppermint Pasadena Rara Skirt! Looking for a show stopper with a nostalgic nod to the ’80s? The Pasadena Rara Skirt is giving us the frills! With three fabulous tiers, this midi-length skirt is all drama. Style it with a floaty, feminine vibe or an edgy energy – the Pasadena Rara Skirt gives you the freedom to express yourself. Now, details. In the waistband department, you’ve got the best of both worlds: a zipper closure at the back (for structure and a close fit!) and two short elastic panels on either side (for comfort!). For fabric, we went with Spoonflower’s soft-drape Seersucker in Bengal Navi Tiger, a print created by the talented Holli Zollinger. If you like the delicate fall of our make, then…

From carbon emissions to women’s rights, polyester is a hot topic. It’s also big business, accounting for more than 50% of fibre produced globally. “Armpit bacteria party” are the words that come to mind when someone mentions polyester fabrics. While odd, my response is backed by science (I promise!). Of course, if I were to play this association game with others, they might link polyester to words like “lightweight”, “affordable”, “easy care” or “fast drying”. During one of my Christmases in the seasonal fashion retail trenches, a customer took one look at a polyester caftan-and-lounge-pant set and proclaimed: “Oh, it’s so lightweight! This will be ideal for my tropical holiday in Bali.” Overhearing this, I fought the urge to shout “Tropical armpit bacteria party!” at the customer. Instead, I suggested…

Tom Daley @MadeWithLoveByTomDaley Sure, you could follow @TomDaley for updates on the retired English Olympian’s diving career, but if you’re after ponies in sweaters and crocheted croissant bags, check out his dedicated crafting account. If you thought Tom’s poolside crochet was all a stunt, his Insta posts will leave you in no doubt of his dedication to the game. As he told The Guardian in 2021, he started in the pandemic and, “like most things in my life I’ve become very committed to it”. Kate Bruning @GreedyForColour An Australian living in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Kate uses florist wire to create fine flowers (she specialises in natives and sells patterns for other homesick Aussies). Beyond florals, she dabbles in hot-air balloons and has a book of amazing circus patterns, which she promises…

IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT FEEDING THAT modern urge to over-consume – EVEN IF IT IS SECONDHAND – STILL HAS ITS PROBLEMS. Secondhand shopping extraordinaire Jo Gambale has gone from writing at Vogue to styling at Slogue, the consultancy she founded to show fashion addicts the joy of op-shopping. The Sydney-based circular fashion stylist is also a co-host of the podcast Questioning Fashion, along with dressmaker and vintage-clothing expert Ali Dibley. Jo tells us how to get maximum wear from statement buys and shares her favourite search engine for online thrifting. How did you come to love secondhand shopping? I grew up between London and Sheffield, in the north of England, and always loved old movies – I was obsessed with Marilyn Monroe – so my first visit to a…

We promote sustainability and slow living through light-footprint creativity; this is achieved through education and improving access to low-footprint products. Can you tell us about the origins of Hive & Gobbler? The idea came about in early 2020 when I was working with some community groups to fill vacant spaces on the town’s main street. We were thinking of ways to attract new businesses and in the process it occurred to me that this could be something my husband and I could do! With our alpaca farm 10 minutes’ drive from town and the ability to promote not only our own products and yarn, but also allow other makers and producers to sell instore, we opened our doors in July 2020. A big part of our decision was not only…

https://www.murdochbooks.com/browse/book/Connie-Cao-Your-Asian-Veggie-Patch-9781761500244 Food is one of the things that binds us all as humans, and these intercultural connections can help us celebrate what makes us all unique. How did your love of gardening come about? My earliest gardening-related memory was doing an activity at school where we planted little black seeds in a pot. As a kid, I had no idea how plants grew, so seeing a tiny chive seed turn into a plant I could then harvest and eat was just complete, utter magic. From then, I wanted to grow my own plants – food specifically – as it felt like a productive reward for a hobby. It was something that could also provide a sense of food security, as growing up we didn’t have much. I recall that my…

THE QUILTERS Most of us probably associate quilting with homesteading, simple living, wide-open spaces and women. The Quilters offers an entirely different perspective. This half-hour documentary profiles the lives of several quilters inside the South Central Correctional Center, a maximum-security prison in rural Missouri, US. The story follows the personal struggles of each man and the pride they experience from creating something beautiful within the prison walls. KWEENS OF THE QUEER UNDERGROUND Not that awards are the be-all and end-all, but this short series was nominated for the 2024 International Emmy Award for Best Short-Form Series. And we can see why. Featuring three queer stories by three queer filmmakers, this is a heartfelt journey into the queer Australian underground. Each episode only lasts about 10 minutes, but you’ll be pondering…

35 CRANE RD, LITHGOW NSW Tell us about yourself and your food philosophy… I’m a mother, author and vegan chef cooking on Wiradjuri Country. My cafe, Secret Creek, is set inside a native wildlife sanctuary in Lithgow. I believe that food is our connection to the earth and to each other. It’s the way that the earth nourishes us and it plays a vital role in the way we come together to nourish each other. Food should be playful, joyful and alive – a celebration of the richness of humanity. What and how we cook and eat celebrates all of the people who came before us and is an important way that we help to build the culture we dream of for the future. Why is community connection important to…