Sarah Jane Goodman loves to learn. So much so, in fact, she taught herself to chain stitch on a 90-year-old sewing machine. Her passion for this lost art began way back when… at the Happiest Place On Earth.
Sarah remembers going to Disneyland’s The Mad Hatter hat shop as a kid, watching them embroider her name on a pair of customized, Mickey Mouse ears. She thought it was just about the best thing she’d ever seen. Up to that point, her grandma had taught her to knit, crochet, cross-stitch and needlepoint. But to Sarah, that Disney chain stitching was even cooler.
Ever Sew Unique: SarahJane Goods’ Chain-Stitched Wares in Westside Costa Mesa.
Photos: Samantha Chagollan
Growing up, Sarah couldn’t get enough of sewing. In high school, her mom gave her an old Kenmore sewing machine. She still remembers the first dress she made from a pattern: “It was a blue and white floral, a simple bodice dress,” she recalls.
Sarah was hooked. She started sewing everything she could, from her own clothes to costumes for Halloween, and gifts for friends.
These days, Sarah loves putting her own unconventional spin on time-treasured techniques, with her business sarahjane goods. Her colorful, sometimes cheeky designs show off her careful attention to detail, a retro-feeling aesthetic, and a little bit of humor, too.
SarahJane Goods: Colorful, Cheeky Designs with A Retro-Feeling Aesthetic.
Photos: Samantha Chagollan
I meet Sarah at the Fall in Love with the Westside event, where her booth is filled with chain-stitched greeting cards, tote bags, tea towels, and samples of her more intricate denim jacket designs. She can personalize pretty much anything, and she loves to collaborate on new ideas. The back of her jean jacket is like a beautiful-stitched tattoo, filled with gorgeously-colorful, California poppies.
But the star of her booth is her prized, antique sewing machine, whom she calls “Patsy.” When I ask her why the name, she cocks her head and says simply, “Well, she’s a Singer, so obviously… Patsy Cline!”
Sarah shows me how Patsy works, loading up some colorful thread and readying a blank greeting card. She lightly sketches her design and then, the stitches start flying. It’s a quick process for the card. When she’s done, she takes a few extra moments to finish off her stitches, cleanly.
Photo: Samantha Chagollan
Not many people still know how to chain stitch, Sarah says. “So many skills are going away, because no one teaches them anymore,” she laments. She plans to teach her stitching know-how to her own teen daughter, when she shows an interest.
But Sarah would love to share her knowledge with others, too. “My dream is to create a women’s group, where everyone could bring different perspectives and collaborate together,” she says.
Sarah has lived in Costa Mesa for more than 18 years. “I love the diversity and the food of the Westside,” she says. “There are hardly any chain restaurants. It feels like a small town!”
Her favorite places to eat are Sushi Sho, TK Burger, and El Toro Bravo for tacos, of course. “I’ve been here for so long,” she says, “It’s deeply home for me. I raised my kids here and it’s just a beautiful, cool community.”
Photo: Samantha Chagollan
Sarah’s just as passionate about keeping lost arts, like chain stitching, alive and well. “I just love making something new out of raw materials,” she says. “Working with my hands, and then giving it away to someone.”
“I’m drawn to simple, beautiful things,” says Sarah, “and I’m always looking for the art and beauty all around me.” ♥
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Follow sarahjane goods on Instagram, or visit her online shop. Have an idea for a custom piece? Email Sarah to get started: sarahjanegoods@gmail.com.
