Category Archives: DIY + SEWING

DIY THURSDAY + DESKTOP OF THE MONTH: ANNA’S GARDEN APPLIQUÉ

April 5, 2012

In Chapter 7 of Alabama Studio Sewing + Design, we present various methods of appliqué using a variety of stitches and decorative elements. These techniques include Appliqué with Beaded Parallel Whipstitch, Appliqué with Straight Stitch, Appliqué with Blanket Stitch, Appliqué with Backstitch, Appliqué with Beaded Straight Stitch, and Appliqué with Beaded Backstitch. This month, for our Desktop of the Month, we’re featuring Anna’s Garden Appliquéd with a Beaded Straight Stitch as shown on page 102; however, the chop beads in this version have been substituted with our White Bugle beads.

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DIY THURSDAY: APPLIQUÉ CURTAINS

March 29, 2012

I have had a set of cotton twill curtains in my house for years. I don’t really remember where I bought them anymore; they have just been a part of my home for ages. This spring, I got a set of new set of (more energy efficient) French doors to replace the 1950s era sliding glass doors that open from my kitchen to the back patio.

Because the curtain rod now needed to be moved, I took the cotton twill curtains down for a wash – and I decided to decorate them.

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DIY THURSDAY: DIY STENCIL KIT

March 22, 2012

Our latest DIY Kit is a collection of the tools and materials necessary to create your very own custom stencils. In addition, we’ve also included, as suggestions, a handful of our favorite placement options in print form. Simply select your desired print, attach it to the stencil felt using your spray adhesive, and cut away the dark areas of the print to create the stencil of your choice. Continue reading →

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DIY KRISTINA’S ROSE + BEADED KRISTINA’S ROSE

March 15, 2012

Kristina’s Rose is one of our newest fabric designs and stencil patterns, seen in Alabama Studio Sewing + Design. The undulating circular pattern is reminiscent of the Circle Spiral Applique from page 156 of Alabama Studio Style, but translated using more elegant techniques.

Highlighted in Chapter 8 of Alabama Studio Sewing + Design.: Fabric + Fabric Maps, the Kristina’s Rose fabric (page 126) uses the folded stripe appliqué technique from page 108 of Chapter 7 in combination with the stripe with beaded chain stitch on page 105, and the beaded rosebud stitch from page 79 of Chapter 5 – all worked in loose, undulating circles.

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SAMPLE BLOCK QUILT

March 13, 2012

As we posted last Tuesday, I highly recommend that you start a library to document your design work. As you create your samples, make them the same size so that your (master) pieces can be easily stored. And even if you don’t want to keep the samples for posterity, you can work towards making a Sampler Throw like the one shown above. As we develop our many fabrics, it often happens that a particular sample, as beautiful as it may be, just doesn’t fit neatly into one of our Fabric Swatch Books or collections. That was the case with the swatches that became the basis for this Sampler Throw. You may even find that you want to make the Sampler Throw not as a way of developing different fabric swatches, but just because it’s a beautiful and easy project. Either way, I urge you to explore our stencils, colors, techniques, and stitches to sustain rewarding design experiences.

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COLOR CARDS

March 8, 2012

Whether you plan to purchase a DIY KIT or make a garment from the Alabama Studio Book Series, we suggest that you keep a set of our medium-weight organic cotton color cards on hand. The cards show you what our fabric colors look like in person so that you can choose the exact shades that are right for your projects. They also make it easier to choose corresponding thread, notions, and bead colors.

I keep a set of color cards for inspiration and to mix and match my materials before starting a design project. With 50 colors of organic cotton jersey and special jacquard fabrics to choose from even the most seasoned designer can benefit from a visual aide.

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SAMPLE BLOCKS + LIBRARY

March 6, 2012

Fabric designs are the basis of all our collections at Alabama Chanin. Each design starts as a simple 10” x 16” rectangle of our organic cotton jersey that is embellished using a variety of techniques and manipulations that may include stenciling, embroidery, beading, and/or appliqué.

My decision to use a 10” x 16” rectangle was based on the mere fact that we can easily obtain 3-ring binders to store and display swatches this size. These binders also provide us a simple way to organize our designs by color, season, and/or pattern.

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DESKTOP OF THE MONTH: SATIN STAR

March 1, 2012

In conjunction with our Star stencil post today for DIY Thursday, we are featuring our Satin Stars fabric from page 129 of Alabama Studio Sewing + Design as our March Desktop of the Month.

This hi-resolution photograph, for use as your computer desktop background, is now available to download from our Resource Downloads page.
xoNatalie

DIY THURSDAY: STAR STENCIL

The word “star,” with its many meanings, occupies several places in my mind (and the universe):

First, a star is simply a shape- the most common being five-pointed. As I was taught in geometry class, it is constructed from points, proportions, and folds. Seen in patriotic prints of the 1960s and 70s, its contour was fitting with the bold, geometric patterns of the time. Fifty of these shapes are on the American flag, each representing a state and the collection of stars symbolizing our country as a whole.

While designing and constructing quilts, I’ve learned that a quilt’s geometry is systematic. Sewing together the triangular and diamond-shaped puzzle pieces to make each polygon requires great planning and thought. This geometry is apparent in our Indigo Star Quilt, and in the repeated shapes of the Flag Quilt.

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