Customer Reviews

Alabama Stitch Book: Projects and Stories Celebrating Hand-Sewing, Quilting and Embroidery for Contemporary Sustainable Style

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had pre-ordered this book and kind of forgot about it. When it arrived on a particularly over cast day it was a wonderful surprise. This is a beautiful book. I love the history that she starts out with as well as the incredibly beautiful projects. I am going to be making the skirt that is featured in the book. Natalie also has a Alabama Stitch blog that lists tons of sources for materials in which to make the garments. What I like about the projects is one you have the base garment finished you can bring your item with you where ever you go and stitch to your delight. I love some of the beading that is added to some of the projects. If you want to get your socks blown off check out Natalie's Project Alabama website. If only I was rich I would be buying every single garment she makes. I have been truly inspired by this book and I think that is what it is designed to do. I am going to take her basic technique and make it my own by designing my own stencils. This book is worth every penny if you haven't figured it out by now. Destined to be one of my favorite craft/sewing books ever. Enjoy!

Since writing the above review I have made 4 skirts and two bandanas and I am working on a very complicated skirt right now. I have bought my own air brush machine and have made my own stencil designs. I have emailed Alabama Chanin a number of times and they have been quite helpful. Natalie has a store on her website in which you can buy all the supplies that are talked about in her book. The t-shirt fabric that she sells is just wonderful. I have gotten so much satisfaction from making these garments. Don't be put off by the multiple steps in which to complete a project. She does a fantastic job explaining all of the steps and it really isn't as difficult as it seems. You can have a $1500 designer skirt for less than $50. When people see these skirts they will ask, "Where did you get that skirt?" When I tell them I made it they are blown away. By the way the skirt pattern is just designed perfectly. It is so comfortable and flattering. Give this book a try it will really make you happy to create some of the projects in this book.

I have admired Natalie Chanin's clothing for some time now. I have completed the corset shown in this book, completely hand-stitched and beautiful! Chanin gives you all the tools and information needed to complete this project and many more. It comes with stencils, full-scale patterns, and so many projects... I can't wait to do them all! I am by no means a seamstress, or even that good at sewing, but these projects are so easy, with such beautiful pictures and illustrations, even a novice like me can make amazing clothing! Thank you, Natalie, for sharing your vision and creative gifts with us all!

I had long anticipated the arrival of this book -and- am not one bit dissapointed with it.
It is beautifully photographed and written. I find it incredibly inspiring and easy to understand in the explanation of the process involved in producing Project Alabama styled garments & accessories.
With that said, it definitely helps to have a background in sewing and needlework to created their pieces. I wouldn't reccommend jumping into the projects without first having built up basic sewing and embroidery skills.
If you have admired anything from Project Alabama, you need this book.

book! if i had to write about growing up in the south (nc) it would look something like this.i was taught at a very young age to sew with with a needle and thread from my great grandmother the exact same way the author teaches.
to this day, it is easier for me to take a scrap piece of cloth,draw out my pattern with a pencil and sew it up on my hands than it is for me to sew on any machine.the black eye peas and biscuits would have been prepped at dawn so they would be ready to eat by lunch, then at dinner,fried chicken and rice would complete it.
my husband's job sent him to alabama for a few weeks and the entire time he complained bitterly that it had to be the most backward state in the union,where the worst southern stereotypes were a all day long indignity to endure.
the projects are gorgeous and inspiring and i was pleased to see some beautiful truths emerge from the pages of this book,proving that alabama,like everything else, only needs a loving eye to be seen through.

This is a nice book though the directions and techniques are complicated and expensive to make if you go buy knit fabric. And for most of the adult stuff like the skirt, you do need to buy fabric as ther is no way you could find the number of t-shirts at Goodwill of the same color to make it look decent and not like you are a bag-lady. The "fold-over" elastic is very difficult to find and there is no indication that you have to dye it to match your fabric. So there is alot of reading in between the lines if you want to do this technique.

I checked this book out on a whim from our library and promptly fell in love with it even though I'm not much of a seamstress. I love the author's use of lots of different techniques in varying combinations. I've never seen anything quite like the design choices and techniques used in this book. My only complaint: the clothing pattern sizes are limited. Normally I find it insulting when a designer ignores anyone over a size 14 but this book was so full of inspiration that I let that slide in the hope that I can adapt for my slightly fuller figure. Even if I never make a single project in this book I know I'll spend many hours soaking up the colors and textures.

I absolutely LOVE this book! The concept of taking something and remaking it is so practical. I like that there are patterns in the back of the book. The descriptions of "how to" are well written. Great pictures. I was so inspired that I went to the author's website and blog for further study! If you like handsewing and embroidery work (although machine sewing is an option, you will enjoy this book.

Let me begin by saying that I am a self taught intermediate level sewer. The book was beautifully photographed and well written but I found most of the patterns a little bit too complicated and time consuming. I made the t-shirt corset on pg 155 first, using an old t-shirt of my husbands and hand sewing- it took about 6 hours from start to finish and it didn't turn out well enough to wear. I found the exposed seams looked a little sloppy and 'homemade' but not in a good way. Next I tried the reverse applique corset, it took 3 hours just to make the all over stencil and the finished product looked primitive, not couture. I don't think you could really use old t-shirts to make the skirts unless you are very small, I am a size 10 and couldn't find enough matching t's to complete the pattern. Maybe a more experienced sewer could make these patterns work but I found them all a bit too tedious.

This was on my Amazon wish list for DH to purchase for me for xmas, but then I couldn't wait and I purchased it myself (yes, the patience of a flea here).

So I got it yesterday, drooled over and marveled at the book for a few hours, and then today ransacked my closet for 2 tee shirts and went to work. And 2.5 hours later, I completed my first reverse applique tee shirt! I just love it.

I am already planning to cut the sleeves of my teeshirt and shape the body a bit, since this was a boxy red tee shirt I appliqued. When I'm finished I'll post it on my neglected blog.

Also, I am NOT a sewer (although I may become one). Haven't used my sewing machine in decades. And, I do have tons of arts & crafts project books. Most of them I look at and admire, but for whatever reason, I just don't get started on anything. This book is different. It totally motivated and inspired me to start stitching.

I love the projects because they are so outside the box - the tee shirt mums are so gorgeous, and the skirts are amazing -- I"ll be checking out thrift stores this weekend to buy them up by the dozen. It is so liberating to work with old tee shirts! No worries about messing anything up, because hey, its just an old tee shirt, and its like elementary art teachers telll you - no such thing as a mistake, you can incorporate everything into your project.

Oh, and the book actually includes recipes too! I plan to make the crackers in the next day or two - we need wheat germ. The only ever so slight criticism I would make is that I wish there were more stencil patterns! But I'll just go ahead and make some of my own and just run with it. I can't wait to start beading embellishments too...oh the plans I have....

Project Alabama was a clothing collection created by Natalie Chanin, stitched and embellished by a group of artisans working cottage-industry style. Focusing on old-fashioned techniques and recycled fabrics, the stitchers produced pieces coveted by fashionistas and functionistas alike. The strikingly pretty Alabama Stitch Book is replete with fascinating, practical, and crazy beautiful projects with explicit directions. A book cover, tea towels, a beaded postcard, and an appliquéd t-shirt from the Project Alabama archives are among my favorites. Engaging and entertaining commentary, and the inclusion of sturdy, pullout, multi-sized, adjustable patterns for the several gorgeous skirts and corsets justify the price.