Project Threadways is the 501(c)(3) umbrella that guides and supports the programs that carry our mission of craft preservation, cultural heritage, and creative placemaking forward.
PROGRAMS:
ALABAMA CHANIN
Founded by Natalie Chanin, Alabama Chanin® is passionate about designing and hand crafting Collections of the highest possible quality and integrity for over two decades by local artisans.
Learn more about our Supply Chain
THE SCHOOL OF MAKING
Founded on the ideas of cultural preservation and education, The School of Making® creates conversations, educational materials, and experiences to inspire. Explore creativity, craft, and design through the act of making.
EDUCATION
Collaborations with the Center for the Study of the American South, and the Southern Oral History Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, along with other institutions of higher learning facilitate educational opportunities and special projects in the arts, design, and humanities.
Explore Southern Cultures: The Future of Textiles Issue
WORKSHOPS
Inspired by the ideas of cultural preservation, education, and the enrichment of life through the living arts, Project Threadways offers workshops as an open exchange of ideas, maker skills, supply chain transparency, and learning experiences.
Craft Preservation Workshop Scholarships Available
ORAL HISTORIES
Project Threadways' collection of 35+ oral history interviews began in 2000 and expands today through the support of private foundations, the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, the Alabama Humanities Alliance, and the Southern Oral History Program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
SYMPOSIA
The annual Project Threadways Symposium, and events held with partners nationwide, serve as catalysts for community, making, and dialogue about the ways that textiles have shaped the lives of individuals and communities.
Explore the 2025 Symposium, April 25-26
FIBERSHED
Project Threadways conducts and commissions research about the history of textile production in The Shoals and beyond. For the Southeast Fibershed, we map the contemporary landscape of producers and makers in the American South to build a better future.
THE FUTURE
Exciting things are unfolding for Project Threadways. Donations fund all of this work, including operating costs, programming, scholarly initiatives, and special projects.
A NEW HEADQUARTERS
Project Threadways has the opportunity to relocate its programs to a historic building in downtown Florence, AL, located in the former Cotton District and present-day Arts & Entertainment District. This represents a new era for our organization—a space to deepen engagement, expand programs, and make sustainable craft an integral part of daily life in our community.
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