Men’s and Women’s Forester Coats

By Sarah | April 29, 2018 |

Late last year, when I tested the Trailblazer collection (mens, women’s, children’s and nestledown- whew! that was quite a project, you can read about it here), Lisa hinted that there was a coat in the works, and asked if the trailblazer folks would be interested in testing it. I said yes, of course, because my…

Ahoy!

By Sarah | April 18, 2018 |

Do your kids love to play pirates as much as mine? These three little scally-wags love pretending they are on a ship, shooting cannons (marshmellows!) and finding treasure- so when I saw the panels available for the latest round from Peekaboo Fabric Shop, I was almost afraid to show them, knowing they might demand pajamas,…

Portlander Shorts Hack!

By Sarah | April 16, 2018 |

Counting how many Portlander pants I have is a bit like asking me how old I am…I’m pretty sure I’m over 35, but unless I do the math, I can’t *quite* remember by how much 😉 That’s totally OK though, because it gives me the freedom to sew a few more pairs- and since I’m…

Side Tie Skirt Hack

By Sarah | April 12, 2018 |

I’m pretty happy with my pattern stash- I have a selection of favorite designers, and a very (almost embarrassingly!) large collection of patterns to choose from (curious how I organize them? Check out my post here on pattern organization). When I find a new style I want to sew, the most efficient thing is usually…

More Fit Gear!

By Sarah | April 6, 2018 |

Sewing activewear can be kind of addicting- its fast, easy, and gets lots of daily wear- what’s not to love? Hopefully you aren’t sick of seeing it on my blog, because here’s another winner! I took some time off from sewing during Spring Break, but as soon as I got back, I dove into the…

Hacked! Summit Peak Hoodie with Nursing Access

By Sarah | March 31, 2018 |

I’ve been waiting on the women’s Summit Peak Hoodie ever since I tested the children’s version late last year. I’ve actually thought about using the largest kids size, but that can be problematic, as I’m not really proportioned like a kid, despite being pretty petite. So I was really excited to see it finally come…

Xpress Tank Sew Along: Day 3

By Sarah | March 31, 2018 |

Welcome to the third and last day of the Xpress Tank SewAlong! This week we are taking a little time for ourselves amidst the holiday chaos (and I do mean a little- this pattern is quick!) to whip up some Xpress Tanks for the warmer weather to come. If you don’t have your pattern yet,…

Xpress Tank Sew Along Day 2

By Sarah | March 29, 2018 |

Welcome to the second day of the Xpress Tank SewAlong! This week we are taking a little time for ourselves amidst the holiday chaos (and I do mean a little- this pattern is quick!) to whip up some Xpress Tanks for the warmer weather to come. If you don’t have your pattern yet, you can…

XPress Tank Sew Along Day 1

By Sarah | March 29, 2018 |

Welcome to the first official day of the Xpress Tank SewAlong! For the next three days, I’ll be sharing a post per day walking you through the steps of sewing the Xpress Tank by Greenstyle Creations. If you don’t have your pattern yet, you can grab that here. If you missed my first post on…

X-Press Tank Sew Along: Fabric and Supplies

By Sarah | March 26, 2018 |

Welcome to the first post in the X-Press Tank Sew-Along Series! The Xpress tank from Greenstyle Creations is one of my all time favorite workout tops, and just like a can of pringles, once you make one, you’re going to want another, and another! One of the best things about this pattern is it’s versatility.…

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Sedimentary Sews

By Sarah | February 10, 2023

  Hello sewing friends! I’m back today to share some more sewing makes and family photos, but instead of the ocean, this time we are focusing on the desert! There are so many amazing desert places to visit, and despite spending quite a bit of time in the Southwest, I feel like we’ve barely scratched…

More Ocean!

By Sarah | February 7, 2023

Hello again friends! Today I’m back with one of my favorite outfits of all time, because it’s all about my favorite place in the world: the ocean! We often get asked where our favorite place that we’ve been is, and anywhere with an ocean easily tops the list for me. I grew up in Southern…

Tested: Nustle Joggers (and bonus Green Tee)

By Sarah | February 2, 2023

Hello everyone! Today I’m back with another test, this time for the new Nustle Joggers from Itch to Stitch. Until now, my favorite jogger pattern has been the Carita’s from Pattern Niche (formerly New Horizons, most recent pair HERE), and I’ve made them in both kid and adult sizes quite a few times. In general,…

Snazzy New Workout Set!

By Sarah | November 18, 2022

Hey friends! See, I promised I’d be back shortly, and here I am! I’ve got another fun outfit to share today, one that involved a bit of struggle and some new techniques for me, and I”m excited to share it! When this “Secret Forest” print arrived in my mailbox from Sew Dynamic Fabrics, I fell…

Celebration Outfits!

By Sarah | November 15, 2022

Hey friends! Long time no blog- I think last time I posted we were leaving Maine and into New Hampshire. It’s been a whirlwind fall filled with hiking, rock climbing and exploring. After New Hampshire we continued our tour down the east coast, stopping in New York, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Georgia before finally…

Throwback 90s Sweatsuit!

By Sarah | September 1, 2022

Hello friends! I’m back again today with a new me made outfit. This time, it’s a sweatsuit set that has a decidedly 90s vibe, and I’m not mad about it! When I received this “dark jungle” brushed jersey fabric from Sew Dynamic, I knew I wanted something soft and cozy. The fabric feels like athletic…

Matchy-Matchy!

By Sarah | August 23, 2022

  Hello friends! Fall is upon us, and I’m really enjoying seeing the leaves change and the weather get cooler up here in Maine. I don’t have any intention of staying into the winter (brrr!!) but for now, we are soaking up the autumn vibes and hoping for a spectacular leaf peeping season! I’ve also…

Tested: Itch to Stitch Soller Top

By Sarah | August 7, 2022

Hello friends! I hope you’re having a wonderful summer! We have been so busy hiking, rock climbing, swimming, biking and playing that I’ve barely touched my sewing room since we came to Maine. I had alllll these plans for what I was going to make, and then poof! Time has just flown by, and I…

Little Miss 4th of July!

By Sarah | July 3, 2022

  Hello friends! Happy 4th of July! This year, we are celebrating Independence day in Bar Harbor, Maine and hope to enjoy parades, fireworks and BBQs with our traveling family. While I sewed this swimsuit up in Massachusetts, we just got to Maine yesterday, and took our first dip in the Atlantic Ocean this far…

Tested: Greenstyle Courtside Dress and Shorts

By Sarah | June 20, 2022

  Happy summer y’all! We are happily three-quarters of the way up the East Coast, and loving every minute of the cool, pleasant days we’ve been having. We are currently in New York, and this state in particular has blow me away with its natural beauty and amazing hiking trails. We sorely missed hiking in…

My FAVORITE beach in the world…so far (and a new bikini to wear on it)

By Sarah | May 29, 2022

Hello friends! I hope the Swim SewAlong that I did a while back has continued to inspire you to sew your own swimsuits, I know it has for me! Since we’ve been chasing a consistent 75 degrees, I feel like swimsuits have become a type of year round uniform, so there’s really no reason to…

A New Kind of Animal Print…

By Sarah | May 28, 2022

Have you ever noticed that animal prints are always big cats or snakes? Rarely does any ocean creature get the opportunity to show its colors outside of the sea, so when I saw the whale shark print from Sew Dynamic Fabrics, I knew I had to sew it up and give these amazing animals their…

Mix it up baby!

By Sarah | May 3, 2017 |

Who remembers boom boxes, mix tapes and corded headphones? The screech of rewinding old tapes to hear your favorite song again and again? I do! So when Max and Meena Patterns sent me these designs to play with, I was like “totally dude”- I can rock that. And I can make clothes for my kid…

Cozy Hoodies for Cool-(ish) Weather!

By Sarah | December 16, 2020 |

How are the holidays shaping up around your place? We have been enjoying our travels, spending Thanksgiving in Phoenix with friends before heading back to Southern California for Christmas. We have always missed that “neighborhood” feeling at home, with kids running around and playing together, but we sure have found it down here amidst the…

Brassie Jogger Hacks: Stretch Woven Brassies!

By Sarah | June 9, 2017 |

  Every so often, someone asks if the Brassie Joggers (made before here and here and here) can be made in a woven material. I initially dismissed this idea, as possible but nuts- who would want to wear woven instead of a soft comfy knit? I changed my tune when another reviewer posted a photo of…

Tested: Made for Mermaids Jade Dress/Peplum

By Sarah | August 13, 2019 |

I have a bad habit of signing up for too many things whenever we come back from a trip. Every time, I swear I won’t do it, and without fail, here I am again, with the third blog post in as many days, because I just couldn’t resist committing to just one more project (can…

Power Bra SewAlong: Day 3

By Sarah | January 20, 2019 |

Welcome to Day 3 of the Greenstyle Power Bra SewAlong! Today we’re really going to get the bulk of construction done on those bras, so grab an extra cup of coffee (you might need it anyway, because Monday…) and let’s get going! Grab your pattern! If you haven’t already, you’ll want to purchase the Power Bra pattern!…

In the Running…a tale of two Athletic Skirts!

By Sarah | May 5, 2020 |

Hello sewing friends! I hope this post finds you well, and weathering current events with, if not aplomb, at least a sense of humor. For this, I’m ever grateful to my children, who always seem able to make me laugh at the craziest of moments, which is certainly how I’d describe life right now, as…

A Vest Obsession…

By Sarah | November 21, 2017 |

I’ve been on a bit of a vest kick lately- they’re faster to sew than jackets, and offer all the warmth of a coat without all the bulk over my arms, which really annoys me when I’m trying to mom-around. When I saw the tester call for the Oakley Vest by Love Notions, I couldn’t…

Xpress Yourself!

By Sarah | January 26, 2018 |

I like to think I work out regularly. Or maybe I just dress in workout clothes regularly. Either way, the new Xpress tank from Greenstyle is my new fave! I made three versions during testing. The first is a orchid (maybe? I’m famous for killing plants, so feel free to correct me) print ITY with…

Like Father, Like Son(s)

By Sarah | May 30, 2017 |

As much as I love my mommy-and-me matching outfits with the Princess (see examples here and here), my heart skipped a beat when Made for Mermaids offered the opportunity to create matching Daddy and me outfits for my husband and my twin boys. I love seeing how they look up to and emulate their father…

There Be Dragons Here…

By Sarah | June 3, 2017 |

I’ve mentioned before that my son Oliver LOVES fencing. And at twice per week, its pretty ingrained in the rest of us too (even the baby knows a few moves!). So when the “knights and dragons” round 13 at Beanpop Fabrics came up for strike offs, I jumped on it, knowing I would have to…

Sarah Connell

About Sarah Connell

Sarah is a wife, mother and avid seamstress. She is passionate about teaching, encouraging and empowering other women to express themselves creatively. 

Follow her sewing adventures on SewingwithSarah.com or your favorite social site.

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