Image from left: Detail of the A-Line Top + Tunic Kit in Abstract Peacock with Reverse Appliqué and Backstitch Embroidery; The Lucy Top and The Palm Wrap Skirt from Alabama Chanin’s Spring/Summer 2020 Collection; “1958 Le Trapeze ad campaign for Spring 1958″ by Yves Saint Laurent; “1950 Dior Ad campaign“, 1947 by House of Dior,… Read on

Introducing our new summer project bundle, the Color Blocked A-Line Dress. In lieu of our beloved Build A Wardrobe, we are focusing this year on using existing books and patterns to expand our wardrobes with available resources.  We’ve been having lots of conversations about sustainability within our own business but also about the sustainability around… Read on

Natalie’s passion for hand sewing and sustainability are the roots that helped The School of Making flourish into the entity that it is today. Throughout 2020, The School of Making will be launching new programing that will coincide with the celebration of 20 years since Natalie began her journey to our Family of Businesses and… Read on

With the release of Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns, we offer a DIY Sewing Kit for our A-Line Dress. This dress is part of our DIY Sewing Kit Collection. Made from our medium-weight 100% organic cotton jersey, the dress is patterned with our Magdalena Stencil and shown here worked in negative reverse appliqué; however, you may choose… Read on

Frame 1 (clockwise): 100% Organic and Extra-Long Staple Cotton Jersey in Camel, White, Natural, Navy, and Ballet (featured in Studio Bundle #2); The Classic Coat in New Leaves Camel/Camel with Backstitch Reverse Appliqué; The A-Line Pattern envelope; Fabric Swatch in Navy Facets with Slate textile paint; Passementerie Swing Skirt kit contents; Natalie’s Dream A-Line Top… Read on

A closer look at a few of the textiles, stitches, and silhouettes that served as inspiration in developing featured projects and materials for June. Studio Bundle #2 is the color palette and common thread that is woven through newness at The School of Making, from June’s Swatch of the Month design to newly released DIY… Read on

“Untitled (S.270),” 1954–1958 by Ruth Asawa via the Whitney Museum of American Art; Fabric Swatch in Abstract Camel/Camel with Reverse Appliqué; Installation views of Todd Hido: The Poetry of Darkness for the University of Kentucky Art Museum via Institute 193; Family, 1965 by Margaret Mead and photographed by Ken Heyman; The A-Line Top + Tunic Kit in Abstract Navy/Navy; Color sample swatches from the development of Studio Bundle #2. The School of Making… Read on

Design and color inspiration featuring September’s Swatch of the Month; The Swing Skirt Kit; Studio Bundle #3; The New Leaves Corset Kit; Fabric Swatches in Abstract Concrete with Metallic and Tonal Textile Paint; New Leaves Stencil. Following our Studio Bundle #3 launch is the arrival of new DIY kits and colorways to complement September’s Swatch of the Month and… Read on

From top left: January’s Swatch of the Month Magdalena Black/Faded colorway; Fabric Detail of Black 100% organic medium-weight cotton jersey stenciled in Magdalena; Lightweight Jersey Car Coat Kit; Black Bugle Beads; The Faded Stripe Pencil Skirt Kit; The Swing Skirt Pattern in Bloomers Black/Faded Colorway  What I love about watercolor is that a lot of happy accidents occur. – Jane Seymour  January’s Swatch of the Month features our faded organic cotton… Read on

From top left: Luna Rae Top in White Gold Palm; The Willie Top in Blue Slate; Waffle Caftan in Natural; Lightweight Organic Cotton Face Mask in Black; Left and bottom right: Lee Dress, 2017; Top right: Chandler Jacket and Austin Skirt, 2018 by Natalie Chanin for Alabama Chanin from The Women who Revolutionized Fashion: 250… Read on

Launched in 2006, the Alabama Chanin Journal celebrates the art of storytelling. This weekend we look back at our top Journal stories of 2020, starting today with The School of Making. This year, above all, we’ve learned from our readers about the importance of connection, inspiration, and making.  Check back tomorrow for Alabama Chanin’s 2020… Read on

Clockwise from left: The Baby Doll Corset Bundle in Bloomers Dove from The School of Making; Appliqué Rose Stencil Design and Facets Camisole Dress featured in Textile Futures: Fashion, Design, and Technology, 2010 by Bradley Quinn; Embroidery, Appliqué, and Reverse Appliqué Bloomers Fabric Swatch from The School of Making. From page 57 of Alabama Studio… Read on

From left: “Corset illustration” by Sun Young Park for The School of Making Book Series and Patterns; “Original Corset” from the Alabama Chanin archives; Bloomers Fabric Detail in Natural/White Reverse Appliqué; “Corset” from Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns by Natalie Chanin (pages 74–75); “Corset”, 1870–89 by Maison Léoty via the Metropolitan Museum of Art; DIY Corset… Read on

“Untitled”, 1947 by Ruth Asawa at Black Mountain College; Keyhole Dress Kit from The School of Making; Left: “Group IX/UW, The Dove, No. 12”; Right: “Group IX/UW, The Dove, No. 13” from The SUW/UW Series, 1915 by Hilma af Klint. Photograph from Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future, 2018 by Tracey Baskhoff for The… Read on

“Love is an emerald. Its brilliant light wards off dragons on this treacherous path.” – Rumi In addition to our Summer Corset and Summer Swing Skirt kits, find the following DIY Sewing Kits offered in limited-edition Magdalena Emerald-on-Emerald—a lively and lush green colorway. The Long Skirt KitThe A-Line Dress KitThe Corset KitThe Swing Skirt KitThe… Read on

Left to right:  Untitled (Music Series), Untitled (Blue), and Jonquils, all by Alma Thomas, showcase her unique style—a deep understanding of color theory, finding inspiration in the natural world, and a developing abstract style.    Alma Thomas, born in 1891 in Columbus, Georgia, was an art teacher, and alumni of Howard and Columbia Universities. In the 1960s, and after… Read on

From top left: Backstitch Reverse Appliqué Abstract fabric swatch from The School of Making; Malick Bodian self-portrait as directed by stylist Suzanne Koller for A.P.C;  “Felt Suit,” 1970 by Joseph Beuys via Tate; Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the December 2019 issue of American Vogue wearing a dress by Balenciaga, styled by Tonne Goodman and photographed and… Read on

Ellsworth Kelly, Dark Blue Curve; Louise Bourgeois, Untitled from Ode à la Bièvre. 2007 a fabric illustrated book; Collection Whitney Museum of American Art, New York There is a certain kind of blue that feels like the deepest part of a shadow on a bright summer day. It is a color that is simultaneously cool… Read on

2020 is the Year of Color at The School of Making. From rich blues to warm browns, new color stories are the focus of this year’s programing. New offerings, like the Color Palette Bundle incorporate Natalie’s current favorite hues and today we announce new A-Line kits and that the DIY Sewing Kit colorways are getting… Read on

Alabama Chanin Core Essential styles are the building blocks of a modern wardrobe. Traditionally, our Core styles have represented a range of Collection basics. As our designs have expanded over the years to introduce the Leisure collection, the foundations of our wardrobe offerings have grown. Core Essentials now combine both Collection and Leisure basics in… Read on

Published in 2015, Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns: A Guide to Customizing a Hand-Stitched Alabama Chanin Wardrobe is the fourth in our Studio Book series and, because our maker community has embraced the idea of sustainable customization, has become one of our most popular books. As part of our 10-year celebration of Alabama Stitch Book, we… Read on

The Factory Dress has long been a favorite at The School of Making. The A-line style features a fitted bust, slight flair from the waist, princess seams, and high rounded neckline.  We find this style to be flattering on a wide range of body types and can easily be dressed up or down. The School… Read on

For millennia, from the Great Plains of North America to the southern regions of Africa (and all the cultures and continents in between), beads have been used as a way to adorn garments and to communicate with others. The definitive guide to these beading traditions, The History of Beads, was first published in 1987 and… Read on

In March, we introduced new Collection designs on the Spring Equinox. Two months later, as we begin to dip our toes into summer, we expand on the Collection with a handful of new designs to welcome the change of seasons. Even though our designs are not classed to a particular season, we do find inspiration… Read on

The School of Making was founded back in 2014 as an overseeing body that encompasses the DIY Kit collection as well as workshop programming, format, and content. It was also developed to direct and innovate learning initiatives and educational programs that will continue to teach Slow Fashion and sustainability and promote the Living Arts to… Read on

Alabama Chanin’s Core Essentials have been around since 2013, beginning with a collection of hand-sewn basic styles. We mapped the evolution of those designs a few weeks ago on the Journal, and more recently shared a fit guide for our tops and tunics. Today, we share a guide to our Core Essential skirts, pants, and… Read on

The idea for our current Core Essentials began in 2013 with a collection of hand-sewn basic styles. Last week, we mapped the evolution of those designs and you can read that history here. Today, we share a guide to our Core Essential tops and tunics which fall in a price range from under $100 to just over… Read on

We often incorporate limited-edition colors into our Alabama Chanin Collections or have our Organic Cotton Rib dyed to match our existing colors. Our lean-method manufacturing practices mean we order small batches of specialty colors and fabrics so there’s little to no waste or leftover fabric. For the first time, we now have select colors of… Read on

Donna Karan’s approach to design has been a recurring topic of conversation on our Journal and an ongoing source of design inspiration for Natalie. From a 2012 Journal post: 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… Read on

Our Design Bundle was announced last week and includes hand-stenciled swatches in two designs: our popular Anna’s Garden stencil and a new stencil for our DIY community: the Daisy stencil. Once only offered for our Collection garments, the Daisy stencil is a now available through The School of Making as a Mylar stencil and as a… Read on

The Alabama Chanin Signature | Bridal Collection features a range of dresses, skirts, tops, and accessories for special occasions, for the bride and her wedding party, and for black-tie events. Our organic cotton jersey garments are hand crafted and modern—and offer sustainable options for everyday elegance. While many of our garments are created with simplicity in… Read on

Like many Alabama Chanin garments, the Alabama Sweater was created because it fit a specific need in my own wardrobe. Years ago, I bought a cashmere sweater that became a well-worn, beloved staple. I wore it and washed it a thousand times; accordingly, it shrank and stretched—and became perfectly mine. Rather than search the world… Read on

Back in 1985, Donna Karan struck a chord with women across the world by introducing the concept of “7 Easy Pieces”—her collection of garments around which a woman could build an entire wardrobe. She created a system of dressing where a few interchangeable garments, used in different combinations, would create a versatile closet of stylish… Read on

As we continue to get feedback from some of our favorite makers on Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns, we realize how lucky we are to be part of such a positive DIY community. So many fellow writers, designers, knitters, and Journal followers have contacted us with generous responses and honest commentary. How heartening it is to… Read on

In April, I traveled to Chicago to lecture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. While there, I spent some time at the Art Institute and found great inspiration from the works displayed in their galleries. (For someone who has been considering scale and texture quite a bit lately, Elena Manferdini’s exhibition gave… Read on

When I first started brainstorming what was to become Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns, I had a dream that as an elevated service to all of our sewers, our garment patterns (including patterns from our previous books) would be neatly packaged onto one convenient CD with an additional size (XXL), which had been so often requested. … Read on

The School of Making is firmly in place. Our new collection of DIY Kits is being loved (and completed) by many. The occasional frustration of writing a book is now replaced with the joy and pride of making something new and beautiful. Now, we can hardly believe that the arrival of Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns is just… Read on

As I’ve mentioned before, writing a book is no easy feat. It involves months (often years) of planning, drafting, edits, new designs, reviews, rewrites, photo shoots, patternmaking…basically, equal parts labor and love. So, I honestly surprised myself when I agreed to write another one. While still a work in progress, the end is in sight,… Read on

We’ve been talking about friend and collaborator Anna Maria Horner all week, featuring a DIY A-line Tunic with her Little Flowers stencil, a Greek lunch in her honor, and a review of her new book, Anna Maria’s Needleworks Notebook, which we wrote about on Monday promising a giveaway later in the week. Details below on… Read on

For a small company in a small town, we’ve received quite a bit of media attention. This is particularly amazing when you consider our nonexistent advertising budget. With the exception of a couple of classified listings in our local paper, I can’t recall having ever purchased an ad. Even though we have been fortunate in… Read on

A variation on our classic DIY Swing Skirt, our new Facets Swing Skirt is 6″ longer, has all-over embroidery and reverse applique in the Facets stenciling. Choose your own fabric and thread colors and we will cut to your size specifications. Follow the instructions for reverse applique and construction from Alabama Stitch Book to make your… Read on

Faded Leaves fabric is made by Wet-Paint Stenciling – one of the new techniques included in Alabama Studio Style. The fabric was first included in our Fall/Winter 2008 Revolution Collection.  At the time, I was looking for new ways to color fabric that did not require dyeing. Faded Leaves was the result and here are a few of… Read on