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…

Sewing with Sarah's Latest Posts

Marbella Tank Nursing Hack

By Sarah | May 16, 2018

  You know I’m a pretty big fan of nursing hacks on this blog, and today I’m delighted to have Sheryl, a fellow mom and New Horizons patterns fan, sharing about how she hacked the Marbella tank for nursing access! Her method is genius, and she does such an awesome job walking us through, step…

Happy Jeans Dance!

By Sarah | May 7, 2018

I hinted at this on Instagram a few weeks ago- but I finally did it! I completed my first pair of me-made jeans, and guess what? Just like everyone said, it wasn’t all that hard. Sure, there was a bit of a learning curve, especially with the fitting, but the actual construction process was more…

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.…

If Mermaids could sew….

By Sarah | April 11, 2017 |

You may have seen that meme that’s going around “I’m done adulting, let’s be mermaids”. I think it’s super cute, and it plays to my childhood fantasy of being one of the (nicer) mermaids in the Peter Pan story, lounging in the mermaid lagoon, putting pearls in my hair.    While I can’t actually BE…

The Elusive Boatneck!

By Sarah | December 13, 2017 |

  I love a good boatneck top, and I’ve been eyeing a few of my ready to wear versions lately, thinking about replacing them with handmade as preparation for my ready to wear fast of 2018 (more on that later). However, finding a good boatneck pattern has proved more of a challenge than I anticipated- it…

Sweater Weather!

By Sarah | November 16, 2017 |

As the weather gets cooler, I have to fight my natural instinct to hibernate. Much as I’d like to cozy up in front of the fireplace (my cave) and doze off all season long, life doesn’t seem to slow down, so I have to find ways to cope. Warm clothing is essential for motivating me…

Zip it UP! Santa Fe Hack!

By Sarah | September 26, 2017 |

Today’s my birthday, and for my present to myself (anyone else get to the age where they’re making themselves presents?!) I made myself the perfect nursing-friendly fall top using the Hey June Santa Fe pattern. I’ve made the tank view before (see it here), but I have always drooled over the dolman version, and finally…

The SoLo Tank, and My New Exercise Obsession

By Sarah | October 16, 2018 |

As I imagine happens to many people, summer was a time of slacking for my exercise routine. We traveled alot, it was too hot, blah, blah blah- basically my exercise was sporadic, and come fall, I was feeling the mental and physical impact of my laziness. The trouble was, like many moms with a full…

Trailblazin’ in Style!

By Sarah | November 1, 2017 |

     How much interest does your spouse take in your sewing? Being our resident photographer, Stephen knows about a few pattern companies, and his favorite by far is Twig and Tale. He has been showing me photos of adorable vests, coats and accessories he wants me to make the kids for months, so when the…

Striped Swallow Highlander Dolman and Rhapsody Joggers

By Sarah | March 2, 2017 |

Hello friends! You know I’m all about comfy right? That’s why when one of my favorite pattern designers, Striped Swallow Designs, posted a testing call for the girls version of the Mainland Collection, which includes the Rhapsody Joggers and the Highlander Dolman, I was all in (despite probably having too much on my plate already).…

(Tested!) Brasov Crossover Top

By Sarah | September 17, 2017 |

I recently took a trip to San Francisco and found THE BEST fabric warehouse store (Discount Fabrics, in San Francisco, if you’re ever nearby!) and hit the motherlode in sweater knits, jerseys, and winter weight pontes. As I brought up roll after roll to the checkout counter, the lady in charge became more and more…

Tested: Greenstyle Venice Beach Shorts

By Sarah | August 16, 2020 |

How has your summer been friends? We are set to start school this week with the kiddos (homeschool, of course!), but it still feels like summer outside, as temps topped 110 degrees F this weekend. So, while other parts of the world might very much be looking toward hoodies and jackets, I’m still very much…

Who Made it Best? Chi Town Chinos Edition!

By Sarah | October 21, 2017 |

You all know how much I love pattern testing and blog tours to bring on the heat when I’m feeling lazy or my sew-jo is lacking, right? Well, I figured that to get over the REALLY BIG hump that is sewing a pair of fully-featured pants, I’d need a stronger cocktail- and Melissa of Mahlica…

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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