Rinne Allen, longtime friend and current collaborator, adopted the phrase “permission to wander” several years ago from her friend, artist Hope Hilton and Hope’s work. As Rinne told The Bitter Southerner, “I think many of us don’t allow ourselves idle time … permission to be idle. We think we have to fill most every hour with productivity. Deciding… Read on

“Cleve Jones and Gert McMullin”, 1987. Photograph by: Deanne Fitzmaurice for the San Francisco Chronicle.  In the early 1980s, Gert McMullin was living in San Francisco, ground zero for a terrifying new disease: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. Her friend David Calgaro contracted the disease, then another friend, Roger Lyon, and then more and more. As an increasing number of friends got sick, McMullin felt she barely… Read on

We are continually captivated and inspired by the Mexican artist and style icon Frida Kahlo. Frida incorporated personal experiences, relationships, traditional Mexican culture, and political ideologies into her art, and is a representation of fearlessness and authenticity for many in marginalized groups. Frida drew from the deepest emotional elements of her personal life – including her marriage,… Read on

In the vein of our previous posts about The Family of Man and The Family of Woman, we continue our feature series on the books that were published by Jerry Mason and Ridge Press from 1955 to 1979. Family, by Margaret Mead and photographed by Ken Heyman, grew from a student-teacher respect between Mead and Heyman at Columbia University into a twenty-year… Read on

There is no savor more sweet, more salt Than to be glad to be what, woman. –  Denise Levertov  I first purchased The Family of Woman at a used bookstore in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was one of the first photography books, along with The Family of Man, that would become the basis of my now extensive library, moved across the globe with… Read on

Left: “Self Portrait on Geary Street”, 1959 by Imogen Cunningham via the Museum of Modern Art; right: “Magnolia Blossom,” 1925 by Imogen Cunningham via Oklahoma State University Art Collection “I made a lot of mistakes, and I still do. But, I try not to worry about it, because I never will be the perfectionist, and… Read on

The importance of Black women in American life, culture, democracy, and history is undeniable. Even as recent years have brought some recognition, Black women’s contributions remain underappreciated or unspoken.  We still have a long way to go. But these women inspire us to continue the journey toward freedom and equality for all. This month, in… Read on

“Mugshot of Jo Ann Robinson in the wake of the Montgomery Bus Boycott”, February 21, 1956, from Montgomery County Archives via the National Museum of African American History & Culture.  Throughout our series, we’ve heard the stories of three courageous women from the state of Alabama: Recy Taylor, Rosa Parks, and Claudette Colvin. Today we write about Jo Ann Robinson for… Read on

“Lee Bontecou in her Wooster Street studio”, 1963 by Ugo Mulas.  Lee Bontecou was known to use her art to explore voids she found in society and within herself. She blended sculpture with paintings and drawings, often using unconventional materials and processes she developed for her work. She was known as being meticulous with each step in the creation… Read on

Left: Rosa Parks 7053 Tee, a collaboration between Alabama Chanin and basic. benefitting the Equal Justice Initiative; Right: “Montgomery, Alabama, police photo (mug shot) of Rosa Parks”, February 21, 1956 from Alabama Department of Archives and History.  In the iconic booking photograph of Rosa Parks shown above, taken February 21, 1956, she is recorded as prisoner “7053” after being… Read on

Claudette Colvin, aged 13, in 1953. (Public Domain) In our series honoring the significant contributions of Black women and their interconnectedness—the persistence of their struggle for freedom—we’ve written about Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks. Today we share the story of Claudette Colvin.   Claudette Colvin was thinking about her history class when she changed history. On March 2, 1955, Claudette Colvin… Read on

Left: “Ruth Asawa amid her works”, 1954. Photographed by Nat Farbman/Time & Life Pictures via New York Times; right: “Untitled (S.270)”, 1954–1958 by Ruth Asawa via Whitney Museum of American Art  NOTE: At the same time we were working on this post, a New York Times article titled “The Japanese-American Sculptor Who, Despite Persecution, Made Her Mark” published on July 20,2020. It’s wonderful and timely… Read on

Rosa Parks being fingerprinted on February 22, 1956, by Lieutenant D.H. Lackey as one of the people indicted as leaders of the Montgomery bus boycott from Associated Press; restored by Adam Cuerden.   We continue to honor not only the significant contributions of Black women, but also their interconnectedness—the persistence of their struggle for freedom. We previously shared the… Read on

In 2017 and on a trip to New York City, I visited the Brooklyn Museum to view Georgia O’Keeffe: Living Modern. It was a beautiful spring day and before the thought of social distancing would come to rule our world. I was with a friend; we weren’t in a hurry.  As I passed the entrance… Read on

Mrs. Recy Taylor, 1944, credit: The Rape of Recy Taylor; From The People’s World/Daily Worker and Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University Over the coming weeks and months, we will honor the significant contributions of four Black women and their interconnectedness—the persistence of their struggle for freedom. We are going to tell… Read on

Left: Kady Vandeurs and Marsha P. Johnson at gay rights rally at City Hall, 1973. Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library. Right: A photograph of the Stonewall Inn, famed and widely recognized after the events of June 28, 1969, which would change the public conception of LGBTQ peoples in the United States; Diana Davies, copyright owned by… Read on

The fabric tells a story. In the careful stitches, the colors, the pieces, a narrative takes shape. The blue water, the bright sun overhead, the American flag. In the center, a black fist holds a red lightning bolt. Harnessing power, and powerful itself.   This fabric is a quilt, designed by Ruth Clement Bond, one of six so-called… Read on

“She was the first to ever love me.”  We have the deepest appreciation for the women and mothers who birthed us, nurture us, and continue to care for and love us. We look up to them every day, and today, we share stories and works of art that celebrate them:   Never a Pal Like Mother:… Read on

American conceptual artist Jenny Holzer finds her outlet in words. She started out making large-scale public installations, pasting signs in public spaces, guerrilla style. She has used billboards, t-shirts, books, video, and—notably—LED signs to get her messages across. Her focus is exploring the power of language and how it helps us communicate, but also to… Read on

We’ve been partnering with friend and fellow Alabamian Gina Locklear of Little River Sock Mill for four years to create a line of Made in the USA, organic cotton socks that complement our collections. Our most recent designs (stripe shortie, crew, and tall) launched alongside the Leisure Collection last month and match the quality and… Read on

When she began her art career, Swoon (born Caledonia Dance Curry) never tagged her art, opting to leave her pieces anonymous. She came up with the “street” name in a dream and began to use the tag which, because it is not gender-specific, led many observers to think the artist was a man—an unexpected advantage… Read on

Gloria Steinem was born in 1934, the daughter of a traveling salesman and the granddaughter of activist Pauline Steinem. Pauline was chairwoman to the educational committee of the National Woman Suffrage Association, a delegate to the 1908 International Council of Women, and the first woman to be elected to the Toledo Board of Education. She… Read on

African-American journalist Ethel Payne was born in 1911, the granddaughter of slaves and the fifth daughter in a large family. Her father, who worked in a stockyard and was a Pullman porter, died when Ethel was 46 and Ethel’s mother became a domestic worker to support the family. There was little money for education so after high school, Payne began… Read on

Even in today’s relatively progressive world, female journalists often face discrimination or are corralled into writing or producing material that is meant to appeal to the so-called feminine point-of-view. As we recently highlighted, there are those like Christiane Amanpour who have worked hard to challenge the status quo. But for every Amanpour, there is another… Read on

Margaret Bourke-White, born in the Bronx in 1904, was one of the earliest prominent female photographers – working for a number of notable publications, primarily LIFE magazine. Though she studied photography in college, she was uninterested in pursuing it as a profession until long out of school. Eventually, she formed her own company, with Otis… Read on

The newsroom has traditionally been a “boys’ club”—and we are just beginning to see a shift in this mindset, both on cable and network news. For decades, Christiane Amanpour has been challenging that norm as a prominent news correspondent and a leader and role model for women (and all journalists) all over the world. Growing… Read on

Tanzila Khan was born in Sialkot, Pakistan, and a physical disability has confined her to a wheelchair since birth. Her activism began early in her life, as she was on the receiving end of discriminatory practices. In Pakistan, those with disabilities are often relegated to a lower status and their needs and desires are rarely… Read on

First Lady Elizabeth Anna (aka “Betty”) Ford served alongside her husband, Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the United States, from 1974 until 1977. Unlike many First Ladies before her, Betty was outspoken and approachable, tackling many thorny issues of the time. Born Elizabeth Bloomer in 1918, Ford studied dance with, among other instructors, the… Read on

There is an incredible number of social and environmental issues being poorly addressed in America, perhaps few so serious as the current water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Activist Melissa Mays has been a loud voice amid the chaos, one sometimes inconvenient to government officials. But with her family and her community at risk amid one… Read on

Did you know that (per the Indian Law Resource Center) more than 4 out of 5 American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, and more than 50% have experienced sexual violence? Were you aware that, according to the Center for Disease Control, the third-leading cause of death for Native American and Alaska Native… Read on

In the late 1950s, Jane Goodall visited Kenya at the urging of a friend, not knowing that her life’s work lay just ahead. She fostered a love for all animals since early childhood and, while there, summoned the courage to reach out to famous anthropologist Louis Leakey, whose fossil discoveries documented that modern man’s origins… Read on

Photograph © Condé Nast: “Rachel Carson, Washington, D.C., 1951” by Irving Penn Rachel Carson’s childhood was spent in a smoky suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, far from the seas and oceans that would one day capture her heart. Her home was near the local glue factory, where she would watch slaughtered horses fed by conveyor belt… Read on

“All black art is political. I think our very presence is political. Anyone that is able to establish a voice and a consistent presence and put their voice forth is doing something radical and political with their very presence.” – Ava DuVernay Filmmaker Ava DuVernay was born in 1972 in Long Beach, California, and raised… Read on

“What does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?” – Sophie Scholl These were the words of Sophie Scholl, a 21-year old leader of an Anti-Nazi rebellion movement in the 1940s. Sophie, her brother Hans, and their friend Christoph Probst, were executed by Nazi party officials in 1943,… Read on

Champion of women’s suffrage, Emmeline Pankhurst was born in 1858 in Manchester, England, to radical politically active parents. When she was 14 years old, they opened her eyes to women who were fighting for the right to vote – a cause she immediately took up and advocated for the rest of her life. When Emmeline… Read on

Born a slave in Holly Springs, Mississippi, in 1862, Ida Wells was the child of politically active parents, and her life was an example of that influence. Her father James, after being freed from a lifetime of slavery, was involved in the Freedman’s Aid Society, and he helped found and served on the first board… Read on

In Norwich Castle Museum in England, you can find several textiles made by a woman named Lorina Bulwer—embroideries that might be seen as messages of protest or anger. Of the three wool and cotton-scrap pieces, two are square images of arguing men, and the others are scrolls made of scraps, heavily embroidered with stream-of-consciousness-like text…. Read on

“We presented Southern white racists with a new option: kill us or desegregate.” “Who the hell is Diane Nash?” Robert Kennedy Jr. asked his then-special assistant John Seigenthaler in 1961. At the time, Nash was helping to coordinate the legendary Freedom Rides, filling buses with black and white activists protesting the lack of desegregation enforcement…. Read on

American artist Louise Nevelson has been an inspiration for several elements of our style aesthetic for some time now. The textural and stylistic elements of her sculpture have found their way into our collection a few times, particularly with the Tweed fabric design in our Bridal + Eveningwear Collection. Its sculptural qualities can find parentage… Read on

Paradise Under Reconstruction in the Aesthetic of Funk—that is the name of fiber artist Xenobia Bailey’s ongoing cultural art project. It’s colorful, challenging, multi-disciplinary, and incredibly difficult (if not impossible) to categorize. Bailey’s primary media are yarn and fabric and most of her pieces are crochet or knitted. She often uses concentric circles or repeating… Read on

“Remember, this is your day and your world.” —Amelia Boynton One of the most famous photographs taken of “Bloody Sunday”, when state troopers brutally assaulted civil rights marchers in Selma, Alabama, shows an unconscious woman—dressed in heels, gloves, and a formal hat—being cradled and protected by a fellow marcher. That woman was Amelia Boynton, an… Read on

As part of Black History Month, we are highlighting several women with connections to our region who made—and are making—significant contributions to the modern Civil Rights movement.

If you are a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance or a fan of the Bitter Southerner, as we are, you likely already know the work of Pableaux Johnson. During the 2015 SFA Symposium, he shared a short film about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath and celebrated the city’s resilience with a helping of red… Read on

First published in 1965, Anni Albers’ seminal book, On Weaving, is both a thoughtful meditation on the art of weaving and a beautiful photographic collection of historical craftsmanship. Albers, who we have written about in the past (and used as inspiration for some of our own work) was part of the Bauhaus movement and one… Read on

Our Collections feature new garment styles, including different varieties of smocks—inspired in part by the workwear of seminal female artists like Lee Bontecou, Louise Bourgeois, and Barbara Hepworth. Hepworth particularly kept to a distinctive style of work garments like aprons, hooded jackets, and the beloved smock. Hepworth was a British sculptor whose career spanned five decades,… Read on

This post has been updated from the original post on October 17, 2017. We’re revisiting our love of Lee Bontecou as our most recent Marine update is inspired by the words and life of Zora Neale Hurston, and the artistry of Vija Celmins (more coming soon), and Bontecou. Lee Bontecou has always been difficult to categorize, as her work reflects elements of Minimalism, Abstract Expressionism, and Feminist art. She was a true pioneer in the… Read on

If you attended or read about any of our Makeshift events, you already know how much we respect and admire designer Maria Cornejo. She has been both conscious and vocal about fashion’s impact on the environment for many years—certainly before “sustainability” became a buzz word. Much of her design approach focuses on efficiency, and so… Read on

“Nothing is less real than realism ― details are confusing. It is only by selection, by elimination, by emphasis, that we get the real meaning of things.” – Georgia O’Keeffe Georgia O’Keeffe is undoubtedly considered one of America’s greatest and most influential painters. She was a key figure in the emergence and advancement of American modernism… Read on

Alabama artist Mose Tolliver was known primarily for his paintings of birds, frogs, flowers, and erotic figures. An exhibition at Institute 193 in Lexington, Kentucky, earlier this spring shed much deserved light on an often overlooked segment of his output—his self portraits. Tolliver was born one of twelve children to tenant farmers in the Pike… Read on

In 1971, Robert Tharsing moved to Lexington to work as a painting instructor at the University of Kentucky. Geographically, he was thousands of miles from his home state of California; culturally he was perhaps even further removed. On the West Coast, he had grown up near Los Angeles and later studied painting at UC Berkeley… Read on

We are continually intrigued by artists who conceive new ways to create old-fashioned arts. Cross stitch, which is one of the oldest forms of embroidery, was originally used to embroider textiles in ancient Egypt and China. Today, it is often used as a way to decorate clothing and fabric with flowers or patterns. Recently, Spanish… Read on

Among many recurring subjects in Frida Kahlo’s artwork are flowers, foliage, and fruits. She used this imagery to celebrate Mexican history and culture. The garden at her home, Casa Azul, was first started by her parents and was filled with ivy, roses, and apricot and orange trees. As an adult, Frida and her husband Diego… Read on

“Of all the pitfalls in our paths and the tremendous delays and wanderings off the track, I want to say that they are not what they seem to be. I want to say that all that seems like fantastic mistakes are not mistakes; all that seems like error is not error. And it all has… Read on

Welcome to the new year. In the spirit of the fresh start a new year brings, we present a new Collection. About the Collection During the summer of 2016 on the Journal, we started an artist series that profiled female artists and designers like Frida Kahlo, Louise Nevelson, Clarie McCardell, Sonia Delaunay, and Anni Albers…. Read on

“Clothes are for real live women…They are made to be worn, to be lived in.” – Claire McCardell Claire McCardell is effectively the founder of American ready-to-wear fashion. Working from the 1930s through the 50s, McCardell was innovative because she designed clothing that was fashionable but also allowed women to move, breathe, and generally live… Read on

John Paul White spent years of his life on the road. Formerly one-half of the prolific duo The Civil Wars, it was not unusual for him to spend 300-plus days a year on tour. Once that project came to an end, White returned home to Florence and began a period of centering himself, settling in… Read on

“He who knows how to appreciate color relationships, the influence of one color on another, their contrasts and dissonances, is promised an infinitely diverse imagery.” – Sonia Delaunay Sonia Delaunay (1885 – 1979), alongside her husband and fellow artist Robert Delaunay, co-founded the Orphism art movement, an offshoot of the Cubist style that focused on… Read on

Alison Saar, contemporary sculptor and mixed-media artist, was born to acclaimed assemblage artist Betye Saar and Richard Saar, a painter and conservator. In her work, Betye (now 90-years old) often addresses the journey and identity of the African American woman—concepts that Alison has built upon as she explores her own family and racial identity through… Read on

“A longing for excitement can be satisfied without external means within oneself: For creating is the most intense excitement one can come to know.” – Anni Albers Anni Albers was a multi-disciplinary artist best remembered for her work in textile design. She trained at the Bauhaus school in Germany, where she met her future husband and… Read on

Some subjects are so polarizing that almost any discussion of them is fraught with tension or awkwardness. And so it is with the topic of gun violence. No matter what your stance is, whenever we are faced with a tragic mass-shooting incident, many of us feel powerless; we respond with anger or by shutting the… Read on

If you’ve spent any amount of time listening to public radio, you become acquainted with or even attached to the sound of a host’s voice. The introduction to a show or podcast becomes familiar, like memorized lyrics to a song, and the host’s voice becomes as recognizable and comforting as a friend’s. For instance, so… Read on

In the years since we met Rosanne Cash, we have grown from giddy fans, to dedicated admirers, to proud and honored friends. It is no secret how much we are inspired by Rosanne—as a supporter, an artist, and a beautiful person. We’ve done our best to express our admiration whenever the opportunity arises. We are… Read on

Rinne Allen and Alabama Chanin first crossed paths almost a decade ago, when Rinne attended one of Natalie’s early “Alabama Adventure” weekends—which included picnics, short workshops, music and storytelling. (Those early weekends became what is now our annual company picnic + workshop weekend.) After that, it seemed that we began to cross paths more frequently—at… Read on

Over the last five years, our work with Cathy Bailey and Robin Petravic has been some of the most productive, exciting, and meaningful work that we’ve had the opportunity to do. Robin and Cathy are husband and wife, parents to Jasper, writers of the new book, Tile Makes the Room, and the owners and operators… Read on

I have known many storytellers in my life. Some have a natural and unrehearsed style that feels captivating and immediate; some present new or unfamiliar points of view; others are quite deliberate and thoughtful in approach; all of them are enthralling to me. As a storyteller born into a family of storytellers, I find master… Read on

Thank you to everyone at the New York Public Library for having me ‘round for the Handmade Crafternoon back in May. And thanks to Jessica for this inspired reading list; I would like to have each and every one of the books she selected.

Georgia Gilmore worked at the National Lunch Company in Montgomery, Alabama, cooking her renowned fried chicken for both white and black patrons. During the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955, she brought home-cooked meals to mass meetings. This evolved into what became known as,“The Club from Nowhere,” an underground fund-raising effort built on her delicious cakes… Read on

Updated on 07/31/23 VS

An excerpt from Embroidery: Threads and Stories, by Natalie Chanin. The origin of the word Alabama is still debated. Some believe it is derived from the Choctaw language, translated as “thicket clearer”—hinting at the agriculturally adept tribes that cleared the thicket for cultivation. As a child, I was certain that this was the best interpretation,… Read on

Above: Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour, edited by Michelle Tolini Finamore. Read (or listen) along with us. #AlabamaChaninBookClub(Updated August 21, 2023) Some of the links below contain affiliate links. By purchasing a book or audio recording at these links, Alabama Chanin, The School of Making, and Project Threadways may receive a portion of the purchase… Read on

Original Publication Date: October 27, 2016Updated: May 22, 2023 There is a lot you can say about Scott Peacock: James Beard Award-winning chef, engaging storyteller, collaborator and co-author to Edna Lewis, budding farmer, writer/filmmaker, experimenter with indigo, and the creator of the inspiring Alabama Biscuit Experience in Marion, Alabama. As we launch our 2023 Summer Indigo… Read on

Above: from Embroidery: Threads and Stories by Natalie Chanin, page 106-107; photo by Cliff Billingsley The April issue of Southern Living magazine includes an essay by Natalie titled, “How The Singing River Inspires The South’s Creativity.” Read the full article below, explore our #travel series on the Journal for more on The Shoals, and find… Read on

Pictured above: Detail of The Shoals Area; map via AllTrails In her book, First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Journey Through Anxiety, Sarah Wilson explains how walking helps calm her anxiety and balances the nervous system. In the chapter titled “Slow…” her declaration, “I’m also a mad hiker,” appeals to my heart and… Read on

One of our favorite holiday DIY silhouettes, the Long Skirt is now available in Couched Anna’s Garden inspired by November’s Swatch of the Month. Shop the new Anna’s Garden Couched Long Skirt Kit (or give a year of swatches to the makers in your life). #MeMade Holiday: Long Skirt Highlight

Follow along on Instagram for more inspiration and stories we love.@alabamachanin What We’re Watching (via @swissmiss): Beyond the Visible: Hilma af Klint from Kino Lorber Films. @kinolorber Learn more and watch the full documentary here. Explore Hilma af Klint’s work and legacy as one Sweden’s most experimental and influential artists. Weekend Digest: “Dealing with Dignity… Read on

Dianna Settles was born in Los Alamitos, California in 1989. She grew up in Blue Ridge, Georgia and received her BFA from San Francisco Art Institute in 2014. Settles currently resides on an urban farm in Atlanta, Georgia, where she lives and creates in the company of a large community and co-runs Hi-Lo Press, a… Read on

Follow along on Instagram for more inspiration and stories we love.@alabamachanin Natalie Loves: Emma Thompson in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. #oscarworthy Stream the film on Hulu (and watch for a scene featuring one of our favorite hometown hits, “Always Alright” by the Alabama Shakes).  Read: “Emma Thompson and the Challenge of Baring All… Read on

There are times when you meet someone and immediately think, “Oh, there you are. I’ve missed you.” You feel as if you’ve known that person forever: dreamed, traveled, laughed, cried, and grown up together. Such was my first conversation with April Gargiulo. Our talk meandered seamlessly between subjects such as the meaning of craft, how… Read on

Follow along on Instagram for more inspiration and stories we love.@alabamachanin Closely Crafted is a newly launched non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and revitalizing craft in the American fashion industry. By nurturing artisan equity and critical awareness of the craft, Closely Crafted is working to build a sustainable future for our industry and empower the… Read on

Clockwise: Fabric Swatch in Ballet/Ballet with Latticework Passementerie and Herringbone Stitching; Passementerie-inspired dress from the Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2015 RTW collection; “Miscellaneous Shroud Knots (Plates 69–90)” from Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work, 1939 by John Hensel and Raoul Graumont; July 2022 Swatch of the Month detail featuring Latticework Passementerie and Herringbone Stitching… Read on

For over a decade, we’ve had the joy of collaborating with Cathy Bailey and Robin Petravic, the visionary husband-and-wife duo behind Heath Ceramics. For the newest Heath Ceramics x Alabama Chanin collection, Natalie, Cathy, and Robin set out to create two new hand-etched designs that represent each company’s heritage and work in the preservation and… 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

Continuing our new weekly inspiration series where we share the stories, works, and musings that inspire Natalie and our team each week. Follow along on instagram @alabamachanin to see more stories that #NatalieLoves each week. Cassandra Speaks by Elizabeth Lesser: “When women are storytellers, the human story changes.” @elizlesser Learn more about Cassandra Speaks and purchase a… Read on

Continuing our new weekly inspiration series where we share the stories, works, and musings that inspire Natalie and our team each week. Follow along on instagram @alabamachanin to see more stories that #NatalieLoves each week. InStyle: “Peek Inside Alabama Chanin Founder Natalie Chanin’s Gorgeously Curated Home”. Explore the new feature on Natalie’s home and kitchen… Read on

Continuing our new weekly inspiration series where we share the stories, works, and musings that inspire Natalie and our team each week. Follow along on Instagram @alabamachanin to see more stories that #NatalieLoves each week. (P.S.— Explore our inaugural Stories we Love post here.) InStyle: “Peek Inside Alabama Chanin Founder Natalie Chanin’s Gorgeously Curated Home.”… Read on

Introducing our new weekly inspiration series where we share the stories, works, and musings that inspire Natalie and our team each week. Follow along on instagram @alabamachanin to see more stories that #NatalieLoves each week. Congratulations to @cedric.burnside on his @recordingacademy win and to the whole @singlelock family for a year of award winning sounds…. Read on

A closer look at “Wind”, a new hand-painted motif introduced in our latest collection. Wind draws inspiration from city sidewalks and forest floors bestrewn with fallen leaves, and the atmospheric choreography of their descent.  Our vision for Wind is brought to life through an airy, foliage-inspired pattern that is painted by hand onto each garment…. Read on

Maggie’s Dream uses our classic Magdalena Stencil and is intended to be made without embroidery, showcasing the unique graphic pattern. The layered, dream-like design was inspired by the drop cloths in our stenciling department, which become a work of art in their own right as they collect layer upon layer of various textile paints and… Read on

“Hawkins Bolden: Seated” for Institute 193, January 12 – February 26, 2022. ⁠Scarecrows made from stuffed pairs of work pants—likely worn out after many years in his garden—distinguish Bolden as an epithet for recycled and utilitarian art (Smithsonian American Art Museum).  Phillip March Jones is an artist, writer, and curator. He grew up in Lexington,… Read on

Inspired by our newly released Maggie’s Dream Kits, The School of Making’s refreshed DIY assortment includes all of our favorite projects for the year ahead. Explore latest DIY Kits and a new color story curated by our team, as well as accompanying notions and materials to make what you love. DIY Kit Refresh this way…. Read on

“Everything I do starts in a small black book. I make lists. I draw. I take down notes, memorable quotes, or random thoughts. Things seem to expand out of those pages.”—Phillip March Jones  The covers of our Phillip March Jones Journals, shown below, are printed with vibrant designs from the sketchbooks of artist, writer, and friend, Phillip March… Read on

2021 marks the tenth year of our annual review, looking back on the highlights, and accomplishments, of the past year.   We are grateful for the opportunity to do what we love for another year—being stewards of sustainability, sharing inspiration, creating designs and experiences with our family, friends, colleagues, and guests. We recognize that many of… Read on

Twenty.one onward through the liminal wan.der.lust air and love stitches  at the edge of nature freefall  renegade we are always coming home   trails of overgrown memories home.town love the thread catch my soul  scrub me new me together return to rethread aspire homeward  crafting web embellish.life storytelling core to live  and inspire  Created in collaboration with Diana Weymar of Tiny Pricks Project, Alabama Chanin x Tiny Pricks Project is a collection of 21 one-of-a-kind jackets,… Read on

twenty.one  onward through the liminal wan.der.lust air and love stitches  at the edge of nature freefall  renegade we are always coming home  trails of overgrown memories home.town love the thread catch my soul scrub me new me together return to rethread aspire homeward crafting web embellish.life storytelling core to live and inspire  Twenty-One Years By Natalie Chanin and Diana Weymar  Over the last three months, Alabama Chanin released stories and archival photographs through our 21 Years… Read on

“Natalie and her team lead with the heart. The passion they have for people and mother earth is palpable. It is evident in everything they do – from fabrics to food, from hospitality to home goods, from workforce development to the way they share the work of others they admire.” —Malia Mills, swimwear designer and… Read on

Left: “Inspired By quilt”, 2014 by Beth Shibley, Los Alamitos, California, contributor Quilt Alliance with accompanying essay “Flags of Hope” essay, by Natalie Chanin, published in Talking Textiles, Issue 1 for New York Textile Month, September 2016 (pages 206–207). “A quilt tells a story about its maker, specific to a time and place; a quilt, quite literally, is a whole… Read on

Left: Stack of serged reclaimed down jackets, 2014, photograph by Rinne Allen; right: Grace Malloy of Poco Farm wearing Reclaimed Down Scarves for Patagonia’s Truth to Materials collection lookbook, 2014, photograph by Jeff Johnson “A big part of the beauty of this project is the prior lives of the down jackets. We will never know… Read on

Swatch of the Month inspiration featuring Fabric Swatch in Large Polka Dot Natural/White using Whipstitch Appliqué; Fen Dress Pattern by Fancy Tiger Crafts; Fancy Tiger Crafts storefront in Denver, Colorado; Embroidery Floss; Interior shot of Fancy Tiger Crafts; Left: “Untitled”; Right: “Buds”, 1959 by Agnes Martin. From Agnes Martin, 2015 edited by Frances Morris and Tiffany Bell… Read on

Left: Etched dinnerware from the Alabama Chanin and Heath Ceramics Collaboration, bowls and mug from Heath Ceramics’ Coupe line, Alabama Chanin placemats and napkins with embroidery, 2011, featured in the T Magazine piece “Table Dressing,” written by Alexandra Lange “Depth of craft and beauty coupled with purpose [is Alabama Chanin’s most enduring quality]. There’s so… Read on

Swatch of the Month inspiration featuring the Fancy Tiger Top Kit; Embroidery Floss; October’s Swatch of the Month; Climbing Daisy Stencil artwork; right: Facets Stencil artwork from Alabama Studio Sewing + Design by Natalie Chanin (pages 132–133); Studio Bundle #3; The Starter Poncho Kit. “With just one polka dot, nothing can be achieved.” —Yayoi Kusama … Read on

Left: “Barns of the Future” featuring The Farm Project by Mike Meiré from View on Colour: A World of Folk by Li Edelkoort, 2008, photographed by Robert Rausch; right: Indigo dyed Corset in reverse appliqué Angie’s Fall from the Alabama Chanin and Goods of Conscious collaboration, 2009, photographed and styled by Sarah Lewis Moursund Join… Read on

Left: “African Burial Ground”, 2009; right: “Meanderings of an Imaginary River”, 2020 by Valerie S. Goodwin  This Thursday: Exhibition + Opening featuring fiber artist Valerie S. Goodwin | Florence, Alabama   Valerie Goodwin is a mixed media fiber artist, architect, and educator whose fine art works are included in museums and private collections. She has received degrees… Read on

The Alabama Chanin 21 Years celebration continues tomorrow, highlighting the years from 2004 – 2006 during which Natalie collaborates with more artists and designers, becomes a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and founds Alabama Chanin—a career milestone in 2006.  This celebration marks Natalie’s legacy in sustainable design and honors our collaborators,… Read on

Swatch of the Month Inspiration featuring Fabric Swatch in New Leaves White/Sand; Fabric Swatches in Abstract Concrete with Metallics and Tonal Paint; View of a display in Mary’s Weave Shed highlighting “Process in Work” by Natalie Chanin and Rachel K. Garceau. Photo: Rinne Allen; Loom in Mary’s Weave Shed highlighting “Process in Work” by Natalie… Read on

Left: Models in Project Alabama for Prom Night show, photographed by Billy Farrell for Patrick McMullen;  from left: Maxamilla, Ksenia, Camila, Jaja Tomorrow, the 21 Years Celebration continues to unfold with new entries from our archives, published articles, interviews, and essays. This week, we look at 2003—a year rife with collaborations and hear from more… Read on

Left: Early hand-sewn Alabama collection “Sister Shirt”, 2001, Natalie Chanin; Right: Film still portraits from the Life Ball awareness campaign, 1999, photography direction by Sissi Farassat; Location scouting photos, photographed by Wolfgang Tschofen, Vienna,1999, photograph by Robert Rausch On September 21, 2000, Natalie “Alabama” Chanin showed her first collection, a “project” that would become Alabama… 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

Left: The Family of Woman: A World-Wide Photographic Perception of Female Life and Being published by Jerry Mason and Ridge Press; Right: Light Drawing by Rinne Allen featured in the Permission to Wander collection “If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?” —Ernst Haas Enjoy light reading and inspiration—from how trees communicate with one another to tile… Read on

Today on the Journal, Rinne shares the history of and process of our collaboration that has created hand-painted designs in the Permission to Wander capsule collection.  From Rinne:  This little collection of garments and treasures is inspired by the idea ‘permission to wander’….many years ago my friend Hope Hilton used this term in relation to a body of her work and… Read on

Swatch of the Month inspiration featuring Fern Stencil artwork; Plain Cake Yarn by Madelinetosh; Grid of fabric swatches testing tonal paint with Fern Stencil, Laura Zander, CEO of Madelinetosh with Plain Cake yarn; August’s Swatch of the Month; Cake stand from Alabama Studio Style; Photograph by Robert Rausch With a focus of building community through… Read on

Swatch of the Month inspiration featuring August’s Swatch of the Month; Plain Cake Yarn by Madelinetosh; Dyeing yarn in Madelinetosh dye studio; Plain Cake from The Factory Café; The Wrap Top Kit in Black; Madelinetosh Yarn. We first met Laura Zander (now CEO of Madelinetosh) at one of our sewing workshops hosted at The Factory in… Read on

“Okra flower and okra” from Root to Leaf: A Southern Chef Cooks through the Seasons by Steven Satterfield.   “Let things taste of what they are.” —Alice Waters  August produces an abundance of fresh vegetables from the garden, at farmers markets, and on the menu at local eateries. Popular in our community this season are corn, tomatoes,… Read on

August 2021 Swatch of the Month inspiration featuring: Detail of The Wrap Top Kit in Sand; Embroidery Floss; The Wrap Top Kit in Sand; Plain Cake hand-dyed yarn from Madelinetosh for August’s Swatch of the Month and DIY kits; Plain Cake Tea Towel Kit; Plain Cake yarn in Madelinetosh studio. In collaboration, Madelinetosh developed an exclusive… Read on

“Leave the door open for the unknown…” “…the door into the dark.” “That’s where the most important things come from…” “…where you yourself came from…” “…and where you will go.” —Rebecca Solnit from A Field Guide to Getting Lost Permission to Wander is a capsule collection of hand-painted designs and artisan-made objects to inspire (and… Read on

“Deciding to give myself permission to wander—without a set outcome, destination, or expectation—has been a turning point in my creative process…a vital part of my seasonal rhythm.” —Rinne Allen Permission to Wander: A new capsule collection in collaboration with our friend and muse, Rinne Allen. Discover hand-painted designs and artisan-made objects to inspire (and carry… Read on

“Deciding to give myself permission to wander — without a set outcome, destination, or expectation — has been a turning point in my creative process and in my role as a mother of young children. It is now a vital part of my seasonal rhythm.”  – Rinne Allen for The Bitter Southerner  Rinne Allen is a… Read on

“Summer has filled her veins with light and her heart is washed with noon.” —C. Day Lewis  Long days and short nights, travel and adventure, rest and relaxation, summertime connects us with the natural world, inspires exploration, and delivers bountiful gardens, fresh vegetables, and our beloved tomato sandwich. Follow these links to find readings and resources for… Read on

From Beauty Everyday by Rinne Allen, Rebecca Wood, and Kristen Bach (page 117).  “As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.”—Henry David Thoreau  Born on this day in 1817, poet, author, philosopher, and naturalist Henry David Thoreau was an advocate of living a simple life. Today, National Simplicity Day, honors his life and… Read on

Swatch of the Month inspiration featuring (from top left): Bead Mix in Natalie’s Mix; Fabric Swatch in Large Paradise Ochre with Couching and Accent Beading; Stars Alabama Sweater Tunic Kit; “Interior detail of Natalie’s kitchen”, 2019 by Rinne Allen; July’s Swatch of the Month featuring Beaded Satin Stars in Forest; “Andrea”, 2010 by Sissi Farassat… Read on

Swatch of the Month Inspiration featuring Journeys in Natural Dyeing: Techniques for Creating Color at Home; Kristine Vejar: Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns from the Alabama Chanin Journal Archives; June Swatch of the Month Exclusive: Naturally Dyed Embroidery Floss; “Shearing day at Sally Fox’s farm from A Verb for Keeping Warm Blog; The Slim Scarf Kit;… Read on

Left: “Plate 110. Wall hanging, Jacquard weaving”, 1925; right: “Plate 111. Wall hanging, three-ply weave”, 1926 by Anni Albers from Anni Albers: On Weaving (New Expanded Edition) by Anni Albers with afterword by Nicholas Fox Weber and essays by Manuel Cirauqui and T’ai Smith. “Most of our lives we live closed up in ourselves, with… Read on

June’s Swatch of the Month explores a new way to showcase embroidery techniques through an application we call ‘Transitional Embroidery.’ Our three new kits—The Cropped Car Jacket, The Slim Scarf Kit, and The Scarf Kit—inspired us to experiment with this application. Transitional Embroidery is a combination of embroidery techniques applied to a fabric. As we… Read on

Left: “Untitled”; Right: “Buds”, 1959 by Agnes Martin. From Agnes Martin, 2015 edited by Frances Morris and Tiffany Bell (pages 50–51).  “Beauty is the mystery of life. It is not in the eye, it is in the mind.” — Agnes Martin As we usher in June, we’re happy to celebrate Pride Month and the LGBTQIA+ community. This week… Read on

Inspiration featuring from top left: “i just want a love that bends / a love that wins / an honest friend ” from Bird on a Blade by Rosanne Cash and Dan Rizzie (pages 18–19); Photograph of Rosanne Cash by Clay Patrick McBride; Maggie’s Dream Top Kit; May 2021 Swatch of the Month Detail; The Studio Bundles;… Read on

“All in all, it was a never-to-be-forgotten summer… one of those summers which, in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends, and delightful doing, come as near perfection as anything can come in this world.” — from Anne’s House of Dreams by Lucy Maud Montgomery  As the world starts to awaken, this summer is a time for… Read on

From top left: May 2021 Swatch of the Month; Fabric Swatch in Magdalena Camel; Needles; Embroidery Floss; Bird on a Branch Swing Skirt Kit; Image of Rosanne Courtesy of Clay Patrick McBride a bird on the edge of a blade lost now forever  my love in a sweet memory  —Bird on a Blade by Rosanne Cash and Dan Rizzie  Last… Read on

From top left: May 2021 Swatch of the Month; Embroidery Floss; Bird on a Branch Swing Skirt Kit; The Studio Bundles;  Bird on a Branch T-Shirt Top Kit; “this is my least favorite you who floats far above earth and stone the night that I twist on the rack is the time that I feel most… Read on

Clockwise: The Painted Maggie Top kit contents in Black; Textile Paint color studies from the development of Maggie’s Dream; Painted Cropped Car Jacket Kit in Black; Fabric Detail of the Maggie’s Dream design in Plum Extra-Long Staple Medium-Weight Cotton Jersey; Painted Francis Tee Kit in Black. At The School of Making, stenciling is a cornerstone… Read on

As Mother’s Day approaches, we revisit one of our favorite books and a Journal post honoring mothers. Our friends at Dust-to-Digital released Never A Pal Like Mother: Vintage Songs & Photographs of the One Who’s Always True in 2011. The forward is written by friend, mother, Alabama Chanin ambassador, and master lyricist Rosanne Cash.  In May of 2021, The School of Making… Read on

   From top left: Lahja Unisex Dressing Gown pattern from Named Clothing; Sewing Needles from The School of Making; Sointu Tee pattern from Named Clothing; Variegated Stripe Fabric Swatch in Camel/Natural with mixed embroidery from The Geometry of Hand-Sewing; Breaking the Pattern: A Modern Way to Sew by Saara and Laura Huhta; Color Palette Bundle… Read on

“Tactile Corpuscles”, 2014 by Sanne Muiser for the Earth Matters exhibition curated by Lidewij Edelkoort and Philip Fimmano. Photograph by Studio Pluis via TLmag. …our entente with nature will be re-written and re-invented;we will try to live together in a more harmonious way,giving and taking, and caring for each other.– Lidewij Edelkoort Back in 2017,… Read on

Last week, we announced an update to AlabamaChanin.com. The website features a new look for The School of Making, where we introduce new maker supplies, tools, and notions from our archives. Explore each of the categories below to find DIY and making goodness.  Contact orders@alabamachanin.com or call 256-760-1090 for assistance with our (new) website or for… Read on

“Pleated Ruffle”, 2012 from Alabama Studio Sewing + Design by Natalie Chanin (pages 108–109); The Ruffle Swing Skirt Kit in Black from The School of Making; “Galloon, Silk and metal thread”, 17th–18th century from the Metropolitan Museum of Art; “Riverside Museum”, 2011 by Zaha Hadid Architects via dezeen; The Ruffle Swing Skirt Kit in Black from The School of Making; Left: “Balenciaga’s… Read on

Lead image: “The Wall #2”, 1962 by Agnes Martin from the National Museum of Women in the Arts.  “I do know one thing about me: I don’t measure myself by others’ expectations or let others define my worth.” ― Sonia Sotomayor  HISTORY describes Women’s History Month as a time to “reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of… Read on

From top left: Fabric Swatch in Marie Natural/Carmine with Whipstitch Appliqué;  The Marie Swing Skirt Kit in White/Natural with Reverse Appliqué; Eugene Von Bruenchenhein: King of Lesser Lands by Philip March Jones; “Marie”, by Eugene Von Bruenchenhein from Eugene Von Bruenchenhein: King of Lesser Lands; Fabric Swatch in Daisy Carmine/White with Variegated Red Embroidery Floss with Whipstitch Appliqué; Fabric Swatch in Large Polka Dot Natural/White with Beaded Whipstitch Appliqué.   Last week, we… Read on

From top left: February 2021 Swatch of the Month: Marie White/Natural Fabric Swatch in Backstitch Reverse Appliqué; The Marie Swing Skirt Kit in White/Natural; Limited-Edition Variegated Embroidery Floss in Variegated Brown; Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes by Dana Thomas  February’s Swatch of the Month design features the Marie Stencil, which debuted in The School of Making in 2018. The… Read on

Clockwise from top left: “Magpie” from the In Flight series, 2020 by Mark Harvey; Swatch of the Month 2021 Subscription from The School of Making; Graffiti Painted Tee from the Alabama Chanin Archives; Black Bugle Beads from The School of Making; The Keyhole Dress Kit in Baby Blue from The School of Making; “Structural Constellation” by Josef Albers via “Josef Albers’ Intimate Visual Relationship… 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

The holiday season inspires ways that we can show generosity, express gratitude, give back, and support others— oftentimes through charitable giving. Today, on Giving Tuesday, we highlight an organization whose work, like Alabama Chanin, is rooted in textiles: Project Threadways.   Project Threadways is a nonprofit that records, studies, and explores the history of textiles. Through their work, they… Read on

From top left: Hable Suns Apron, Camellia Etched Dinner Plate from Alabama Chanin x Heath Ceramics, Cornbread Sticks from Alabama Studio Style, Cocktail Napkins in Natural, Stenciled Pumpkin Pie, David Mellor Pride 5-Piece Stainless Set, Sparkling Manhattan  “Forever on Thanksgiving the heart will find the pathway home.” – Wilbur D. Nesbit  We hope everyone is able… Read on

From top left: Asymmetrical Peacoat in Verdant made from The Peacoat Bundle from The School of Making; Color Palette Bundle #4 from The School of Making; “Things had changed for the better, which is not always the case. But sometimes is.” from Sara Berman’s Closet, 2018 by Maira Kalman and Alex Kalman; “Maira Kalman sweeping… Read on

From top left: Suns Apron detail, Suns Tee, Suns Apron development, Suns Apron, and Suns Apron detail from Hable Construction x Alabama Chanin Collaboration; “Susan Hable painting in her studio”, 2017 by Rinne Allen “Through collaborating, great things are possible.”  At Alabama Chanin, we thrive when collaborating with others. It brings out the best in… Read on

“Most of our lives we live closed up in ourselves, with a longing not to be alone, to include others in that life that is invisible and intangible. To make it visible and tangible, we need light and material, any material. And any material can take on the burden of what had been brewing in… Read on

From top left: “Shots from “Case Study House #8; Eames House”, 1949 by Charles and Ray Eames from Eames: Beautiful Details, 2012 by Eames Demetrios and Charles Eames, edited by Gloria Flower and Steve Crist (pages 374–375); The Willie Top and Celia Florence Skirt from Alabama Chanin; “Embroidery Design”, 1885 by May Morris via the Victoria… Read on

Clockwise from top left: “Khruangbin” by Mal de Mar from Lux Aeterna: Latitudes of Reverence to an Endless Sun, 2005–2018 by Mal de Mar; Abstract Camel Fabric Swatch from The School of Making DIY Kits; hand-stitched interpretations of cliffs and Italian roof tiles from The Intentional Thread: A Guide to Drawing, Gesture, and Color in Stitch, 2019 by Susan… Read on

In the 1960s, the civil rights movement that demanded equality and justice for Black Americans produced a backlash amongst segregationists. In the American South, where Jim Crow laws had been in effect for generations, this commitment to massive resistance and white supremacy was often violent. These were turbulent, tumultuous years. Certainly, no one would have… 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

From left: “Homage to the Square”, 1968 by Josef Albers via the Museum of Modern Art; Color Palette Bundle #3 from The School of Making, Abstract Gold Organic Cotton Swatch from The School of Making, “Lapis Lazuli (left) and Blue Verditer (right)” from An Atlas of Rare & Familiar Colour: The Harvard Art Museums’ Forbes Pigment Collection by Kingston Trinder (pages 116–117); Button Craft… Read on

“A spider’s—or a painter’s—fleeting stab at perfection is a negligible stitch in an unbounded fabric. Its only significance lies in our own momentary, mortal gaze as we reckon with eternity.”  — Peter Schjeldahl  It is summertime in the early aughts, late evening. I am in New York City, and I’m riding my 1971 Schwinn Stardust bike on… Read on

“Inspiration comes from everywhere, it’s how you process it that’s important.” – Rob Ryan  The development of our patterned fabrics has taken years, as we’ve carefully curated fabric color, ink color, and stencil design to create an inspiring combination for use in making. Our patterned fabrics utilize 100% Organic Medium-weight Cotton Jersey and are printed by Spoonflower with eco-friendly, water-based inks and… Read on

Left: Image of Natelie’s card from her spring 2017 visit to the We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965 – 85 exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. Pictured: Faith Ringgold (right) and Michele Wallace (middle) at Art Workers Coalition Protest, Whitney Museum, 1971. Digital C-print. Photographed by Jan van Raay.  Right: “Free, White and 21”,… Read on

Image: Black Mountain College via OurState.com  “But most important to one’s own growth is to see oneself leave the safe ground of accepted conventions and to find oneself alone and self-dependent. It is an adventure which can permeate one’s whole being. Self-confidence can grow. And a longing for excitement can be satisfied without external means,… Read on

Explore DIY Kits here and find more making and design inspiration below. MAKING, DESIGN, + INSPIRATION

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

“A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of.” ― Nelson Mandela  Celebrated every year on his birthday, Nelson Mandela International Day “celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world and… 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

In my memory, I’m sitting next to Renita Green and we are best of friends. We share giant SweeTarts, a favorite but rare treat we both loved, by breaking them in half—or quarters to share with our surrounding classmates. In my memory, my class is racially balanced. However, there I am, fifth row down, with my first-grade smile and… Read on

“But there is another South, the one that we know: a South that is full of people who do things that honor genuinely honorable traditions. Drinking. Cooking. Reading. Writing. Singing. Playing. Making things. It’s also full of people who face our region’s contradictions and are determined to throw our dishonorable traditions out the window.” ―… Read on

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”   –Desmond Tutu  In these unprecedented times, hope has become a pivotal emotion for all of us. There is so much wrapped up in our hope for the future, our hope for change, our hopes for well-being. Hope has always been… Read on

We have long turned to Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. when making our custom cocktails at home and for our Friends of the Café dinner series at The Factory. Jack Rudy was founded by Brooks Reitz (husband to our designer Erin Reitz) in 2010. Since that time, Brooks has slowly grown a small food and beverage empire that continues to… Read on

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow – Audrey Hepburn  Originally planted during World War I and World War II, victory gardens offered food security, reduced pressure of the food supply, and encouraged morale during wartimes. They have made a resurgence amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with many citizens of communities across the world going… Read on

Chef Whitney Otawka, along with her husband Ben Wheatley, have developed a beautiful culinary program at the Greyfield Inn on a remote barrier island in Cumberland, Georgia. This special place has allowed them to live and cook alongside their ingredients, and it inspired her to write The Saltwater Table: Recipes From the Coastal South which celebrates the foodways unique to… Read on

Building 14 is Alabama Chanin’s machine-made design and manufacturing division. It is a callback to the early days of our region within the history of American textile manufacturing.  Building 14 machine manufacturing, officially born in 2013, is a natural expansion of our hand-sewn ethos and part of the Alabama Chanin Family of Businesses. The concept is… Read on

As we continue to navigate through this frightening and uneasy time, we’ve also loved to see people cooking more, sharing photos, and sending one another recipes over social media. A community of people who have long turned to fast solutions are embracing their home kitchens and finding new ways to use ingredients. This is a… Read on

As we spend more time indoors, social distancing, and getting through this time spent #TogetherApart, we can’t think of a better way to fill the time, keep our hands busy, and allow our minds a bit of rest, than making.   2020 is The Year of Color at The School of Making, and we have been exploring new… Read on

Nothing in our lives has prepared us for what we are living and navigating right now. Every day is filled with constant change alongside inertia. We find ourselves constantly having to make decisions while monitoring COVID-19, as we would a tornado or hurricane headed toward our community at a snail’s pace. So, we plan and do… Read on

Right now, as best we can, we are looking for ways to ease anxiety. Scientific research shows the positive and calming effects that sewing, cooking, and hands-on making has on the brain. The meditative action of sewing reduces stress. It increases dopamine, the happiness hormone; it requires creativity—which improves the brain’s ability to grow new… Read on

As we write this post our national food and beverage industry is in free-fall. Restaurants and bars, shuttered in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, have laid off an unknown number of staff and servers across the country. We feel deeply what our friend Brooks Reitz wrote yesterday, “Uncharted waters. We have been gut punched,… Read on

“Where there is a woman, there is magic.” ― Ntozake Shange  International Women’s Day was celebrated yesterday, March 8th. In its honor, we invite you to reflect on this year’s theme, “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights,” and encourage you to support local and national organizations that stand behind a better and more inclusive future. We… Read on

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.” – Maya AngelouJoin us today in celebration of International Women’s Day and explore our #THOSEWHOINSPIRE series on the Journal.

As part of The School of Making’s Year of Color, we are looking at some of the mechanics behind exploration and creativity and how inspiration emerges. One recent standout is Brooklyn’s BLUE: The TATTER Textile Library. As its name explains, the space is a soothing collage of blue, with fabrics draped across shelves and cabinets…. Read on

The curator of our upcoming Friends of the Café Dinner, chef Peter Cho has worked in celebrated kitchens and won a number of awards in the culinary world; he and his wife are also innovators in marrying work and life in a modern way. A native of Oregon, Peter worked for a decade under April… 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

Visiting chef for our spring 2021 Friends of the Café Dinner, Whitney Otawka has meshed her love of travel and her experiences with the food of wide-ranging food regions into her own unique way of cooking. She learned of Cumberland Island of the coast of Georgia from a PBS special and saw it as an… Read on

“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” – Rumi Explore the links below to discover who, what, and where we love. Love yourself. Love your family, friends, and neighbors.   Love good company.   Love your team. Love the planet. Love good food.   Love to travel. Love to create.  … Read on

Since 2012 and in January of each year, the team at Alabama Chanin, The School of Making, Building 14, and our Family of Businesses undertakes strategic planning for the year. This process was learned from our dear friend Ari at the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses and ZingTrain. Over the years, our process has changed and… Read on

As part of The Year of Color, 2020’s yearlong exploration of creativity through color, we are delving more deeply into one of our inspirations, Lidewij – or Li – Edelkoort, one of the world’s most trusted trend forecasters. She has worked for a wide array of companies, from Coca-Cola, to Nissan, to Prada, Disney, Shiseido,… Read on

“I like trains. I like their rhythm, and I like the freedom of being suspended between two places, all anxieties of purpose taken care: for this moment I know where I am going.” ― Anna Funder, Stasiland On February 5, 1883, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed its Sunset Route, a continuous rail line from New… Read on

To immerse our makers into the community that surrounds Alabama Chanin, this year chef John Cartwright of Rivertown Coffee, located in downtown Florence, will be joining us at The Factory to bring his own brand of Southern cooking to each workshop. We recently sat down with John to discuss Rivertown Coffee, the food community in… Read on

“Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you.” ― Louis L’Amour Winter is in full swing with nightfall beginning early and weather that forces you to stay indoors out of the cold. This week we share a reading list with some of our favorite books featured… Read on

It is hard for me to believe that 2020 will mark 20 years of Alabama Chanin and 20 years of defining sustainability. The School of Making programming began 12 years ago with the launch of  Alabama Stitch Book, although we didn’t know or plan how the publication of that book would change the course of our business. … Read on

Each year the holiday season renews our sense of thankfulness and fellowship. Thankful for the abundance of love and support in our own lives, we are inspired to give back to the community that nourishes us. This year we focus on Project Threadways. Working in partnership with the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area and the… Read on

“If you really are thankful, what do you do? You share.” ― W. Clement Stone Thanksgiving is this Thursday; a time for family, friends, good food, and reflection on the things we are most grateful for in our lives. In that spirit of thankfulness and fellowship, we were inspired this week to find and share… Read on

In honor of the autumn season (and national dessert day this past Monday), we’re taking a look back at our favorite cookbooks and recipes. A favorite of The Factory is Jamie DeMent’s The Farmhouse Chef: Recipes and Stories from My Carolina Farm. Jamie DeMent and her partner, Richard Holcomb, own and operate Coon Rock Farm,… Read on

“Music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common.” ― Sarah Dessen This past Saturday was the first-ever Shoals Fest here in Alabama, organized by singer and guitarist Jason Isbell. Shoals Fest celebrated the rich musical history of the Shoals area with… Read on

“Making it through the ceiling to the other side was simply a matter of running on a path created by every other woman’s footprints.” ― Shonda Rhimes Today is National Women’s Equality Day – a day that marks the adoption of the 19th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, giving women the right to vote. In celebration… Read on

In 2008, at the launch of Alabama Stitch Book and before The School of Making was established, we began receiving questions about where to purchase organic materials and sewing supplies like the ones were using at Alabama Chanin. As some of the items were difficult to source, we began offering a small selection of our… Read on

Since ancient times makers have adorned their most precious pieces with gold.  Egyptians overlaid their sarcophagi with gold leaf. The Chinese enveloped pottery and textiles in gold. Greeks and Romans embellished their marble and wood with this precious metal. The age-old craft of gilding has been practiced for centuries and it is these works, partnered… Read on

“Summers had a logic all their own and they always brought something out in me. Summer was supposed to be about freedom and youth and no school and possibilities and adventure and exploration. Summer was a book of hope.” ― Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe With plenty of warm… Read on

Inspired by bold graphics and the natural world are the Abstract and Canopy stencils – both new this year to The School of Making. With graphic shapes and leaf motifs throughout, Abstract (35.5” x 31) is available as both a Mylar stencil and a downloadable PDF that can be used to create your own stencil. Abstract’s… Read on

“For me, summer hasn’t really started until tomatoes reappear in local farmers’ markets.” ― José Andrés Today, June 17th, is National Eat Your Vegetables Day. Locally sourced organic vegetables have always been the cornerstone of the meals served at The Factory Café, and like many of our readers, farmer’s market produce is a staple on… Read on

“I paint not the things I see but the feelings they arouse in me.” ― Franz Kline The abstract shapes and design of our new spring Collection inspired us to learn more about some of our favorite female artists in the realm of abstract expressionism. This week we share a few of those supremely talented… Read on

As summer gardens get planted, many of us are looking ahead to tomato season. Collecting juicy red tomatoes fresh from the garden is many home gardeners’ pride and joy. For those who can’t wait, we reshare a recipe below from our friends at Blackberry Farm for their Green Tomato Pie with Buttermilk Crust from the… Read on

“Really, I do not know whether my paintings are surrealist or not, but I do know that they are the frankest expression of myself.” ― Frida Kahlo Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated this Sunday, May 5th. Author Isabel Bueno of National Geographic said of the holiday: “For Mexicans…as well as Mexican-American in the United… Read on

“I write for those women who do not speak, for those who do not have a voice because they were so terrified, because we are taught to respect fear more than ourselves. We’ve been taught that silence would save us, but it won’t.” ― Audre Lorde In our final post in the series honoring Women’s… Read on

“I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves.” ― Mary Wollstonecraft Whether it was the right to vote, the rights to racial and gender equality, the right for control over their own bodies, or the myriad of other causes taken up by women throughout history, the activists and leaders… Read on

“To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage.” ― Georgia O’Keeffe In celebration of Women’s History Month, this week, explore the artists who, drawing from their own unique outlook on the world, have used their work to convey the gamut of universal truths, emotions, and experiences. “The inconvenient spectacle of Frida Kahlo”… Read on

In January, we kicked off our second year of Supper Club dinners with chef Ramon Jacobsen and the team from Odette. The evening revolved around Peruvian-inspired meals and began with passed appetizers like fish ceviche, Causa, and beef heart skewers. The supper continued with courses that included dishes like chicken tamales, pork adobo, and fish… Read on

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” ― Rosa Parks At the heart of the crusades for equality and justice that African-Americans have fought decades for are the activists and organizers, and often those vital roles were undertaken by women. The third post in our series honoring Black… Read on

Welcome to 1972. The Rolling Stones just landed at Muscle Shoals Regional Airport to record three of their classic songs: “Wild Horses,” “You Got To Move On,” and “Brown Sugar.” Aretha Franklin recorded what was considered the first big hit of her career, “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You).” Across the… Read on

Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More, by Katrina Rodabaugh, includes 22 how-to projects, a number of essays on the topic of slow fashion, over 200 color photographs, and a foreword by our own Natalie Chanin. Rodabaugh dedicated herself to repair and sustainability after the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse, when… Read on

The Slow Food movement and its principles have inspired Alabama Chanin’s commitment to slow fashion. We take their mission of Good, Clean, Fair to heart, as we attempt to make responsibly, grow connections in our community, and espouse sustainable practices. In order to further these beliefs, we look to build relationships with others who want… Read on

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, ‘It will be happier.’” ― Alfred Lord Tennyson The eve of 2019 has inspired us to explore food traditions from around the world that are said to bring prosperity and luck to all those who partake on New Year’s Day. Soba noodles bid goodbye… Read on

Judith Winfrey is an Atlanta native with a deep connection to the land and an extensive knowledge of farming. Her work with various organizations in Georgia has created a great impact on the state’s slow food culture. Judith was co-founder of Community Farmers Markets—developed to create a local food infrastructure to impact the community in… Read on

Expanding on design programing, we developed three new stencils for The School of Making that build on the design series’ connection to nature and geography. Inspired by strong graphics and the natural world are Abstract and Canopy. With bold shapes and leaf motifs throughout, Abstract (35.5” x 31) is available as both a Mylar stencil and a… Read on

The new year can refresh the mind and the blank slate it offers can inspire you to plan for the year ahead. Arriving just in time for the new year, and offering inspiration for projects you are planning for 2019, is The School of Making’s Design Bundle #6. Like the bundles before, this Design Bundle… Read on

/ˈvərdnt/ Adjective (of countryside) green with grass or other rich vegetation. of the bright green color of lush grass. “a deep, verdant green” The design team for The School of Making has taken a fresh approach with its newest color: Verdant. Verdant is a fresh green that is reminiscent of nature in woodlands, creeks, streams… Read on

Over the years, we have tried to create various ways to put our scrap fabric to good use and to inspire our fellow makers to do the same. We studied the zero waste design techniques of Dr. Timo Rissanen to understand how the patternmaking process could be streamlined. What is left after our garments are… Read on

Our seven-year long collaboration with Heath Ceramics began in 2011 with hand-etched dinnerware ceramics. Founded in 1948 by Edith Heath, Heath Ceramics is run by Cathy Bailey and Robin Petravic, who both have a deep background in design. While our collaboration has been ongoing, it’s been a few years since we worked deeply with Heath… Read on

Cedric Burnside’s love for music was born in a juke joint, alongside his grandfather, legendary singer, songwriter, and guitarist R.L. Burnside. Though Cedric seeks to pay tribute to the man he calls “Big Daddy” and his own father, blues drummer Calvin Jackson, he blends elements of their styles with his own contemporary vibe. He played… Read on

“The reason why we won’t face up to our problems with the environment is that we are the problem. It’s not the corporations out there, it’s not the governments, it’s us. We’re the ones telling the corporations to make more stuff, and make it as cheap and as disposable as possible. We’re not citizens anymore…. Read on

“Any time one or more things are consciously put together in a way that they can accomplish something better than they could have accomplished individually, this is an act of design.” – Charles Eames Our collaborations and partnerships have spanned many years and have created deep connections with like-minded companies allowing us to grow, be… Read on

Jessica Marquez is a professional photographer and the creator of Miniature Rhino, a full-time embroidery and teaching business based out of Brooklyn, New York. She is a self-taught embroideress who travels for inspiration and views instruction as one of her callings. She grew up surrounded by woman makers, who taught her to love all-things craft;… Read on

The latest featured chef for our Friends of the Café dinner is Memphis-based Kelly English of venues Restaurant Iris, Second Line, and and Biloxi’s Magnolia House. His approach to Southern food, paired with international flavors, has helped Kelly make his name on the culinary scene. English was raised in Louisiana and studied pre-law at the… Read on

Recently, we were honored to have longtime friend Rosanne Cash approach us to collaborate on a special project. She worked with Bldg. 14 to print and produce t-shirts dedicated to her album, “The River and the Thread.” As you know, Alabama Chanin has a special relationship with this record and its message. Rosanne has served… Read on

Jessica Ullom is the founder and brains behind Hawks and Doves (named after her favorite Neil Young album), a fabric and leather goods company based out of North Carolina. It first began when Jessica (or Jess) started crafting goods inspired by items found at flea markets. As a collector (or “borderline hoarder”, as she describes… Read on

Always striving to help you expand your own hand-made, sustainable wardrobe, The School of Making has released its much-anticipated coat pattern, the Ezra Coat, as the fourth (and final) installment of the 2018 Build a Wardrobe. The Ezra Coat dates back to 2012 when we first created the pattern inspired by the photographs of Jim and Nancy… Read on

“Above all, don’t fear difficult moments. The best comes from them.” — Rita Levi-Montalcini, Nobel Prize-winning neurobiologist As October ushers in Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are inspired to look back over the decades to the female doctors, chemists, biologists, and researchers who devoted their educations and careers to research and discoveries that have advanced… Read on

Crop Stories is a food-based magazine, with each issue focusing on a particular ingredient. Its fourth edition highlights sweet potatoes—histories and how-tos, stories of real people who work the land, and a whole mess of delicious recipes. According to editor Andre Gallant, the magazine wanted to seek out diverse narratives and writers. “What we hope… Read on

During the Great Depression, millions of people across the world faced abject poverty after the stock market crash of 1929. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright was impacted by the sight of his fellow Americans living hand-to-mouth and was determined to find a way for people to live more simply and with more affordable housing, particularly middle-class… Read on

“This ‘ethical fashion,’ this ‘sustainable fashion,’ that complies to what fashion really is, that is borne out of passion, skills, heritage, artistry, and bravery, is fashion. “ — Orsola De Castro Alabama Chanin returned to New York Fashion Week this year with a private showing at the Bowery Hotel. This return inspired us to looks… Read on

“Southern history encompasses migrations from Africa to the Americas, from farms to factories, from the rural South to the urban North and back again,” writes John T. Edge in his book, The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South. In this book, John T. reports on 60-plus years of Southern food histories—from the… Read on

Sharing good food and good company with friends and family have brought some of our best memories over the years, at both The Factory Café and at home. Holidays, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve (which will all be here before you know it) allow you to open your own home to family and… Read on

Depending on when you were born, the turtleneck may bring to mind any number of things: 1950s chic, 1960s bohemian, 1970s women’s activists, or (record scratch) 1990s Jerry Seinfeld-era goofiness. But the wonderful thing about a turtleneck is its timelessness. This particular style in our recent round of Collection updates is inspired by Natalie’s closet… Read on

The Marie Stencil, inspired by the lush backdrops and intricate costumes of artist Eugene Von Bruenchenhein and his wife and muse Eveline ‘Marie” Kalke, is now available through The School of Making. The Marie Stencil utilizes graphic floral motifs and lends itself well to bold color combinations. The Marie Stencil is available in physical and digital… Read on

This week we share insight and inspiration from The Art of Embroidery: Inspirational Stitches, Textures and Surfaces in a Journal series from our contributing writer, Elaine Lipson. As I was reading Françoise Tellier-Loumagne’s The Art of Embroidery: Inspirational Stitches, Textures and Surfaces, her deep visual dive into embroidery as an art and design form, I… Read on

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” — Malala Yousafzai With the first day of school just a few days away here in Alabama, our minds have turned toward inspiring teachers, optimistic students, and to the opportunities provided by a quality education. This week we decided to explore some of… 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

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from contributing Journal writer, artist, and founder of Institute 193, Phillip March Jones. He’s taking a hiatus from the New York heat this summer to spend time on his family farm in Kentucky. He’s used the summer to grow vegetables, make photographs, and organize exhibitions. Follow his Instagram to… Read on

In 2017, The Factory Café introduced The Factory Café Supper Club, a new type of dinner series prepared in full by Chef Ray, our café team, and members of our local culinary community. The dinners feature multiple courses with wine and beer pairings, specialty cocktails, and a low-key, unique atmosphere. This year the café team… Read on

“One of the greatest gifts my father gave me—unintentionally—was witnessing the courage with which he bore adversity…He was always unshaken, completely tranquil, the same ebullient, laughing, jovial man.” – Ben Okri By the time Father’s Day was proclaimed an official holiday in 1972, it had already been unofficially celebrated for 63 years—since Sonora Smart Dodd,… Read on

“Demand quality, not just in the products you buy, but in the life of the person who made it.” – Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution Loss of life and destruction of natural resources have been the tolls paid by society for its reckless and exorbitant consumerism. “Fast fashion” and its lack of consideration… Read on

“We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do.” – Barbara Shelley Earth Day, which has been celebrated in the United States on April 22nd for the past 48 years, serves as a reminder to us to treat all aspects of the Earth—water, land,… Read on

“A community is made up of intimate relationships among diversified types of individuals—a kinship group, a local group, a neighborhood, a village, a large family.” – Carroll Quigley As we prepare to host friends, family, Shoals locals, guests from afar, and our making community for The Gathering this week, we were inspired to explore our… Read on

Last week we shared a group of recipes inspired by cooking over open flame. We’ve written extensively on the subject of BBQ and its respective sauces in the past, and even barbecued wedding dresses for the Southern Foodways Alliance. And though winter isn’t the ideal time to BBQ, we bring you a seasonal take on BBQ… Read on

Going into 2017, we knew there would be a lot in store. We launched a new website, several new collections, and brand new programming (like the Alabama Chanin Core Club). Our Bldg. 14 team really brought it this year, completing production for Alabama Chanin while having other special manufacturing projects under their belts for Patagonia,… Read on

It’s been a busy year for The School of Making—new packaging, new products, workshops at The Factory (and away), new patterns through Build a Wardrobe, a new website, a Craftsy course (with 2 more in the works), and our brand-new book—The Geometry of Hand-Sewing. We’ve shared it all along the way with our maker community… Read on

We’re bringing a piece of New Orleans to Florence this January, as we collaborate with photographer/food and travel writer Pableaux Johnson for a special supper hosted at The Factory Café. Appropriately called Red Beans Road Show, Pableaux’s pop-up dinner series shows guests Louisiana hospitality and is held in a casual family-style format, creating a unique… Read on

Featured on the Quarter 4 Design Bundle, the newly released Tartan stencil is available today through The School of Making(along with the re-released Fern). Originally released in 2012, our natured-inspired Fern stencil has been featured over the years on garments, home goods, and Swatches of the Month. This customer favorite is again available in physical and… Read on

In the past, we have looked to other artists’ personal styles to inspire elements of our Collections—Frida Kahlo, Anni Albers, and Georgia O’Keeffe, to name a few. As part of our most recent Signature | Eveningwear Collection, our design team was drawn to the idea of the artist at work—how artists can combine their media,… Read on

The Alabama Chanin Signature | Eveningwear Collection is designed with distinctive style in mind—so that you will have a special piece for your special occasion. To complement a unique sense of style, we introduce new designs for evening and reintroduce classic Bridal silhouettes in our new collection. The color palette includes a traditional White, along… Read on

Hello new Alabama Chanin Collection: new colors, new garment styles, new stencils and patterns, and—for the first time—a new organic chambray fabric. As always, we have styled our designs that these pieces work seamlessly alongside our classic silhouettes and new Core Essentials. Black Walnut, Vetiver, and Tea Dye complement our current color scheme and can… Read on

The Factory Café team is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Asha Gomez for her sold-out Friends of the Café dinner tomorrow night. It’s our last in the 2017 Friends of the Café Southern Foodways Alliance benefit series—but café chef Ray Nichols will be cooking a Fall Supper on October 19th. The Factory Café served Golden… Read on

Ashley’s Pullover Collection launched earlier this summer and features designs available for a limited time. Inspired by chef Ashley’s all-time favorite shirt, the collection uses organic cotton jersey and machine-sewn artistry to create functional and flattering styles. Read back on the Journal to learn all about James Beard award-winning chef Ashley Christensen and our collaboration…. Read on

This month, we began expanding our jewelry options with unique porcelain cameo rings and pendants designed and created by Marcie McGoldrick. The New York-based artist spent 16 years working at Martha Stewart Omnimedia—starting as a product developer for the “Martha by Mail” catalog, before transitioning to craft editor for Martha Stewart publications, and eventually to… Read on

Inspired by the work of French naïve artist, Henri Rousseau, and originally used in our 2015 Collection, the Large Paradise stencil is now available through The School of Making. The stencil features a tropical-inspired motif that harkens back to Rousseau’s lush, jungle setting of his 1910 painting The Dream. The Large Paradise stencil is available cut… Read on

Fashion accessories are one of the most effective ways for a wearer to add his or her personal style to an outfit. Over the years, traditional jewelry in gems and precious metals, bags, gloves, hats, stockings, even hair or tattoos have been used as some form of accessory—to define a “look” and express one’s mood… Read on

Several months ago, we introduced you to Asha Gomez—chef, innovator, author, and charity ambassador. After beginning her career as a professional chef in Atlanta, she realized the inherent similarities between Southern cuisine and the dishes she prepared in her birthplace of Kerala, India. This presented her with the unique opportunity to explore both food histories… Read on

Our friends at Blackberry Farm have introduced exciting additions to The Blackberry Farm Brewery lineup. This month, they’ve released three new beers, inspired by outdoor adventures and in partnership with Brew Hub of Lakeland, Florida. We are familiar with Blackberry Farm’s classic bottling style from their seasonal Saison, but this is the first time they… Read on

Since America’s earliest days, individuals have used clothing and fashion to project their social status and political ideals. Even the first colonists used clothing to demonstrate their wealth or political status. Purchasing power meant social prominence and cultural importance. Some communities, like the Puritans and Amish communities, used their clothing as a different type of… Read on

It’s widely known that we believe Ashley Christensen is a total badass. We were giddy fans of her work, long before we ever really got to know her. Now that we know more about Ashley the person and are no longer admiring from afar, we find her even more impressive. Ashley may be a James… Read on

As part of the creative process, inspiration comes from sources both expected and unexpected. We have found that surrounding ourselves with creative and generous artists and individuals naturally motivates us to do better work. We have been lucky to build relationships with truly like-minded people with whom collaboration is easy—just natural extensions of our relationships…. Read on

This year’s Friends of the Café dinner series has been a gratifying success, as we once again have worked with some of the most talented and knowledgeable chefs in the South to raise funds for the Southern Foodways Alliance. Our upcoming dinner will be hosted by James Beard Award-winning chef Ashley Christensen, a longtime friend… Read on

Once offered exclusively in the Alabama Chanin Collection, Aurora is now stenciled, along with Small Polka Dots, on the fabric of our latest Design Bundle. Aurora has an art deco feel and gives movement to any project. It works up beautifully in different techniques including negative reverse appliqué (shown above), whipstitch appliqué (shown below), and… Read on

Anni Albers challenged artists to reject “recipes” and repetition and the safety of what they know will work. She encouraged artists to step away from formulaic making strategies, replacing them “with the adventure of new exploring.” Her life and work are a mirror for finding rich complexity and diversity within simplicity. The photograph of Anni… Read on

Continue your year of making and designing with our second, limited-edition Design Bundle. Like the first quarter, Design Bundle #2 contains fabric, thread, embroidery floss, and beads that are intended to be used as tools to practice appliqué, embroidery, or beading treatments from our Alabama Studio Book Series. Offering a new range of pre-selected fabric… Read on

“A longing for excitement can be satisfied without external means within oneself: For creating is the most intense excitement one can come to know.” – Anni Albers Anni Albers, one of the original students trained at the Bauhaus school in Germany, was a true innovator in textile design. Though she worked as a multi-disciplinary artist,… Read on

In the earliest years of this company, Natalie Chanin was a “design team” of one—one person to dream and research and sketch and make. While she was lucky to have a talented team to consult with (people like Diane Hall and Steven Smith), the heavy lifting was done by a single person. As Alabama Chanin… Read on

Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is the anniversary of Mexican President Benito Juarez’s victory against the French at the attack on Puebla da Los Angeles in 1862. After the Mexican-American War, the country was nearly bankrupt—so President Juarez was forced to default on debts with France, ruled by Napoleon III. Juarez rounded up a force… Read on

“Sail on, silver girl. Sail on by… Your time has come to shine; all your dreams are on their way.” – Simon and Garfunkel Silver: a very malleable element that is capable of a high degree of polish. Its atomic number is 47 and its symbol on the periodic table of elements is Ag, from… Read on

The global fashion industry is notoriously opaque, and it depends upon exploitation of workers and environmentally damaging practices. It is an issue that we’ve spoken of many times and one that drives us to do our very best to remain as transparent in our methods and materials as possible. But for us, there is also… Read on

Scott Peacock, native of Hartford, Alabama, was in his late twenties when he met the legendary, late Edna L ewis, considered to be the “Grand Dame” of Southern cuisine. At the time, Scott was chef for the governor of Georgia, and he and Miss Lewis were assigned to cook together for a fundraiser—though neither of… Read on

One of the most fantastic things about surrounding yourself with creative people is that you are constantly inspired and challenged to look at ideas through new and ingenious lenses. Rinne Allen, a frequent collaborator, is someone who has a special skill for capturing moments—details that other people may not see. This quality has made our… Read on

Historically, wedding gowns have not always been made in the traditional white color that we think of today. It wasn’t until 1840, when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in a lace-trimmed, white silk gown that white was established as a bridal norm. Queen Victoria sourced regional textiles to use in her… Read on

Esteemed chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, one of six Michelin three-star restaurants in New York (there are only 14 in America) has an incredibly meditative approach to life and business—appropriate for a practicing Buddhist, but uncommon for a high-powered chef. As a young chef, his hot temper led to heavy staff turnover and what… Read on

We start each week on the Journal with The Factory | This Week, which begins with an inspirational quote from an artist, visionary, or change maker. This week’s quote is, fittingly, from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism… Read on

“They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn’t. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality” – Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo’s perspective on dress was unique, in that she was able to express her political and feminist views using traditional Tehuana-style Mexican garments. Many believe that she chose this style of dress at… Read on

When she was a teenager, Guadalupe Rivera Marin moved to her father and stepmother’s home in Coyoacan, Mexico City—a home that was well known by friends and neighbors both for its famous occupants and the opulent parties they loved to throw. Guadalupe’s father was muralist Diego Rivera and his wife was painter Frida Kahlo, both… Read on

This year was a busy and productive year for all of our divisions at Alabama Chanin. The School of Making and The Factory teams worked hard to introduce new and expanded programming for our customers. Our design team launched new home items and Collection #30, which produced some of our most intricate and beautiful garments… Read on

We’ve stated before how much our maker community continues to inspire us, and we’ve been so excited to see how you’ve used our programs and patterns to expand your creativity throughout the past year. Host a Party opened up new opportunities for reaching out in your own communities and teaching sustainable practices in a way… Read on

The days following the Thanksgiving holiday have become inextricably associated with commerce: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday – these are all days to bargain hunt and search for gifts. But over the past five years, a movement has been growing to change the conversation on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, now known as #GivingTuesday…. Read on

As part of our Artisan Home series, we are highlighting the makers of two of our newest featured products—Smithey Ironware Co. and Edward Wohl Woodworking and Design. Both makers design products with classic style, made in America. Charleston, South Carolina-based Smithey Ironware was born from the single-minded curiosity of founder Isaac Morton. Morton had a… Read on

America’s food culture comprises an undeniable mix of influences from around the world. African-American women have a significant impact on the foods we eat and have eaten for centuries. Unfortunately, that impact has often been overlooked or overshadowed by racial stereotypes like that of “Aunt Jemima” and other tropes—fetishized mammy stereotypes and caricatures that coopted… Read on

“The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know… Read on

We recently introduced our readers to The Commons, a Charleston-based shop selling responsibly produced, American-made goods for the home. Founders Erin Reitz and Kerry Speake curate a careful selection of high-quality, hand-crafted products. In 2015, Erin and Kerry launched a partnership with STARworks, a non-profit from Star, North Carolina, that focuses on supporting the local… Read on

Journal followers are likely familiar with one of the newer faces on our design team: Erin Reitz (née Connelly), who we have featured recently. Erin and business partner Kerry Clark Speake are co-founders of The Commons, a Charleston, South Carolina-based shop that sells high quality, local, and American-made housewares. In addition to the work at… Read on

Though the actual German Bauhaus school technically existed for a mere 14 years, its legacy undoubtedly continues to expand and flourish. The school, active during the years of the Weimar Republic, sought to unite artists of all disciplines in a utopian goal of designing a new world. Until broken up by the Nazis in 1933,… Read on

We love the idea that items can have a sort of sense memory or be associated with a specific moment in time. It is something we explored in our Heirloom series—and author Erin Byers Murphy goes deeper into that concept in her cookbook, A Colander, Cake Stand, and My Grandfather’s Iron Skillet. The concept is… Read on

Anyone who is familiar with our company knows that Alabama Chanin is built on the beliefs of collaboration and the open exchange of information. Our connections and relationships with fellow designers, makers, customers, and suppliers run deep, and we appreciate every opportunity to learn from, be inspired by, and to teach and work with others…. Read on

A few weeks back, we introduced Erin Connelly (now Reitz), the newest member of our design team. She co-owns a store dedicated to selling American-made goods for the home, called The Commons. But what we didn’t mention is that she has extensive experience and a deep passion for the design industry. Erin’s mother taught her… Read on

“I fell in love with black; it contained all color. It wasn’t a negation of color. It was an acceptance. Because black encompasses all colors. Black is the most aristocratic color of all… You can be quiet, and it contains the whole thing.” – Louise Nevelson American sculptor Louise Nevelson became known for her large, three-dimensional… Read on

Our clothing today says much about who we are and—in some cases—what we believe in. To some, what they wear is of great importance and to others, not so much. But modern women in most Western societies have the agency to decide what to wear and how much meaning they assign to what they wear…. Read on

The newest member of our design team, Erin Connelly, has plenty of experience running a business of her own. On a road trip, she and close friend Kerry Speake had a conversation about the beautiful and quality-made home goods that their peers were creating. They decided to dedicate themselves to creating a place where one… Read on

“The artist is the confidant of nature, flowers carry on dialogues with him through the graceful bending of their stems and the harmoniously tinted nuances of their blossoms. Every flower has a cordial word which nature directs towards him.” – Auguste Rodin Inspired by both the organic and geometric, artists of the Art Nouveau movement… Read on

Stenciling has a deep history that reaches across millennia, but also within Alabama Chanin. It is the basis for our lean-method manufacturing and also within part of The School of Making. We’ve got a library of 600+ stencil designs and the Stars stencil is #340. Stars was originally inspired by the costumes in found in… Read on

Over the years, through connections with our DIY community and The School of Making programming, we have seen how passionate and virtually inexhaustible our fellow makers can be. We have also witnessed them making connections through craft that extend outward into their lives, creating lifelong friendships and bonds. Author Christine Chitnis and her mother attended… Read on

If you’ve attended some of our past Friends of the Café Dinner events, you may have seen Adam Evans’ face in our kitchen, working beside both Frank Stitt and Rob McDaniel. A constant student of his craft, he was quoted as saying, “Any time you get a chance to work with someone who is the… Read on

Design*Sponge founder Grace Bonney began the design blog in 2004—according to her, on her lunch breaks at the office. Grace worked at or freelanced for many of the big design magazines: Domino, House & Garden, Craft New York Home, Food & Wine, In Style, Better Homes and Gardens. And so, she took the leap and decided… Read on

Alabama Chanin followers and Journal readers are likely familiar with Phillip March Jones—artist, photographer, author, curator, Makeshift participant, and a frequent collaborator of ours. He grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, attended Emory University, the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and Auburn University. Phillip founded and runs the non-profit gallery space, venue, and small-scale publishing house, Institute193… Read on

I met Dr. Timo Rissanen several years ago, just as he was taking on the role of Assistant Professor of Fashion Design and Sustainability at Parsons School of Design. He is a pioneer in zero waste design, co-authoring Zero Waste Fashion Design with Holly McQuillan. If you’ve not heard of Zero waste, this genre of… Read on

For as long as we’ve known about their existence, we have been in love with Heath Ceramics. Their philosophies, their processes, their intentions—all align closely with our own. Our collaboration with Heath is our longest collaboration, dating back to 2011. When we partnered for our first collection together, they worked diligently to interpret the work… Read on

Earlier this year, we caught up with Single Lock records and observed how they have grown in the short time since the label was founded. Since our very first meeting, the label has more than doubled its roster and continues to be a resource, helping artists grow in a way that best suits the artist’s… Read on

In 1984, author Cara Greenberg wrote a book on home and furniture design from the 1950s, coining the phrase “mid-century modern” —which she also used it as the title, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s. I recently unearthed this long-lost beauty of a book while reorganizing our studio library. Mid-Century Modern exemplifies the pinnacle of… Read on

Alabama Chanin as a business was founded on the idea of a quilting stitch. And although it took me months to realize that I was actually quilting as I pieced together those first cut up t-shirts, the knowledge of those quilting stitches came from my most elemental childhood experiences. Growing up in the south, at… Read on

As part of her first job in the fashion industry, Natalie spent a good bit of time in sample rooms—some of them denim sample rooms where new styles of blue jeans were being made every day. She remembers that the sample sewers, who were primarily from Spanish-speaking households, always referred to the yellow/orange thread used… Read on

On March 24th, we will be hosting our first Friends of the Café dinner for 2016 featuring Rodney Scott and Frank Stitt (see more about that below). At first glance, Frank and Rodney may seem like they exist on opposite ends of the spectrum: Rodney is an absolute master of barbecue—what the uninitiated might consider… Read on

I’ve recently been reading Brené Brown’s new book, Rising Strong. I’ve found so much good in the book, both for me personally and also for how we run our business. In any small (or young) business, you must have the courage to fall down, over and over again, and to “rise strong.” Because we aren’t perfect… Read on

I’ve been reading Pattern Recognition (2003) by William Gibson as a sort of “digital book club” with a friend of mine who lives in another state. I’ve never been a huge fan of science fiction—and had, honestly, never heard of William Gibson but managed to get lost in the book—equal parts thriller and exposé on… Read on

I’m going to ask for forgiveness in advance as this post is going to ramble. There is a lot to say and, at face value, parts of the story don’t seem to have any relevance to one another. Bear with me—I need to let the story unfold. I’ve numbered the facts to help you follow… Read on

One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2016 was to cook more at home. And I have. I started my New Year’s Day, after a good night’s sleep, with a delicious cup of my famous Coffee Milk—an indeterminate mixture of a latte, cappuccino, and a café au lait—made with whole milk (raw when I can… Read on

In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, we asked artist, photographer, and good friend Rinne Allen to share some of her favorite things to give (and receive). We’re all fans of her thoughtfully curated selections. Read on to learn more about each item and why Rinne chose it as one of her favorites. Metalworker Laurel… Read on

Short Stack Editions is a beautiful series of small-format, hand-bound publications that are half cookbook, half food magazine. Each 4 1/2” x 7 1/2” edition is inspired by a single ingredient and written by an array of chefs, cookbook authors, and food writers. To sum it up, Short Stack Editions are a food-lovers’ pocket-sized dream—and are… Read on

Longtime collaborator Rinne Allen is a skillful storyteller in that she sets the stage, creates a visual narrative, and allows you to see through her same lens – without being heavy-handed. It is her light touch that allows Rinne to present her subjects in the best, most straight-forward, and appropriate manner but allows those subjects,… Read on

The Shoals is an area rich in folklore, dating back to the 1800s. And this time of year, that folklore comes alive in tales of souls haunting historic homes and spaces. Fifteen years ago, local historian and author Debra Glass was inspired to create a ghost tour that would tell some of the forgotten stories… Read on

Atlanta-based chef Anne Quatrano is perhaps the most visible figure in the area’s farm-to-table movement. She and her husband and fellow chef Clifford Harrison are longtime proponents of sustainability and make concerted efforts to use locally grown seasonal and organic products—much of which comes from their own family farm. They own and operate three established restaurants—Bacchanalia, Little Bacch, and Floataway… Read on

The design world is filled with innovators making products that can impact the human experience for good or for ill. The idea of designing and making with positive, spirited intention is growing far beyond its early influencers like Samuel Mockbee’s Rural Studio or the now defunct Architecture for Humanity—inspired by Mockbee’s project. Today, AIGA—one of… Read on

In the northwest corner of Alabama it sometimes feels like we are in our own little world (or, perhaps, just in our own little state of mind); we have our own way of doing things. This area boasts a beautiful terrain, unpredictable weather, its own unique musical sound, white barbecue sauce, and, of course, chicken… Read on

We are constantly inspired and impressed by our DIY community and what you make and share. We loved sharing your projects as a part of #MeMadeMay and wanted to highlight more of our recent #theschoolofmaking favorites from Instagram. With the weather (finally) cooling, now is the perfect time to settle in and sew something new…. Read on

This week, we are pleased to launch Alabama Chanin Collection #29—with never before seen garment styles and stencils. Natalie has been working for many years to grow a talented design team that understands our company mission and helps advance the design story we tell with each collection. The garments are presented in four main colors—Natural,… Read on

The source of creativity can be confounding. Artists have been famously driven by mystical or divine inspiration, obsessive love, depression, or self-exploration. Some artists are prolific; Picasso supposedly produced over 13,000 paintings and 100,000 prints. Others struggle openly, like author Fran Lebowitz whose writer’s block was so famously long that she called it “writer’s blockade.”… Read on

Over the years, I’ve managed to amass quite a library of design, photography, and art books alongside my treasured cookbooks, novels, and random printed matter that continues to inspire. The shelf that Sara first organized has become four packed-to-the-top rolling shelves that now inspire an entire company. We were recently discussing the best way to… Read on

Early on in the life of Alabama Chanin, Natalie had the opportunity to visit the Ventura, California offices of Patagonia. That visit, along with a copy of founder Yvon Chouinard’s manifesto, Let My People Go Surfing, opened all of our eyes to the fact that it is possible to create a healthy workplace, make products… Read on

When I was a little girl, I started a postcard collection. Postcards were then—and are now—a low cost memento of a trip (and a low stakes investment for a parent to make on a souvenir). I don’t remember how old I was when I started accumulating these paper treasures, nor can I identify the first… Read on

Our On Design series began in fall 2014 as an extension of our Makeshift conversations and events. The series explores art, design, makers, relationships, and the elevation of craft. Our conversation in January explored William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement. Here are some of Natalie’s thoughts from the presentation. Feel free to share… 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

If there’s something we have learned from our DIY community and The School of Making programming, it’s that our fellow makers can be passionate and prolific. In a world focused on “fast fashion” we are constantly inspired to see so many taking time and effort to create meaningful things. Quite a few of you have… Read on

Last July, we explored Alabama’s fashion design history and, in our studio conversations about that post, we started asking one another about other designers that have emerged from the South. Dana Buchman, Pat Kerr, Johnny Talbot, and Wes Gordon all hail from states neighboring our own. When searching my brain for designers from Mississippi, the… Read on

“I am a designer and I want to design things.”  – Ettore Sottsass When Alabama Chanin started our MAKESHIFT conversation nearly three years ago, inspiration came from several places and sources. The core idea was, and still is, that through the gathering of like-minded folks (writers, designers, thinkers, artisans, creators) we could elaborate on the… Read on

Since the launch of The School of Making, our team has been inspired to create new resources, to design more beautiful DIY kits (that complement our newest book), and to give our online store a new look. Shop our updated Maker Supplies section here and find tools and materials to inspire your next project. And… Read on

Dust-to-to-Digital is a unique recording company that serves to combine rare recordings with historical images and descriptive texts, resulting in cultural artifacts. We have previously written about several of their collections that resonate so well with our brand. We believe in preserving traditions, and Dust-to-Digital truly speaks to that with their historically rich albums. We revisit… Read on

Last Thursday we started shipping our newest book, Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns.  Stacks of books around the office moved quickly into boxes and off into the hands of readers.  Thank you for all your sweet notes of praise and excitement.  We find it equally exciting to move on to this next chapter. Look for our… Read on

In our week-long profile of designers Charles and Ray Eames, we studied their design aesthetic and philosophy and talked about the various media they used to forward those philosophies. They made hundreds of explorations into film, for varied purposes. Produced in 1977, Powers of Ten is perhaps their best-known film—and includes a book version. In… Read on

As we wrote in last week’s post on our DIY Exploding Zero T-Shirt, inspiration comes at us from every direction. Recently, our design team has been (almost endlessly) inspired by Eames: Beautiful Details. The use of color and form shown by Ray and Charles Eames is bright and modern, even by today’s standards. The image… Read on

…the role of the architect, or the designer, is that of a very good, thoughtful host, all of whose energy goes into trying to anticipate the needs of his guests—those who enter the building and use the objects in it. – Charles Eames Our favorite Eames quote above is now on our café tables, the production… Read on

When we opened our Bldg. 14 manufacturing facility in the summer of 2013, we knew that we had to commit to learning about the ever-changing manufacturing industry—and that the learning curve would be steep. But as we began to educate ourselves, we found that no manual or set of rules existed for us to consult…. Read on

Last year, we launched our Friends of the Café Dinner and Factory Chef Series, which was quickly established as part of our Makeshift initiative. As with most things here at Alabama Chanin, the idea evolved over time from an interesting idea into something bigger. In 2015, we are continuing to host Friends of the Café… Read on

I’ve been thinking a lot about trends recently. Honestly, I’ve been thinking about them a lot—for a very long time. Quite some time ago, I read a plaque in a National Park about ecological succession that changed the way I looked at trends forever (more on this next Tuesday). You see, ecological (or biological) succession… Read on

Roman Alonso, Steven Johanknecht, Pamela Shamshiri, and Ramin Shamshiri are Commune—an inter-disciplinary collective of artists that work in the design realm. Commune is a design firm, but they are also much more than that; they invent moods and spaces for residential clients and for public space, design graphics and branding concepts, and create products that… Read on

At almost any workplace, you can hear employees talk about their co-workers with a closeness and familiarity; after years of working alongside one another, your officemates can (in some cases) begin to feel like family. In the past, that has actually been the case here at Alabama Chanin. Studio and dye house directress Diane Hall… Read on

Being intimate with the obstacles of implementing Slow Design, we are inspired by how the Slow Food movement has successfully encouraged us to pay attention to the food we eat, where it comes from, and how it is produced. And, it’s beautiful—and even more inspiring—how the conversation has quickly moved beyond the concepts of sustainable… Read on

In October of 2014, and as an extension of our Makeshift initiative, we began a new series of events and conversations called On Design. This series explores art, design, makers, relationships, and how those who create can elevate craft in general. Natalie hosted our inaugural event, which was an exploration of the school of Bauhaus… Read on

As our new travel series expands, we realized that we have never laid the groundwork by adequately defining and describing the community that we call “The Shoals.” Since Alabama Chanin’s inception, love of community has been the cornerstone of our inspiration, design philosophies, and production practices. Shared stories of our region’s history, our neighbors, and… Read on

During Makeshift 2012, we dedicated a portion of one event to “Worn Stories,” a concept defined and documented by Emily Spivack that explores the stories and emotional attachments surrounding our clothing. Jessamyn Hatcher introduced us to Emily and her work about the relationships we create with our garments and the rich memories we associate with… Read on

With 2014 coming to a close and a brand new year upon us, it is time to reflect on all we’ve accomplished—slow in design, but rapid in growth—during the past year. But first and foremost, we want to thank each and every single one of our supporters, friends, collaborators, partners, and everyone who has made… Read on

In March of this year, we unexpectedly received an email with the subject line, “Asante Sana (Thank You) from Kenya!” It was sent by a woman named Nirvana, who is part of a team working to empower rural Kenyans with life and entrepreneurial skills. It seems that their goal is to inspire people to challenge… Read on

Our Alabama Chanin Candles, with a seasonal Grapefruit + Watercress scent, are the newest addition to Cook + Dine. Hand-poured in Mississippi, the soy candles feature our floral Magdalena pattern and a graphic Diamond design, inspired by vintage glassware that I’ve collected over the years. Once you burn your candle, clean the 6 oz. votive… Read on

In 2014, we were inspired by our extensive fabric library—and readers expressed interest in trying new techniques—to create our first Swatch of the Month Club. Our library of sample swatches archives over 500 techniques, embroideries, fabric treatments, and colorways that we have experimented with or used in past and upcoming Alabama Chanin collections. If you… Read on

This month, we offer our second installment on creative cocktails from Jesse Goldstein on the often overlooked of beauty lavender as a flavor. Hopefully you will be inspired to experiment with your own infusions to create spirits with complex, but delicious, flavors. While the idea of infusing herbs and botanicals into spirits may seem to… Read on

Not quite terra cotta red; not exactly pinkish; not really coral, but really red. Pinkish: an adjective meaning somewhat pink. Coral: also an adjective meaning a reddish yellow; light yellowish red; pinkish yellow.

Today we introduce our newest Alabama Chanin silhouettes like our Marie Pencil Skirt and Garter Dress which have a flattering and feminine shape, alongside our Peasant Top and Factory Dress which offer a more relaxed fit. Classics styles, like our Corset and Long Fitted Skirt, are combined with new stencil designs like ‘Aurora,’ ‘Marie,’ and… Read on

Where does inspiration come from? Do ideas spring from a single stimulus? Or are they generated by a creative environment fostered over time? Of course, we know the answer is both – and many more sources. My daughter, Maggie, is obsessed with Minecraft, which (if you don’t already know) is an open-ended game that relies… Read on

The t-shirts for Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q read, “You can smell our butts for miles”. This was certainly the case on Friday, October 10, as their giant meat smoker nestled up to Alabama Chanin’s front entry and sent out the signal for our final “Friends of the Cafe” dinner of 2014, featuring chef Drew Robinson… Read on

A warm “thank you” to Debbie Elliott and everyone at National Public Radio for their story about our collaboration with Billy Reid on Alabama grown cotton. And, thank you to K.P. and Katy McNeill, Erin Dailey, and Lisa and Jimmy Lenz—they all know how to dream big (and work hard to get there). If you… Read on

Written by Ted Ownby and Becca Walton Situated at the intersection of necessity and creativity, southern fashion lets us ask questions about place and historical context, power, and identity. Every garment has a designer, maker, wearer, and viewer, and we can study all of them. We can tell local stories about designers and seamstresses, farmers… Read on

In 2005, photographer Leslie Williamson made a wish list of all the houses that she hoped to visit in her lifetime. The homes belonged mostly to her favorite architects and designers, who had offered her creative inspiration throughout her career as a photographer. She was curious to learn what inspired them in their home and… Read on

Beginning  October 13th, 2014 and as part of our ongoing Makeshift conversation, Alabama Chanin will host a series of discussions and lectures about design, art, business, community, and plenty of other topics. Events will be held at the Factory on the second Monday of each month. The format will shift, depending on topic and presenter,… Read on

Nashville-based duo Great Peacock, formed by Alabama native Blount Floyd and Mississippi-born Andrew Nelson, combine rock and roll guitars with country influences and a heavy dose of harmony. The result is what Nelson calls “pop, with folk tendencies.” In the past year, they have tackled a heavy touring schedule, making appearances on Paste’s South by… Read on

At Alabama Chanin, we’ve spent years working with textiles to find the perfect medium for our techniques and products: 100% organic cotton jersey. We are drawn to artists who utilize what some might call ordinary materials and tools to create extraordinary work. Dana Barnes has done just that; she has taken familiar techniques like crochet and… Read on

One Saturday morning in the mid-1930s, Mancey Massengill, a wife and mother of two, saw people having their pictures made in a dime store photo booth in Batesville, Arkansas. According to her son Lance, “she watched close, and got the name off the camera, then wrote to the company and ordered the lens. She got… Read on

Alabama Chanin’s Friends of the Café Piggy Bank Dinner for Southern Foodways Alliance, featuring Ashley Christensen, was a singing success last Thursday. Not only did the ingredients sing on the plate, but our diners have adopted the habit of singing to our featured chefs. This time, Ashley Christensen was serenaded with a round of Happy… Read on

Last year, I was introduced to Inez Holden over a glass of dry white wine at a fundraising event in our community. Mrs. Holden’s story, told with humor and passion, reminded me that the fashion industry runs deep here in our community. Before Alabama Chanin and Billy Reid, there was Bubbles Ltd. As Alabama Chanin… Read on

Maria Popova is the founder of Brain Pickings, a website designed to introduce you to a broad variety of subjects that feed one’s mind and inspire creativity.  Since founding Brain Pickings, Maria has spent countless hours researching and writing – hours that have taught her many life lessons. In honor of the website’s 7th birthday… Read on

We at Alabama Chanin have long been obsessed with and inspired by Maira Kalman. She has a rich and singular voice – as a visual artist, author, illustrator, and storyteller – that imbues people, objects, and words with knowing wit and humanity. Maira has written and illustrated 18 children’s books, all of which have been… Read on

In collaboration with Maxine Payne and contributor Phillip March Jones, Alabama Chanin has invited a number of artists, writers, musicians, chefs, and creatives to offer up their own interpretation of the Massengill photographs in a series of posts for our Journal.  The posts give voice to the images of the sometimes anonymous figures that appear… Read on

I feel a certain kinship with Vivian Howard, even though we’ve never met. We both left home at an early age, finding big lives and successful living elsewhere; we also both followed our inspirations as they directed us back to our regional homes, where we’ve found hard-won fulfillment. Vivian works with food as her medium,… Read on

Friend, inspiration, and collaborator Anna Maria Horner has been featured on our Journal several times. She is a multi-talented woman fluent in more than one creative medium, from her imaginative books and fabric design to fine art. Natalie and Anna Maria’s friendship has only continued to grow as they connect over everything from food and family,… Read on

The act of sharing a meal with others can be a uniting experience, with the potential to create memories and build relationships. Ashley English’s new book, Handmade Gatherings: Recipes and Crafts for Seasonal Celebrations & Potluck Parties, is a celebration of just that sense of community. We previously featured another of Ashley’s books, A Year… Read on

Last week, we hosted our inaugural “Friends of the Café” Dinner, featuring chef Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club. Chris and his team came to The Factory for an evening of superb food, lively conversation, and support for the Alabama Gulf Seafood organization.

Alabama Chanin’s slow design ideals are deeply rooted in and inspired by the Slow Food Movement, whose tenets call for good, clean, and fair food for all. Local, organically sourced food echoes through the pages of the Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook by husband-and-wife team (and friends) Chris and Idie Hastings. In continuation of… Read on

Allison Kave, a truly creative baker and expert on all things pie related, credits her mother with her passion for food. Her mom, Rhonda Kave, is owner of Roni-Sue’s Chocolate in New York’s Essex Street Market. Growing up, Rhonda had a rather unexciting childhood filled with canned and boiled vegetables and she wanted more nutrition… Read on

For several years now, Alabama Chanin has drawn ideals from the Slow Food movement (Slow Design is rooted in the tenets of the movement)—a philosophy we share with Blackberry Farm. We are currently featuring some of their goods and recipes on our café menu and are excited to be holding a Weekend Away Workshop there… Read on

Our Heirloom series highlights personal items or mementos that hold a special meaning, regardless of monetary value. Our hope is to reveal the incredible value of family, memory, and things that last. This week Erin, our Director of Media Services and Special Projects, shares the story of her grandmother’s kerchief. From Erin: My grandma, Nancy… Read on

Beginning today, Alabama Chanin is launching a Chef Series for The Factory Café. Each month, we will feature seasonal dishes on our menu from chefs (or restaurants) that share our values of celebrating place, artisanal craftsmanship of all kinds, and, simply said, good food. Our focus through these collaborations will be on regional chefs and… Read on

I have a deep respect and admiration for the work happening at Rural Studio, located in Hale County, Alabama. Founded in 1993 by the late Samuel “Sambo” Mockbee and D.K. Ruth, the studio is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. After having the chance to visit the stunning Yancey Chapel in 2008, I noted on the… Read on

Ever since I read about classic Southern drinks in the latest issue of Garden & Gun, I’ve been craving a crisp, refreshing cocktail. We’ve shared some grenadine-inspired libations before and, in keeping with that theme (and continuing our love affair with Jack Rudy’s Small Batch Grenadine), we created a blood orange-infused pomegranate cocktail. Boasting a… Read on

I’ve kept a journal, or some type of notebook, on and off since I was fifteen years old. My current journal is full of messages, reminders, sketches, and sweet notes and drawings I’ve collected from Maggie over the past few weeks—which, since Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, includes a lot of heart-shaped and heart-adorned things…. Read on

Those of you who have followed Alabama Chanin for years know that this company was built around the concepts of expert craftsmanship, beauty, function, and utility. Focusing on using sustainable, organic, and local materials and labor, we have committed ourselves to producing quality products made in the USA. As we grew, the company developed a… Read on

My love of books is no secret. I still have a decades-old public library card, probably obtained when I was about 8 or 9, printed on card stock and housed in a small, paper envelope. It was one of my most prized possessions as a child. Today’s library cards can be scanned and swiped, but… Read on

The Civil Rights Movement gained national attention in the early 1960s. The many protests, marches, and stands for equality were sustained by freedom songs and music from musicians-turned-activists. The setbacks, hardships, failures, and successes of the movement for racial equality can be told through song.

Sun Young Park, a freelance illustrator living in New York, is an integral part of the Alabama Chanin team. If you own Alabama Studio Sewing + Design or have ever browsed our Studio Style DIY Custom DIY Guide, then you’ve seen the beautiful sketches of our garments, illustrated by Sun. I met Sun several years ago… Read on

The Memphis, Tennessee-based Shotwell Candy Co. produces delicious, hand-crafted caramels, soon to be some of your favorite things. I learned about the company from John T. Edge of the Southern Foodways Alliance. The company was launched last year in the home kitchen of Jerrod Smith – a corporate lawyer and, now also, confectioner. Jerrod was… Read on

This holiday season, as part of our Handmade Holiday collection, we are offering a DIY tree skirt kit that features our Anna’s Garden design in a negative reverse appliqué, and coordinates beautifully with our Natural Appliqué Stockings. This project was inspired by the custom tree skirt we created for the official White House Christmas tree… Read on

Heath Ceramics is celebrating 10 years of design by showcasing interpretations of time in the form of one-of-a-kind clocks designed by friends and collaborators. I was honored to design and contribute two clocks, featuring Alabama Chanin’s etched Camellia pattern. It’s really common in my family to hang plates on the wall, and I was inspired… Read on

Mary Adams studied art, not fashion, in college, but eventually chose fabric, specifically, the dress as her medium of choice. Her first storefront in New York City was in the Lower East Side, on the corner of Ludlow and Stanton in the early 1980’s, when that area of the city was cheap and dirty and… Read on

I met photographer Rinne Allen years ago, through mutual friend Angie Mosier, and have adored her ever since. Her work inspires me over and over again as it is always stunning and captures intimate aspects of life that many overlook. Rinne’s love for gardening, travel, and all things handmade makes her the ideal Alabama Chanin… Read on

Our friend Tasia, owner of Alabama’s Belle Chevre creamery, has been busy with several new projects since we last saw her at Southern Makers. Her first cookbook, which features a foreword by Natalie (and is full of amazing Southern and Greek-inspired recipes), was released last year. Tasia has been crafting new recipes, teaching cooking classes,… Read on

The Bolero is a popular item for those of us in Alabama, as spring and fall temperatures (and in some years, mid-winter) can swing from 50 degrees to 80 degrees in the course of one day. It is an easy piece to toss into your bag on the way out the door and an effortless… Read on

I’ve known Heather Ross for almost five years now. We first met in New York, at a show celebrating our collection based on the work of famed Alabama photographer Charles Moore.  Heather arrived with my editor, Melanie, and I was bowled over by her beauty AND her spirit. When Alabama Studio Style launched back in… Read on

It has been over three years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill devastated the Gulf Coast and, in turn, the livelihoods of many. The Alabama seafood industry was practically devastated, but is rebounding with determination and the support of restaurateurs and loyal customers. Alabama has 50+ miles of coastline bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Add… Read on

Past & Present is a collection of essays on decorative art history and DIY projects by Design Sponge columnist, Amy Azzarito. Grace Bonney, founder of the very popular Design Sponge website, first met Amy while working on a video project at the New York Public Library. The two became instant friends, as Grace was impressed… Read on

We recently shared a few thoughts and memories of the library, collected from friends and neighbors, about the role libraries have played and continue to play in our lives. The draw of the library is foremost, the books. It is a democratic place to learn, escape, and relax. For many of us, the library conjures… Read on

Alabama Chanin has long looked to Patagonia, and Yvon Chouinard, as the standard for sustainable design, manufacturing, and corporate culture. The recent film “Legacy Look Book” (shown above) is a beautiful reminder of why we love this company so very much. When Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living,” he wasn’t implying that… Read on

I love having fresh flowers around the office. I dream of flower beds surrounding the building and vases of camellia blooms on each desk. Shane Powers’ book, Bring the Outdoors In: Garden Projects for Decorating and Styling Your Home, has inspired me to perhaps be more ambitious in my plans for floral décor – both… Read on

The Local Playlist is a new feature on the Alabama Chanin Journal. There’s a rich musical history – and presence – in our community, which you’ve likely read about before. So, we thought, instead of just telling you how great the music is, we’d give you a chance to listen.  We’ll share a new playlist every… Read on

Next week, as part of the Crafted by Southern Hands event and workshop, our Barbeque-inspired Collection will be on display at Warehouse Row, a historic, old stone fort turned community retail center in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. The couture dresses were originally a part of the 15th Annual Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium’s Punch, Pictures, and ‘Cue… Read on

We learn our first real poem around the age of 2 — the ABC Song. Soon, we graduate to nursery rhymes, then rhymes for jumping rope. By the time we reach junior high and high school  we’re reading Epic Poems, like The Odyssey, and reciting Shakespeare in Iambic Pentameter—well sometimes. Songs can be poems set to… Read on

Yesterday, I wrote about my appreciation of hand-painted signs, inspired by the book Sign Painters, authored by friend Faythe Levine with Sam Macon. Faythe and Sam have directed a documentary – also called Sign Painters, as a companion to the book. In 2008, Faythe co-authored and directed a book and film, both named Handmade Nation: The Rise… Read on

Louisa Murray is the face of one of our favorite local bands, The Bear. She shares the stage with her husband, Nathan Pitts, each of them writing and performing their own respective songs, and the two are backed by a talented band. Their newest album, Overseas Then Under was produced by local indie label, Single… Read on

A couple months ago, we launched a line of cocktail napkins made with our 100% organic cotton jersey and printed with the Alabama Chanin logo. We also shared a new favorite cocktail: our version of a Maiden’s Blush. Friend Brooks Reitz of the Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. sent us some of his small batch grenadine,… Read on

We’ve written about our friend Phillip March Jones. Institute 193 in Lexington, Kentucky, is his gallery, a music venue, and multi-faceted publisher, which recently released a compilation of recordings from artists who have performed in the space. Phillip joins us as a contributor to the journal, with an introduction to 193 SOUND. Sound is a… Read on

I’ve been a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance for years. I plan to be at the 16th Annual Symposium this coming October, if I can get a ticket soon enough (last year’s event sold out in minutes). The Symposium (as it’s loosely called) is wonderful simply in the fact that you spend the series of… Read on

Earlier this year, we featured artist, friend, and collaborator, Anna Maria Horner. As that week came to a close, we were inspired by Anna Maria’s elaborate needlepoint projects and decided we would experiment with more involved embroidery techniques ourselves. For our first project, the  Embroidered Flowers T-shirt, we mixed traditional embroidery stitch work with retro… Read on

The practice of numbering houses supposedly began in Paris in the 1500’s. Having a house number is something we don’t give a second thought to these days, but they have not always been used and they certainly have not always been popular. Some countries have numbered zones, requirements for the number of digits, double sets… Read on

On the heels of MAKESHIFT 2013, we are inspired and invigorated by the conversations around design, fashion, food, craft, and DIY that took place last week during New York Design Week. We hope that you have followed our explorations throughout the events this year and have used our discussions to begin conversations of your own…. Read on

We often hear the mantra, “Live for today.” Most of us need to slow down, curb our expectations and anxieties, and embrace the present.  And for the most part, I try to approach life that way. But we can’t always live completely in the present. Sometimes we have to plan ahead, we have to think… Read on

Last January, we had several conversations in our studio about punks and pirates spurred by Richard McCarthy’s analogy about pirates and “big food.” Just last week, the conversation continued in our studio about how the underground punk movement changed the way music was produced and delivered to the listening public. (More on this coming in… Read on

Last  fall, one of my neighbors gave me a box of vintage patterns he found tucked away in his basement. The weather-stained cardboard box that once belonged to his mother was filled with patterns that represented decades of accumulation: Vogue Patterns, McCall’s, Simplicity, and Butterick . Each had been purchased for as little as a… Read on

This week, we’ve been exploring Finnish design company, Marimekko, well known for creating colorful, often bold patterns and fabrics. While their designs were first made popular in the 1960’s by Jacqueline Kennedy, the bright and vibrant garments remain classic choices, appropriate for any generation. Personally, I love to add a bold pattern or color to… 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

I first saw Tilleke Schwarz’s work in an exhibition called Pricked: Extreme Embroidery at the Museum of Arts & Design in New York. The needlework was displayed proudly as contemporary art by extraordinary female artists. Boundaries were pushed as textile art was made. Friend, Maira Kalman, also had work on view. Tilleke’s work resonated with… Read on

Yeast Rolls can be such a source of Southern pride that even the best cooks shy away from these elusive delicacies.  My grandmother made the best yeast rolls in the county, maybe this entire country. Although, I suspect that half of Lauderdale County would say that their grandmother made the best. (Perhaps you feel the… Read on

This post published last Wednesday in the midst of technical difficulties that lasted more than a week. We are deeply proud of this collaboration, adore all things Jack Rudy, and want to be sure that everyone gets a chance to meet Brooks up-close (or at least closer). Here we re-publish  the story, giving the Pink… Read on

These days, you don’t think twice about hearing a woman’s voice on the radio. There are surely female deejays or journalists on your local station. NPR broadcasts the voices and stories of women like The Kitchen Sisters or Terry Gross among others. Alabama Chanin favorite, Elizabeth Cook has her own show, “Apron Strings,” on Sirius… Read on

In our family (as many families in my community), today will be celebrated with Hog Jowl, Collards, and Black-eyed Peas (although you might want to try the Three Sisters with some root vegetables). It’s one of the few days of the year my father (who is gratefully still with us and in remission) actually cooks… Read on

It’s the time of year when most of us start to look back at the past year to take stock and plan for the next. As a company, Alabama Chanin is no different. With a lot of help from our friends, we’ve brought the year to a (BIG) close with our first online Garage Sale…. Read on

Those of you who are frequent visitors to our blog may have read about the incredible Tom Hendrix and his beautiful tribute to his great-grandmother, The Wichahpi Commemorative Wall (known around here as simply, The Wall). Tom not only built an incredible monument for his great-grandmother, but he also took the time to tell her… Read on

BBQ, Barbeque, Bar-B-Que, Bar-B-Q.  However you spell it, we are awash in this delicious madness here in North Alabama.  Mention barbecue and you will have an instant conversation starter: “Mustard based sauce!” “Are you kidding me? No way! Ketchup!” “What!  Please don’t tell me you are putting mayonnaise on that meat?” These are the ingredients that… Read on

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, to view “Creation Story: Gee’s Bend Quilts and the Art of Thornton Dial.” I spent forever moving from one quilt to the next – leaning as closely in as I could without being reprimanded. No matter how many… Read on

In 2009 and 2010, an exhibition was held at Pratt Institute to help explain the relationship between fashion and sustainability. For this exhibit (called Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion), curators Francesca Granata and Sarah Scaturro (now Conservator at The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art) displayed garments from our Alabama ChaninSongbirds collection, and… Read on

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… Read on

Last month, I had the incredible honor of hosting a studio visit from three amazing women who have inspired me for years. On a beautiful summer day, Rosanne Cash, Gael Towey, and Maira Kalman arrived in Florence for a two day sewing workshop and adventure. The idea for the trip was hatched on a spring… Read on

Crocheting was one of my first creative outlets, once I felt the distinct urge to make. When I had a crochet hook in hand, making hats, scarves, bags, whatever I might need, the process came to me like second nature.  Often, I couldn’t find patterns to fit what I needed so I ended up making… Read on

We will host our first One-Day Retreat of the fall season in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley on Sunday, September 16th. Our day will be spent in a restored nineteenth century factory and will feature local food from Barbara Goldstein of Blima’s. We were able to talk to friend Melissa Auf der Maur from Basilica… Read on

If you’ve called or stopped by the studio lately, perhaps you’ve met one of our newest team members, Erin Stephenson. Erin has her hand in many pots here these days, doing everything from writing, to graphic design, to closely monitoring our organic cotton crops. Her ability to seamlessly handle multiple projects makes her an excellent… Read on

If you’ve been to a convenience store in Alabama, chances are you’ve encountered a fried pie, stowed in a basket at the counter and wrapped tightly in cellophane or butter-drenched wax paper. Growing up, family road trip pit stops didn’t mean Cracker Jacks or candy bars for me; it was the fried pies I coveted, portable… Read on

When I was working on our Heath Ceramics collaboration, we worked with colors rooted in the Southern vernacular and my upbringing in the 1960s and 70s in Alabama. When I look at the dishes, I see parts of my childhood in the shades of red and blue. The chosen red is appropriately called red clay,… Read on

Our Beaded Seam Corset is easy to make for yourself by following the pattern with instructions from page 145 of Alabama Stitch Book, by using our Corset Pattern, or The Corset Kit.  As one of the most popular garments in our collections, the corset is designed to show off a woman’s best assets, enhancing natural curves. A… Read on

After taking time to reflect on our recent week in New York for MAKESHIFT, I’m already thinking about MAKESHIFT 2013. Here are some highlights from the conversation at The Standard Talks. We reported the MAKESHIFT events here on the blog throughout the week, and had great press coverage from the New York Times, Style.com, Page… Read on

Our sewing circle at The Standard, East Village was a rich mixture of folk from a range of professions and diverse lives. Cathy Davidson, one of our first time sewers, has written the most beautiful essay about her time with us and created a fantastic example of Reverse Appliqué as metaphor: Reverse Appliqué @alabamachanin or… Read on

Among the most meaningful things I’ve ever found in a thrift store was a pair of dresses I unearthed at the Goodwill in Durham, North Carolina. One was a white summer dress with a fitted bodice and a full skirt dotted with embroidered flowers.  The other was a pink sequined number straight out of an… Read on

Last month, we introduced Jessamyn, a new contributor to this blog. Sharing the story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fires cast a sad light on the history of labor laws in the U.S; however, she showed us how to find better joys in fashion, ecology, and ethics. She has since written about the meaning of D.I.Y…. Read on

Spending the past couple of days in the San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve seen firsthand the “making” spirit that defines the unique culture and character of life here. Alabama Chanin feels very connected to–and inspired by the creativity, craftsmanship, quality, and local manufacturing in this community. Watch Monocle’s video which highlights some of the craftsmen… Read on

Thanks to everyone who came out for our Visiting Artist Series with Faythe Levine. It proved to be a fantastic evening of crafting, conversation, and Old-Fashioneds. In addition to the interactive crafting that ensued, Faythe held a seminar where she lectured on ‘Craftivism’, her work and travels (examples include urban camping in Detroit and a… Read on

Thanks to Ari Weinzweig at Zingerman’s, I have been working on a “Vision of Greatness” for Alabama Chanin over the last few months (well, closer to a year to be more exact).  However, over the last few weeks, I feel that I made real progress and worked out a growth chart and mission statement that… Read on

As we started to learn about organic cottonseed, we discovered that there are significant challenges associated with seed supply. Our conversation began with industry leaders, as we had our fair share of questions. This week we continue our discussion on the process of growing organic cotton in an interview with Lynda Grose. Lynda has been… Read on

Our exploration into organic cotton growing continues. As we brainstorm, discuss, research, and learn all there is to know about growing our own organic cotton, we decided that the best place to begin is with a study of the seeds themselves. So this week Erin–who is new to our studio – dug in deep to… Read on

As Alabama Chanin has grown and evolved, we have built a business model that I strongly believe in. Many of you have been with us from the beginning, and many of you have found us along the way. On a daily basis, we receive a bounty of emails, phone calls, and letters. Here we have… Read on

When I returned to Alabama over a decade ago to start the project that has become Alabama Chanin, I had NO IDEA that this simple project would surround me with stories of cotton, mill work, and, quite honestly, the history of the small community where I grew up. This blog is proof to the fact… Read on

Over the last weeks (and months), we have been introducing our new patterns, stencils, fabric designs, plus patterns from our newest book, Alabama Studio Sewing + Design. Hands-down, our Paisley has been a favorite new design and I was excited to see that EcoSalon even did a feature on this iconic pattern last week. As… Read on

For our weekly Studio Lunch, my son Zach prepared a savory Grilled Vegetable + White Cheddar Quiche with cherry tomatoes. In a move that delighted me, he delivered it to the studio and included a heaping salad of fresh greens- Butterhead lettuce, Red Oakleaf, and arugula- all from Jack-o-Lantern Farms, one of our local farmers’… Read on

From what I’ve gathered, Taos is a Magical Place. Natalie made a trip there not so long ago and came home breathless with tales of beauty and enlightenment. She was especially enthralled with the story of Mabel Dodge Luhan and the Mabel Dodge Luhan House. Her experience inspired a new series of workshops called Weekend… Read on

Martha Hall Foose’s A Southerly Course: Recipes and Stories from Close to Home, has landed on our bookshelf in the studio- then made its way into the kitchen (and our hearts and minds). In her book, Martha’s recipes are accompanied by fascinating stories of life and times in the Mississippi Delta. It makes me want… Read on

On the 18th of November last year, Natalie held a Facebook Chat about Design Process + Manufacturing as part of her EcoSalon Post titled: From Field to Fashion. Here is a synopsis of the conversation that unfolded.  Keep the conversation going in the comments section of this post and come back each week to read… Read on

Thank you notes are an integral part of a Southern woman’s upbringing. We are taught to be grateful, always say please and thank you, and appreciate the many gifts in life. This is how I was raised and this is how I choose to raise my daughter Maggie. I want her to grow up with… Read on

Last Thursday, we wrote about Vena Cava and began a dialogue (one we plan to continue every Thursday) about the intersection of Fashion, Craft and DIY. While in New York a few weeks back, I sat down for a quick coffee with Lisa Mayock – half of the Vena Cava design team – to share… Read on

They make fashion; they curate a magazine called “Zina Cava;” Maggie Gyllenhaal models for them; they are, in my opinion, the coolest duo to come along in the fashion industry in years. They host dinner parties instead of fashion shows and give away posters like the one below celebrating their 8 years in business. It’s the kind… Read on

Finding ways to use fabric scraps could easily be a full time job at Alabama Chanin. Hopefully, our company will one day be large enough to facilitate an entire scrap development team; however, right now we are moonlighters and dabblers in the art of manipulating scraps of our organic cotton jersey into a variety of… Read on

A month ago I was totally intimidated and scared of bitters, what they were, and how to use them. A recent encounter changed that. It all began with a cocktail drink at Patois in New Orleans.  The beautiful drink menu started off with a lovely champagne cocktail that was something like this: Champagne, Cointreau, Orange… Read on

Those of you who follow us on Twitter, Facebook and/or Tumblr, know that I was in New Mexico over the holidays. What resulted from this adventure was a love for the west and an understanding of why so many artists and creative types have settled to work there.  I was deeply impacted by the beauty,… Read on

My friend Jennifer Venditti has been an inspiration to me since our first meeting a decade ago in New York.  She is one of those friends who I don’t talk to every week but when we do, the stories unfold. We have trips to documentary film festivals behind us and many a trip ahead of… Read on

In 2006, Leslie Hoffman asked me to write a short paper for inclusion in their Future Fashion White Papers.   I recently came across the volume while browsing my library and the essay stirred up so many memories from that time.  As the last of my tomatoes drop to the ground, I wanted to (re)share my… Read on

When I think of the philosophy of wabi-sabi, Burning Man and a Mustang Convertible are not the first things that pop into my mind. However, it is this sort of dichotomy that seems to define Robyn Griggs Lawrence… environmentalist, mother, writer, maker, visionary, mover, and shaker.  Robyn has been kind enough to share a bit… Read on

Last weekend, I finally got a chance to read my Gravy: Special Louisiana Edition, the Spring 2011 Issue of the Southern Foodways Alliance’s “Food Letter” to its members. (Better late than never!) On page 6 of the downloadable PDF, you will find a story about – and a recipe by – Susan Spicer of New… Read on

There are so many computer and electronic device covers on the market today that are perfectly serviceable and will take you lots of places. I have avoided writing about these functional items for years; however, our babysitter made a version of the one shown above for her reading device and I was inspired to create… Read on

This is my first installment of a new bi-weekly fashion column for EcoSalon. Material Witness will offers my perspective on the fashion industry, textile history and what happens when love for community trumps all. From EcoSalon – August 12, 2011 ONE WOMAN’S TESTAMENT TO THREAD AND NEEDLE As a designer and entrepreneur in the fashion… Read on

The book Clean, by Alejandro Junger, has been sitting on my nightstand since December of last year. Over the last months, I have read parts of it and “toyed” with some of the recommended practices (eliminating aluminum pans from the kitchen, drinking clean water, etc.), but it has taken some time for me to actually… Read on

Chicken and Egg has been lying on my kitchen work table now for weeks. I pick it up, put it down, then pick it up again and have been trying to decide just why I like so much. The beautiful photographs by Alex Farnum certainly take my breath away and the stories of backyard chickens… Read on

In the autumn of last year, I was contacted by a New York University professor from the Liberal Studies department named Jessamyn Hatcher.  She had gotten my email address from our mutual friend Sally Singer and wanted to know if we would be willing to discuss a field trip that she was planning with her… Read on

Last night, I finally saw Luca Guadagnino’s I Am Love.  The cinematography of Yorick Le Sau  is extraordinary. And Tilda Swinton is stunning… Manohla Dargis wrote an interesting review for the New York Times.  I love this last paragraph: “The chase ends in a sylvan perch, where Antonio and Emma make love amid a cacophony… Read on

Tune into PBS on MONDAY, AUGUST 23rd, 9PM CST (AFTER HISTORY DETECTIVES) for the National Broadcast of CITIZEN ARCHITECT: SAMUEL MOCKBEE AND THE RURAL STUDIO If you can not tune in, check out the website / or facebook page for theatrical screening updates / or buy the DVD online: http://www.citizenarchitectfilm.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/CITIZEN-ARCHITECT-FILM/285692586601?ref=ts Bravo to our friends Sam… Read on

I have always loved quilt tops and have collected them for many years from thrift stores and yard sales. The problem with these beautiful hand-sewn tops is that it is impossible to use them until they have been quilted as the delicate woven fabrics fall apart when washed. Not so with our 100% organic cotton jersey, Alabama… Read on

Forgive me for taking a vacation just after the holidays; BUT, I am headed out today for my first vacation – on my own – in 10 years (snow permitting)… very excited & for good reason: Taste of the South @ Blackberry Farms Alabama Chanin donated one of our Textile Stories Quilts to the auction… Read on

Very inspired to meet Mark and Sara Schiller from Wooster Collective this evening during our Bureau of Friends event at Partners & Spade. *Image via Wooster Collective

Partners & Spade, Manhattan “Setting the Table,” from Maria @ Bureau of Friends: Have you ever noticed that most of the real action at conferences takes place in the lounges and walkways outside of the Main Halls and presentation rooms? There is absolutely a place and time for sit-and-listen audiences and there’s nothing like a… Read on

Thanks to Maria for sending over this fantastic review of Strategy for Sustainability: A Business Manifesto from Kevin Roberts at KR Connect: Nature’s 10 Simple Rules Adam Werbach’s book offers a great list of Nature’s 10 Simple Rules for Business Survival. In this list Adam draws from nature a tough bottom line for sustainable business. “Nature… Read on

Great to see Life After Sambo on the cover of Metropolis this month. The works are simply fantastic. Plan your road trip: Rural Studio Be inspired to make a difference. *Photo of downtown Newbern by Timothy Hursley

Today I am inspired by Alec Soth: Paris Minnesota,  Sleeping by the Mississippi, & Niagara. www.alecsoth.com

Today I am inspired by families, friends laughing, couples holding, sisters, brothers, lovers, a glimpse of the past, inspiring: http://www.disfarmer.org/index.htm

Our weekend workshop was a beautiful mixture of women from all walks of life. It was wonderful to hear our studio filled with laughter, chatter and, from time to time, the quiet hum of concentrated fingers at work. All of the projects are lovely and I am certain that the participants will be showing off… Read on

Dear Sweet Blair, You are a gift to our lives and cake for our souls. I will forever think of you with a pair of pink “granny panties” stuck to your back! I was thinking this week that after 40 (some odd) years, I am just now learning to stand in my own shoes (a… Read on

I am obsessed with ceremony these days: rites of passage, moments to reflect, moments to celebrate and moments to join inspire me. I occupy my mind with details, images and processes. Imagine my delight when Angie Mosier told me the story of cooking a wedding cake in New York City for Ted Lee (of Lee… Read on

And in reference to actually being able to read… The new favorite book at our house: ABC’s by Charley Harper It is a stunningly beautiful book of alphabet and animals seen through the eyes of Charley Harper. We read it each day front to back, back to front and then front to back again. I… Read on

This is shaping up to be the week for Children and Adults. While in the doctor’s office, I picked up the May issue of Country Living Magazine to find this lovely piece about buttercream frosting: This article and a spend-over with friends’ children inspired me to try out the recipe below which I received literally… Read on

Bless Blair for sending this email just when I thought that there would be no reprieve in my week. We have a potted gardenia in our front garden bed and I have been struggling for one year to decide on its permanent spot. Blair’s post has inspired me to plant it right down by the… Read on

I am inspired by my garden. These small beds that run around and behind my little house will feed my family this summer. Thanks to our compost, we are pleasantly surprised by all of the volunteer tomato plants that have sprung up in every spot that we spread this luscious soil. Maggie and I watch… Read on

I once wrote a piece called, Hero, for the now-defunct Girl on the Street blog. The writing of that post led me to learn more about Alice Waters, her involvement in the Slow Food movement and commitment to all things sensual: I received my copy of Alice Waters and Chez Panisse by Thomas McNamee this… Read on

I had the opportunity to visit all the folks at Patagonia yesterday. What an amazing group of people, an amazing place, and an amazing company. From the ladies in the sewing room to their organic cafeteria, I was floored at the knowledge, care and passion that infuse their lives. Patagonia has long been an inspiration… Read on

Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras is one of the very first business books I ever read. I sat down at my desk one morning and got up when I finished reading. It was at a time when I was thinking about how to turn a “project” into the kind of business I… Read on