Details In 2021, we relaunched Swatch of the Month, a monthly subscription program for embroidery technique practice and exploration from The School of Making. 2022 commemorates the 10th anniversary of the publishing of Alabama Studio Sewing + Design, which is our inspiration for the 2022 subscription program. Each fabric swatch will feature techniques and stencil designs from the studio book, which offers an encyclopedic view of our embellishment techniques. Free domestic ground shipping. Please note that international orders are subject to an additional shipping charge. Our team will contact you after you have made your purchase, or you may contact us at 256-760-1090 or orders@alabamachanin.com to inquire about shipping costs.All pre-order swatches will ship the first Friday of that month. *Excluded from all sales and promotions. How It Works At the beginning of each month in 2022, participants will receive a DIY Kit featuring a unique fabric swatch to be sewn using embroidery techniques from The School of Making. Embroidery techniques for 2022 can be found in Alabama Studio Sewing + Design. Each swatch kit comes stenciled and ready-to-sew with all of the notions needed to complete the swatch in the shown design choices.We will also be sharing the swatches, our design choices, instructions, and inspirations in an exclusive monthly newsletter. Share your project and follow along with others in the maker community using the hashtags #theschoolofmaking and #swatchofthemonth22.What's NextNew yearly subscribers will receive a shipment with all swatches, headers, thread, and notions through the current month. Each subsequent month’s shipment will include that month’s swatches, a header, and any additional notions needed to complete the swatch design and the exclusive newsletter to your inbox. New monthly subscribers will receive a shipment with the latest month's swatch, thread, and notions. What You Get 24 Fabric Swatches – Each fabric swatch is a 10” x 16” rectangle of our cotton jersey. Every month, participants will receive two fabric swatches. The top layer fabric will be stenciled; the bottom layer fabric will be un-stenciled.Notions – Utilized throughout the projects in The School of Making, Button Craft Thread, Embroidery Floss, and beads are our go-to for all hand-sewing projects.12 Paper Headers – Made from recycled card stock, each header can be labeled and attached to your fabric swatch before organizing into a three-ring binder.Exclusive monthly newsletter – The newsletter will be filled with inspirations, behind-the-scenes stories, a list of design choices, first access to promotions and offers.

<h3>Details</h3>
In 2021, we relaunched Swatch of the Month, a monthly subscription program for embroidery technique practice and exploration from The School of Making. 2022 commemorates the 10th anniversary of the publishing of <a href="https://alabamachanin.com/products/natalie-chanin-alabama-studio-sewing-design?from=collection:Studio%20Books%20Patterns:studio-books&amp;parent=the-school-of-making" target="_blank">Alabama Studio Sewing + Design</a>, which is our inspiration for the 2022 subscription program. Each fabric swatch will feature techniques and stencil designs from the studio book, which offers an encyclopedic view of our embellishment techniques.  
Free domestic ground shipping. Please note that international orders are subject to an additional shipping charge. Our team will contact you after you have made your purchase, or you may contact us at 256-760-1090 or orders@alabamachanin.com to inquire about shipping costs. <meta charset="utf-8">All pre-order swatches will ship the first Friday of that month.  <meta charset="utf-8">
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*Excluded from all sales and promotions.
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<h3>How It Works 
</h3>
At the beginning of each month in 2022, participants will receive a DIY Kit featuring a unique fabric swatch to be sewn using embroidery techniques from The School of Making. Embroidery techniques for 2022 can be found in Alabama Studio Sewing + Design. Each swatch kit comes stenciled and ready-to-sew with all of the notions needed to complete the swatch in the shown design choices. We will also be sharing the swatches, our design choices, instructions, and inspirations in an exclusive monthly newsletter. Share your project and follow along with others in the maker community using the hashtags #theschoolofmaking and #swatchofthemonth22. <meta charset="utf-8">What's Next New yearly subscribers will receive a shipment with all swatches, headers, thread, and notions through the current month. Each subsequent month’s shipment will include that month’s swatches, a header, and any additional notions needed to complete the swatch design and the exclusive newsletter to your inbox. New monthly subscribers will receive a shipment with the latest month's swatch, thread, and notions.
 
<h3>What You Get</h3>
24 Fabric Swatches – Each fabric swatch is a 10” x 16” rectangle of our cotton jersey. Every month, participants will receive two fabric swatches. The top layer fabric will be stenciled; the bottom layer fabric will be un-stenciled. <meta charset="utf-8">Notions – Utilized throughout the projects in The School of Making, Button Craft Thread, Embroidery Floss, and beads are our go-to for all hand-sewing projects. 12 Paper Headers – Made from recycled card stock, each header can be labeled and attached to your fabric swatch before organizing into a three-ring binder. Exclusive monthly newsletter – The newsletter will be filled with inspirations, behind-the-scenes stories, a list of design choices, first access to promotions and offers.

The School of Making December Swatch featuring the vitae stencil in putty on white fabric.

Double image of The School of Making December Swatch featuring the vitae stencil in putty on white fabric.

Subscription Options

December Swatch of the Month

2022 Subscription: One Payment of $900

2022 Subscription: One Payment of $900 + Binder: $26

2022 Monthly Subscription Payments: $75 per month + Binder: $26

2022 January Swatch Only

2022 February Swatch Only

2022 March Swatch Only

2022 April Swatch Only

2022 May Swatch Only

2022 June Swatch Only

2022 July Swatch Only

<h3>EXPLORATIONS IN EMBROIDERY</h3>

“My simple decision to set up a standard way of recording the development of every design and fabric has led to an elaborate library consisting of more than five hundred swatches. To date we have twenty-seven books of fabric swatches that we use for everything from custom orders for clothing and interiors to inspiration for participants in our weekend workshops. When I spread these books across one of our 14′- long work tables, I am amazed to see the beauty we’ve created. In the past, we often tested colorways in garment form. Today, before any garment is cut, a tested and completed fabric sample swatch is approved. This small step has saved the company untold money, time, and waste.”

Find monthly inspirations, project ideas, and kit designs to pair with our Swatch of the Month subscription program.&nbsp;

<a href="https://journal.alabamachanin.com/tag/swatch-of-the-month-2021/" target="_blank">VISIT THE JOURNAL</a>

DETAILS Embroidery: Threads and Stories from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making recounts Natalie's journey and the origins of Alabama Chanin. A deeply personal and reflective work, Natalie’s sixth book explores her design ethos and creative process through stories that shaped her life, career, and our organization as a whole. It also serves as an empowering guide for all who love design and handcraft. • Hardcover• 272 pages• Measures 8.75 x 11"• Abrams, 2022• Ships in 1-3 business days *Excluded from all sales and promotions.

<h3>DETAILS</h3>
Embroidery: Threads and Stories from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making recounts Natalie's journey and the origins of Alabama Chanin. A deeply personal and reflective work, Natalie’s sixth book explores her design ethos and creative process through stories that shaped her life, career, and our organization as a whole. It also serves as an empowering guide for all who love design and handcraft.
• Hardcover • 272 pages • Measures 8.75 x 11" • Abrams, 2022 • Ships in 1-3 business days
*Excluded from all sales and promotions.

Cover of Embroidery: Threads and Stories by Alabama Chanin.

Pages from Embroidery: Threads and Stories by Natalie Chanin.

double Book pages from "Embroidery: Threads and Stories" featuring abstract fabric swatches.

Title

Embroidery: Threads and Stories

Default Title

DETAILS The Geometry of Hand-Sewing: A Romance in Stitches and Embroidery —from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making by Natalie Chanin is a comprehensive guide to hand-stitching and embroidery. This book focuses solely on the stitches themselves rather than projects or garments. It takes embroidery stitches and breaks them down into different geometric grid systems that make learning even seemingly elaborate stitches as easy as child’s play. The Geometry of Hand-Sewing presents this breakthrough method and features illustrated instructions for more than 100 stitches—from the most basic straight and chain to the more fanciful feather and herringbone—photos of both right and wrong sides; and guidelines for modifying stitches to further increase one’s repertoire. To simplify learning, the book also includes two plastic stitching cards die-cut with the grids on which every stitch in the book is based. These reusable cards can be stitched through for practicing or used as stencils for transferring grids to fabric. To create projects in this book, a section of our Variegated Stripe stencil is used. The artwork can be photocopied from the book, hand-drawn using a ruler, or downloaded here. *Excluded from all sales and promotions.• 144 pages• Paperback• 9 x 11 inches• Abrams, 2017• Ships in 1-3 business days INSTALLMENT HIGHLIGHTS • Instruction for more than 100 embroidery stitches • Plastic stitching cards die-cut with the 7 grids shown in the book • Labeled illustrations of each stitch for both left- and right-handed stitching • Photographs of both the front and back of each stitch *Excluded from all sales and promotions.

<h3>DETAILS</h3>
The Geometry of Hand-Sewing: A Romance in Stitches and Embroidery <meta charset="utf-8"> —from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making by Natalie Chanin is a comprehensive guide to hand-stitching and embroidery. This book focuses solely on the stitches themselves rather than projects or garments. It takes embroidery stitches and breaks them down into different geometric grid systems that make learning even seemingly elaborate stitches as easy as child’s play.
The Geometry of Hand-Sewing presents this breakthrough method and features illustrated instructions for more than 100 stitches—from the most basic straight and chain to the more fanciful feather and herringbone—photos of both right and wrong sides; and guidelines for modifying stitches to further increase one’s repertoire. To simplify learning, the book also includes two plastic stitching cards die-cut with the grids on which every stitch in the book is based. These reusable cards can be stitched through for practicing or used as stencils for transferring grids to fabric.
To create projects in this book, a section of our Variegated Stripe stencil is used. The artwork can be photocopied from the book, hand-drawn using a ruler, or downloaded <a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0411/9864/9508/files/The_School_of_Making_-_Variegated_Stripe_-_Stencil_Artwork_Cropped.jpg?v=1666212676" target="_blank">here</a>.
*Excluded from all sales and promotions. • 144 pages • Paperback • 9 x 11 inches • Abrams, 2017 <meta charset="utf-8">• Ships in 1-3 business days 
<h3>INSTALLMENT HIGHLIGHTS</h3>
• Instruction for more than 100 embroidery stitches • Plastic stitching cards die-cut with the 7 grids shown in the book • Labeled illustrations of each stitch for both left- and right-handed stitching • Photographs of both the front and back of each stitch 
*Excluded from all sales and promotions.

The School of Making The Geometry of Hand-Sewing Book Cover by Natalie Chanin.

The School of Making The Geometry of Hand Sewing Book for Hand-Stitching and Hand-Embroidery DIY Projects by Natalie Chanin.

The School of Making Button Craft Thread sewing techniques.

double image of the geometry of hand sewing with pages showing the stitches.

The Geometry of Hand-Sewing

DETAILS 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. In this volume of the four-book series, we offer, 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. The book comes with a disc containing patterns for all of the garments from the previous three books in the Alabama Studio Series with additional sizing for XXL. Choose The Studio Book Bundle option to get signed copies of each of the following titles by Natalie Chanin: Alabama Stitch Book, Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns, and Alabama Studio Sewing and Design. *Excluded from all sales and promotions. INSTALLMENT HIGHLIGHTS • 9 core garment patterns with up to 34 standard variations, plus three bonus pocket patterns • Patterns from the entire Alabama Studio Book Series with the additional XXL size • 5 full-scale stencil designs • Useful, convenient CD that minimizes its ecological footprint by conserving paper• Also includes basic stitching, construction, and technique instructions• Hardcover • 179 pages • Abrams, 2015 *Excluded from all sales and promotions.

<h3>DETAILS</h3>
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. In this volume of the four-book series, we offer, 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. The book comes with a disc containing patterns for all of the garments from the previous three books in the Alabama Studio Series with additional sizing for XXL.
<meta charset="utf-8">Choose The Studio Book Bundle option to get signed copies of each of the following titles by Natalie Chanin: <a href="https://shop.alabamachanin.com/products/alabama-stitch-book-natalie-chanin" target="_blank">Alabama Stitch Book</a>, Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns, and <a href="https://shop.alabamachanin.com/products/natalie-chanin-alabama-studio-sewing-design" target="_blank">Alabama Studio Sewing and Design</a>.
*Excluded from all sales and promotions.
<h3>INSTALLMENT HIGHLIGHTS</h3>
• 9 core garment patterns with up to 34 standard variations, plus three bonus pocket patterns • Patterns from the entire Alabama Studio Book Series with the additional XXL size • 5 full-scale stencil designs • Useful, convenient CD that minimizes its ecological footprint by conserving paper <meta charset="utf-8">• Also includes basic stitching, construction, and technique instructions • Hardcover • 179 pages • Abrams, 2015 
*Excluded from all sales and promotions.

The School of Making Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns by Natalie Chanin Book Cover.

Alabama Chanin Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns Book on Hand-Sewing and DIY Projects by Natalie Chanin.

The School of Making Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns Book for DIY Sewing with Organic Cotton.

The School of Making Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns Book Hand Painted Stencils and Hand-Sewing.

The School of Making Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns Book By Natalie Chanin with Garment Patterns and DIY Sewing.

double the school of making alabama studio sewing patterns book acknowledgments.

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