Alabama Stitch Book: Projects and Stories Celebrating Hand-Sewing, Quilting and Embroidery for Contemporary Sustainable Style
Product Type: Book
Product Price: $35.00
Manufacturer: STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book
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Description
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 state’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 Rausch’s beautiful photographs set against the back roads, farms, and homesteads of the rural South.
Reviews
Rating: 3 / 5
Date: 2010-08-18
Summary: "Lovely but complicated"
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.
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-05-25
Summary: "great fun"
I am a total novice (or was when I picked up this book a few weeks ago) and found it to be both inspirational and instructive. I read it on a Monday and finished my first project (the reverse applique bandana) by Thursday. If you like the "unfinished" aesthetic of the pieces, you're almost guaranteed to be happy with the results, as any minor imperfections will not detract from the overall look.
It inspired me to get into hand-sewing even as I'm learning machine-sewing, and gave me courage to experiment a bit with making my own patterns.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-04-25
Summary: "Beautiful book"
Wonderful book, great eye-candy and the patterns really work! I made the corset top from a t-shirt right away (you DO need x-large t-shirts for the fabric) It fit great, was really fun to make and came out well. I agree nice cotton knit fabric is hard to find, and it is tricky to hit the jackpot at Goodwill for multiple t-shirts, but I did score 4 x-l cotton t-shirts at a local outlet for $2.99 each, all the same color, so my next project is a skirt.
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-02-20
Summary: "Opened new doors of creativity and inspiration"
This book opened new doors of creativity and inspiration for me. I used to want to sew clothes but the typical patterns seemed so fussy and tight. Finding this book helped me see that the actual pattern for the clothing could be simple and your own creativity and design sensibility could be what makes the piece fly! I feel liberated by the style and techniques in this book - I hate to stop working on the project that I currently have underway.
Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2010-02-14
Summary: "very inspiring"
This book inspired me with new ideas, especially about working with recycled T Shirts, which I have been doing. The methods she has created could be used in other ways, you could personalize them. There is one part of the instructions
that I can't completely make sense of, maybe just me, the rest are good.