Synopses & Reviews
Alabama Studio Sewing + Design is an invaluable reference for any woman who has dreamed of creating her own gorgeous handmade wardrobe. In this follow-up to
Alabama Stitch Book and
Alabama Studio Style, author Natalie Chanin presents all of the stenciling, hand-stitching, and beadand#172;ing techniques her company uses to create the award-winning Alabama Chanin line of organic cotton clothing, plus more than 50 variations that lead to infinite design possibilities. Included in this encyclopedic compilation of Alabama Chanin skill and style are patterns and instructions for dresses, skirts, tops, a wrap, a poncho, a bolero, fingerless gloves, and a hat. Each piece is featured in both its basic form and with varying embellishment combinations. By mixing, matching, and layering, a stunning, unique, and versatile wardrobe can be built.
Praise for Alabama Studio Sewing + Design:
and#147;Transform organic or recycled materials into clothing or home dand#233;cor items with haute homespun flair.and#8221;
and#151;Better Homes and Gardens Quilts and More magazine
and#147;Natalie is beautifully simple, yet elegant, just like her clothing. Her signature look is intricate stitching, beading and applique on basic organic cotton jersey which together make a show stopping casual look." and#151;SF Unzipped
"I'm a longtime fan of Natalie's clothing designs . . . Her sewing patterns do not disappoint. These are the same dresses, tops, skirts, and accessories that carry four-figure price tags and are coveted by ec-groovy lady rock stars. The same ones. But in her books, Natalie teaches you how to make them yourself . . . Natalie's pieces are so simple to sew together . . . They go together in a single evening, and when you pull them on they don't just make you look better than you did in whatever you were wearing before, they make you feel better." and#151;Heather Ross, HeatherRoss.Squarespace.com
"The photographs in this volume are exceptional . . . I think if quilters get this book for both technique and inspiration, it will be more than worth the money." and#151;Meg Cox, quilter and author of The Book of New Family Traditions
and#147;I just love that Natalie has the guts to share the tricks of her trade. The reason I say guts is that you would think that sharing how your garments are made might hurt your businessand#151;but in Natalie's case it's proved to be actually quite the opposite . . . The interest in her couture line grew once she started to write books." and#151;Cathy Callahan, Cathy of California blogger and author of Vintage Craft Workshop
Synopsis
and#147;Haute homespun out of the Deep South.and#8221; Thatand#8217;s how
Vogue magazine has described the fashion of Natalie Chanin.
Alabama Stitch Book brings us a collection of projects and stories from her clothing and lifestyle company, Alabama Chanin, known for the cutting-edge twist it puts on tried-and-true sewing, quilting, and embroidery techniques, applied mostly by hand to recycled cotton jersey.
This long-awaited book from Chanin begins with her story. After living in New York and Vienna for over 20 years, she began to transform cotton T-shirts into high fashion using the needlework skills she learned as a child in Florence, Alabama. When she moved home, Chanin hired local women (many of whom had worked in the stateand#8217;s now defunct textile factories) to stitch her couture collections with her.
What follows is a step-by-step guide to the stitching, stenciling, and beading techniques used in the 20 projects showcased in the book: T-shirts, skirts, and corsets that are sold at chic shops around the world, plus a journal cover, sampler quilt, and tablecloth, among others. Also included are a pullout stencil, perforated postcard for bead-embroidery, and reusable patterns. Throughout are Robert Rauschand#8217;s beautiful photographs set against the back roads, farms, and homesteads of the rural South.
Synopsis
Haute homespun out of the Deep South--that's how "Vogue" magazine has described the fashion of Natalie Chanin, whose projects are featured in "Alabama Stitch Book." Throughout are Robert Rausch's beautiful photographs set against the backroads, farms, and homesteads of the rural South.
Synopsis
"Alabama Stitch Book" brings readers a collection of projects and stories from Chanin's clothing and lifestyle company, known for the cutting-edge twist it puts on traditional sewing, quilting, and embroidery techniques.
Synopsis
Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns is the book Alabama Chanin fans are begging for! This exciting compendium takes the Alabama Chanin library to the next level, offering all the patterns from Chaninandrsquo;s first three books on a convenient CD, plus instructions and patterns for 12 new skirts, dresses, tops, and jackets, with illustrated guidelines for customizing the fit and style of each. Chanin teaches readers the ins and outs of refashioning shapes, raising and lowering necklines, taking in and letting out waistlines, and many more key forms of customization; she also provides guidelines for adapting patterns from other popular sewing companies to the Alabama Chanin styleandmdash;stitched by hand in organic cotton jersey and embellished with stencils, embroidery, and beading.
Synopsis
Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns: A Guide to Customizing a Hand-Stitched Alabama Chanin Wardrobe by Natalie Chanin is a companion to the Alabama Studio Series:
Alabama Stitch Book, Alabama Studio Style, and
Alabama Studio Sewing + Design. In this final volume of the four-book series, Chanin offers, by popular demand, three new core patternsandmdash;the A-Line Dress/Tunic/Top, the Long and Short Wrap Skirt, and the Classic Coat/Jacket/Cardiganandmdash;and a guide to customizing garments to fit and flatter. For ease, convenience, and to ease its ecological footprint, this book comes with a CD rather than paper patterns. The disc contains patterns for all of the garments from the previous books in the Alabama Studio series with additional sizing for XXL, the three new patterns, plus five Alabama Chanin stencil designs, including the Polka Dot in three sizes, the popular New Leaves, and the classic Magdalena (all for readers to print as needed for their individual sewing purposes). Printed and bound in the USA.
This installment highlights:and#160;
- 9 core garment patterns with up to 34 standard variations, plus 3 bonus pocket patterns
- Patterns from the entire Alabama Studio book series with the additional XXL size
- 5 full-scale stencil designs, plus a free bonus download available from Alabama Chaninandrsquo;s website (http://alabamachanin.com/resources/large-scallops-stencil-artwork)
- Useful, convenient CD that minimizes its ecological footprint by conserving paper
- Printed in the USA
About the Author
Natalie Chanin, a former costume designer and fashion stylist, is the founder and head designer of Alabama Chanin. She has been featured in
Vogue, Time, The New York Times, and on
CBS News, and her work has been recognized by CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards, the Alabama Council for the Arts, and Aid to Artisans, among others. In 2006 she was selected for membership by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Robert Rausch is an award-winning photographer and creative director whose client list includes Anthropologie, Whole Foods, Saks Fifth Avenue, Elton John, and Paloma Picasso.