September 13, 2012
Olivia has been knotting away in the studio today.
We make our Knotted Necklaces from 100% organic cotton jersey fabric scraps and accessorize as a necklace, belt, or headband.
Featured in Alabama Studio Sewing + Design.
September 6, 2012
Our Camisole Dress from Alabama Studio Style is highlighted in a video class on Traditional Appliqué at Creativebug.com. You fill find the pattern sheet for this dress at the back of the book and can follow along step-by-step with our instructions on Creativebug.com. We now offer this project as a DIY Kit from our online store and all the supplies we used are listed below.
Creativebug.com is a subscription service and just in time for the holidays has Gift Subscriptions available starting at $24.99 for a month. I love this as a gift for my crafting friends as there are so many great classes available for the holiday season.
About our appliqué class from the Creativebug website:
“Appliqué is beautiful way to add texture, pattern and color to a project. Natalie uses applique to stunning effect in her Alabama Chanin collection, and in this workshop, she’ll share with you her basic technique. She’ll also show examples of how using different stitches and thread result in dramatically different finished looks.”
Our camisole dress is shown in Apple (double-layer) with Anna’s Garden appliqué in Natural placed around the bottom of the dress . The appliqué is sewn with a whipstitch with a single layer of Cream #256 Button Craft thread. We used Red #128 Button Craft thread for construction of the dress and also for the Cretan stitch along the binding. Seams are felled on the wrong side (inside of the garment).
August 30, 2012
Continuing our conversation around design, craft and fashion, this week we present a Tracy Reese pattern from Vogue Designer Patterns for DIY Thursday. In all my years as a designer, I have not had the chance to meet Tracy, although I have been familiar with her work since the launch of her collection in the mid-1990s. At that time, I was working as a stylist in Europe and spent much of my time in boutiques, reading fashion magazines, and working with clients.
In an effort to understand Tracy Reese’s philosophy, we reached out to her press office for information and received a note stating that they could “not provide any information at this time.” However, this is what I found on the CFDA website:
“Detroit native Tracy Reese is a graduate of Parsons School of Design. Reese apprenticed under designer Martin Sitbon and worked as design director for Women’s Portfolios at Perry Ellis before launching her eponymous collection in 1996. The collection blends the ultra-feminine and nostalgic with modern polish. plenty by Tracy Reese, was introduced in 1998, after a trip to India provided endless inspiration. A joyful color palette, art-inspired prints and playful details are seen on essentials with a bohemian spirit. With flagships in Manhattan and Tokyo, the Tracy Reese and plenty brands have expanded to include footwear, handbags and home goods.”
Martine Stibon remains one of my all-time favorite designers and I used those pieces often during my days as a stylist. I do love the dress that emerged using our organic cotton jersey fabrics with Tracy Reece’s pattern.
August 21, 2012
Yesterday morning, as we headed out the door to school, my daughter Maggie asked for a sweater. It feels like summer is quickly fading, and it’s time to break out light sweaters, ponchos, and scarves. Many of you have asked how we at Alabama Chanin wear our Organic Cotton Scarf, so we’ve compiled a few of our favorite looks for you to try. The versatility of this scarf makes it an essential piece for my closet, year-round.
xoNatalie
The variation above is perhaps the most basic ways to wear our Organic Cotton Scarf. Simply double the scarf in length, place around your neck, and insert the free ends through the loop. Voila!
August 17, 2012
The Olivia Dress is the newest addition to our Indigo + Carmine collection. Designed by (and named for) our Studio Assistant, Olivia, this pull-on dress is hand-stitched and made from our indigo-dyed, organic cotton jersey. Clean lines accentuate the waist and bust line. The right amount of swing in the A-line skirt allows for easy, beautiful movement.
July 24, 2012
We received a request on how to tie our Alabama Bandana, a summer accessory I wear often to keep my unruly hair in Alabama style.
xoNatalie
Happy Summer from Alabama Chanin on Vimeo.
June 28, 2012
Donna Karan New York by Ingrid Sischy
Stunning images with a wonderful foreword and interview.
See our Donna Karan DIY Dress and more about Donna Karan here.
Earlier this week, I wrote that, as a designer, I feel a deep connection to Donna Karan. Today, for DIY Thursday, we feature a Donna Karan dress constructed in the Alabama Chanin style. It works up beautifully using our medium-weight organic cotton jersey in a single layer and with our organic lightweight cotton jersey in a double layer for the Outside Reverse Applique, as detailed in Alabama Studio Sewing + Design.
June 25, 2012
When I was a design school student at the end of the 1980s, there was one name that you found in all of the magazines and on everyone’s lips: Donna Karan. She was changing the way women dressed. She wanted to “to design modern clothes for modern people.”
Karan became a presence in the fashion world as the women’s rights movement found its footing in the 1970s and women began working in the business world in greater numbers. Most designers didn’t know how to dress this burgeoning new population of professionals. You saw women dressed in double-breasted suits with tight skirts, wide shoulders, and, often, pin stripes. Virginia Slims adverts of the time showed images of women in suits – straight, lean, no curves, nothing womanly at first glance. The models could easily have been men.
June 18, 2012
As we move towards Independence Day, we’d like to highlight some companies who are making great things in the United States. We encourage you to share with us any companies we should look to for ‘Made in America’ excellence and quality.
I can’t emphasize enough the importance of purchasing domestically and shopping locally. We must support the businesses and companies who strive for excellence in craft and manufacturing, those who provide fair wages and proper working conditions for their employees, and companies who take pride in their products.
These are types of companies that, at one point in time, were abundant in my North Alabama manufacturing community.
I frequent A Continuous Lean, and am always moved by the beautiful images and stories. A recent post about Huge, a Japanese magazine whose June issue focuses on products and manufacturing here in America, is beautifully inspiring. Huge shares with readers some companies doing great things.
One featured company is Archival Clothing, whose manufacturing is based in Oregon. They make an array of stylish bags, varying in size and function. Their company values resonated strongly with our team at Alabama Chanin, as they believe, “Perhaps over time, our efforts will help to stimulate the domestic market and encourage US manufacturers to expand their offerings. We hope you will help us with that. We stand behind all of our products, the ones we make and the ones we offer in our store.”
