About this item

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 patterns - the A-Line Dress/Tunic/Top, the Long and Short Wrap Skirt, and the Classic Coat/Jacket/Cardigan - 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) .



About the Author

Natalie Chanin

Natalie "Alabama" Chanin is owner and designer of the American couture line Alabama Chanin and author of Alabama Stitch Book (STC - February 2008, Alabama Studio Style (STC - February 2010, and Alabama Studio Sewing Design (STC - February 2012) . Her designs for hand-sewn garments constructed using quilting and stitching techniques from rural America have been lauded for both their beauty and sustainability. Made from 100% Certified Organic Cotton combined with up-cycled and re-purposed materials by artisans located near Natalie's home in Florence, Alabama, her designs have earned accolades from peers and journalists alike.

Natalie's work in the fashion industry began in the year 1988 in the New York City fashion district working in the Junior Sportswear industry. From New York, Natalie moved to Europe in 1990 where she worked for ten years as a stylist and costume designer for film and photography.

However, Natalie's life work began in the year 2000 with the invention of Project Alabama. Natalie returned to her home in Florence, Alabama to produce a collection of 200 one-of-a-kind, up-cycled t-shirts, along with the 22-minute documentary film "Stitch" - about old-time quilting circles in her community. Project Alabama grew quickly and became a full collection fashion company, added business partners, lost business partners, all the while earning respect from editors and stores around the world.

In the year 2006, Project Alabama ceased operations in the state of Alabama. Rather than choosing to outsource, Natalie made the decision to adhere to the original mission of Project Alabama and launched Alabama Chanin where she continues to create limited-edition, rendered-by-hand, jewelry, clothing, home furnishing and textiles using a mixture of organic and recycled materials with local talent. Based on the thought that good design should be a part of everyday living, Alabama Chanin gives modern context to techniques that have been passed down through generations of women and men.

The artisans who work with Alabama Chanin represent this generational span. Stitchers aged in their early 20s work alongside those in their late 70s, producing garments in the spirit of the traditional quilting bee. Each collection emphasizes quality, detail, craftsmanship, and style while each piece is a labor of love signed by the artisan who hand-stitched every seam.

Natalie has a Degree in Environmental Design from North Carolina State University and works simultaneously as designer, manufacturer, stylist, filmmaker, mother, artisan, cook and collector of stories from her home in Florence, Alabama.



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