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…

Work-In-Progress-Dance Mom and her “Acro Bat!”

By Sarah | October 15, 2019 |

I have to admit, I don’t always make the best dance mom. I  seldom (or ever) remember to bring a post dance snack, often forget the pink water bottle and grab the ugly green one by mistake, and have even been known (gasp!) to let my daughter walk outside in her ballet shoes (she’s just…

How to Gather with your Serger

By Sarah | April 7, 2017 |

Sergers can do so much more than just sew and finish seams! Watch this video to learn how to use your serger to gather fabric- no more pulling on long basting threads! I have the Brother1034D serger, which I purchased on Amazon here. Its a workhorse, and sews very well for the price. Full Disclosure:…

Chelsea Pants Week: Day 2!

By Sarah | October 3, 2017 |

It’s Day 2 of my self-imposed “Chelsea Pants Week” (see my Day 1 intro post HERE), and today I’m going to show you the “dress up” version of the NEW Chelsea pants by Greenstyle Creations. Yesterday was a boho/casual/wine with the girlfriends type of look, but the Chelsea’s are incredibly versatile, and also look sharp…

Toasty Warm!

By Sarah | September 22, 2017 |

I hate being cold. As in really, truly despise it with every fiber of my being. More than being hungry, sleep deprived or overworked, being cold is likely to send me into a fit of irriation and misery in less time than it takes to say “grab a sweater”. Now that summer is fading and…

The DayDream Dress Sewalong: Skirt Hack

By Sarah | April 13, 2017 |

I hope you’re enjoying the Daydream Dress Sew along over at the Fab Clique Fabric Shoppe! If you haven’t picked up your pattern yet, you can do so here– there’s still plenty of time to join in and be eligible to win our prizes! Today, I’m sharing a tutorial for how to turn the DayDream dress…

My Big Brother and Me: Matching kids across an age gap

By Sarah | November 8, 2020 |

The other day I received some really beautiful new custom stretch woven in the waterburst white color-way from the Fabric Fairy, and spent a few days dreaming up some special plans for it. I downloaded a new pattern from a new designer (can you see where this is going??), and in my excitement, skipped straight…

Pattern Revolution: Jalie Rova Review

By Sarah | June 17, 2017 |

You all know my passion for doing pattern testing (see some examples here), but sometimes its fun to sew a fully developed pattern, you know? One that’s already been tested, with complete instructions and examples from people who have made it successfully? That’s why I have some exciting news today: I’ve joined the awesome team…

Tie Back Tank SewAlong: Back and Shoulders

By Sarah | September 12, 2017 |

Welcome to Part 2 of the Tie Back Tank Sewalong! If you don’t have the pattern yet, you can grab it here! Yesterday, we discussed pattern options, supplies, and fabric choices! (read that post here) Today, I’m going to be showing you the following: How to print and assemble the pattern How to hem the…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….

By Sarah | September 4, 2017 |

Despite my passion for sewing, I don’t usually consider myself a “crafty” person- I’m a terrible interior decorator, and the only thing I’ve ever sewn besides clothing are a couple pillow cases my boys talked me into last Christmas out of Star Wars fabric they made me buy during a shopping trip to JoAnns (note…

Tutorial: Cutting & Sewing Stripes for a Perfect Finish

By Sarah | April 3, 2019 |

Confession Time: I LOVE wearing stripes. They’re a great way to add visual interest, a second (or third, or fourth) color to a basic wardrobe staple, and can be sewn in so many different ways (color-blocked, on the bias, etc.). BUT, ( and this is a big but)….I haven’t always loved sewing them. My perfectionist…

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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