Search Results for: project threadways

March 12, 2021
PROJECT THREADWAYS SYMPOSIUM: TEXTILES ACROSS TIME AND PLACE
The Quilts of Gee’s Bend, by William Arnett, Alvia Wardlaw, Jane Livingston, and John Beardsley; Sewing machine folder from Alabama Chanin’s Building 14 production facility by Abraham Rowe; Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes by Dana Thomas; “Detail of fabric bolt”, 2013 by Rinne Allen; “The Ashcraft Mills Baseball Team”, date unknown courtesy… Read on

February 17, 2021
THIS APRIL: PROJECT THREADWAYS SYMPOSIUM
“It is no secret that I feel a commitment to my community; it is equally evident the role that growing up in Florence, Alabama, had on my development as a designer. Textiles – the growing, picking, spinning, knitting, cutting, and sewing – were a part of the vernacular of small southern towns from the late… Read on

January 22, 2021
ANNOUNCING: 2021 PROJECT THREADWAYS VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM
Founded in 2019 as a 501(c)(3), Project Threadways records, studies, and explores the history of textiles. Through their work, they seek to understand the impact that textiles and their creation—from raw material to finished good—had on our local community, the region of the American south, the nation, and finally at the global level—connecting the people, places, and materials throughout… Read on

May 13, 2020
PROJECT THREADWAYS SYMPOSIUM: 2021
Project Threadways has been in the works for several years. In spring 2019, our team’s planning, learning, researching, and visioning came to life at the inaugural Project Threadways Symposium, held at The Factory. Following the symposium, Project Threadways was officially established as a nonprofit 501(c)(3)—allowing us to further realize its mission of recording, studying, and exploring the history of the… Read on

May 8, 2020
PROJECT THREADWAYS: SHIFTS IN TEXTILES
Founded last year as a non-profit, Project Threadways examines, documents, and records the history of textiles. In preparation for our next symposium, we have been researching textile history over millennia and the broader arc of time (look for updates next week). As we think ahead to the future, we can’t help but question how COVID-19 will forever… Read on

January 31, 2020
PROJECT THREADWAYS: NOTES FROM THE FIELD #5
“These living arts have been passed down by oral histories through generations of women and men—connecting us to our roots, our past, our community, and consequently to our present.” — Natalie Chanin, 2008 From the original introduction to Alabama Stitch Book A connection to community has always been deeply rooted in Natalie’s work and is… Read on

January 24, 2020
2021 PROJECT THREADWAYS SYMPOSIUM
Project Threadways, as a concept and idea, has been in the works for several years—taking shape in Natalie’s mind for even more. Last spring, the planning, learning, researching, and visioning came to life at the inaugural Project Threadways symposium, held at The Factory in April. Following the symposium, Project Threadways was officially established as a… Read on

December 3, 2019
GIVING TUESDAY + PROJECT THREADWAYS
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

April 24, 2019
PROJECT THREADWAYS: THE FACTORY LUNCH (FOR DINNER)
Among the upcoming Project Threadways Symposium events is a dinner with chef Cheetie Kumar, with small bites by chef Angie Mosier and dessert from chef Lisa Donovan this Saturday evening at The Factory. Cheetie Kumar is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based chef and sometimes rock star. (She tours with her band Birds of Avalon, and owns… Read on

April 21, 2019
PROJECT THREADWAYS: NOTES FROM THE FIELD #4
As the Project Threadways Symposium approaches, we are excitedly finishing up last minute details and getting the final product ready for you to view. These details include completing our exhibition, which will be on display at The Factory. Our documents and oral histories will be presented and include quotes from former textile workers like Sherri… Read on

February 8, 2019
PROJECT THREADWAYS: NOTES FROM THE FIELD #3
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

December 14, 2018
PROJECT THREADWAYS: NOTES FROM THE FIELD #2
The work of Project Threadways continues. We’ve been busy planning for the inaugural symposium in the spring and collecting oral history interviews from textile workers in our community. With the expert help of our friends at Nest and support and funding provided The Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, we’ve developed a survey to help us… Read on

August 31, 2018
PROJECT THREADWAYS: NOTES FROM THE FIELD #1
Project Threadways records, studies, and explores the history of the textile industry in The Shoals community, and the American South. Our goal is to accurately and respectfully retell the story of textiles—from farm to finished product—and the way the act of making textiles shaped the lives of the communities and the individuals of those communities…. Read on

March 6, 2020
WELCOME TO PROJECTTHREADWAYS.ORG
In 2016, Natalie wrote the following on the Alabama Chanin Journal, ”In my design training, we never really spoke directly about the cultural impact of the things (products) we were making. In my memory, conversations tended more towards how the culture impacted us as designers. I learned to make dresses and thought about the manufacturing… Read on

April 12, 2021
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 15/52
Left: 150: “Werbefotogramm (advertising photogram) for the Goerz photochemical company”, 1925 by László Moholy-Nagy; 151: “Werbefotogramm (advertising photogram) for the Goerz photochemical company”, 1925 by László Moholy-Nagy; Right: 152: “K VII”, 1922 by László Moholy-Nagy; 153: “A XI”, 1923 by László Moholy-Nagy from Bauhaus 1919 – 1933: Workshops for Modernity by Barry Bergdoll, Leah Dickerman, Benjamin Buchloh, Brigid Doherty, Hal… Read on

April 5, 2021
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 14/52 | 2021
“Our goal is to accurately and respectfully retell the story of textiles—from farm to finished product—and the way the act of making textiles shaped the lives of the communities and the individuals of those communities.” — Project Threadways’ Mission Statement Since 2016, the now non-profit Project Threadways has been exploring material culture and the effects textile production had… Read on

February 22, 2021
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 08/52 | 2021
Lead image from Beauty Everyday, 2013 by Rinne Allen, Kristen Bach, and Rebecca Wood (page 59) “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” ― Aesop Winter finally made it to Alabama last week, with snow and ice blanketing The Shoals. Prioritizing our team’s safety, Alabama Chanin made the decision to close The Factory for the week. This winter… Read on

December 1, 2020
GIVING TUESDAY
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

June 5, 2020
THE FOREST LOG: A DOCUMENT
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

May 5, 2020
AMERICAN FASHION PODCAST WITH NATALIE
“We first started talking about slow fashion as a derivative of the slow food movement. I think in many ways that industry is light years ahead of where the fashion is. People started looking at the ways things were planted and grown much sooner than we did with textiles. I think a lot of what’s… Read on

March 16, 2020
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 11/52 | 2020
Though we are surrounded by many uncertainties right now, we at Alabama Chanin will continue, as best we can, to share stories and have conversations that are uplifting and positive. Today’s post reminds us about enacting change through acts of courage. “I know you are asking today, ‘How long will it take?’ Somebody’s asking, ‘How… Read on

March 13, 2020
COVID-19 RESPONSE FROM ALABAMA CHANIN
Dear Alabama Chanin Guests, Thoughtful design, ethical, and responsible production are the highest priorities for us. Our guiding principles of quality, impeccable service, unified teams, organic, local, regional, and domestic sourcing are reflections of our care for the wellbeing of all. We seek to be a benefit for the broader community in our region and… Read on

February 7, 2020
MORE FRIENDS OF THE CAFE: 2020
As part of our sixth annual Friends of the Café Dinner Series, we are excited to round out the year’s slate of star chefs. Both are familiar faces who continue to surprise us with their culinary evolutions, and their food lends itself to the comfort and sense of community that these café dinners always offer. … Read on

January 27, 2020
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 4/52 | 2020
“I had reasoned this out in my mind; there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty, or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other; for no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted, and when the… Read on

December 30, 2019
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 52/52 | 2019
“And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”― Meister Eckhart 2020 ushers in a new decade as well as the 20th anniversary of Alabama Chanin. As we prepare for the year ahead and celebrate Natalie’s two decades of commitment to sustainability, we wanted to take this opportunity… Read on

November 13, 2019
FRIENDS OF THE CAFÉ: TANDY WILSON + A RECIPE
For the final dinner of our 2019 Friends of the Café series, we hosted James Beard Award-winning chef Tandy Wilson for a special evening that combined savory with sweet and included personal touches to each dish. Benefitting Project Threadways, the evening featured a brief discussion of Project Threadways by Carolyn Barske, director of the Muscle… Read on

September 20, 2019
THE FACTORY CAFÉ
At The Factory, we thrive on creating an environment that is welcoming and inspiring to all. It’s been our great pleasure for the last six years to open our company doors to anyone who wants to learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we make. Our events, workshops, and parties have… Read on

July 10, 2019
THE FACTORY DINNER
In addition to our first dinner by chef Bill Smith, in conjunction with the Project Threadways Symposium, we hosted a second event featuring chef Cheetie Kumar, with small bites by Angie Mosier and dessert from Lisa Donovan. The meal was served in the style of a traditional factory lunch, and included some traditional Southern-style dishes… Read on

June 12, 2019
RECAP: BILL SMITH + FRIENDS OF THE CAFÉ
As part of the Project Threadways Symposium in April, we hosted chef Bill Smith of the renowned Chapel Hill, North Carolina, restaurant Crook’s Corner. Bill has been a chef for 30+ years and provided our guests with a true Southern experience that included one of his well-known signature dishes, Atlantic Beach Pie. It was a… Read on

May 13, 2019
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 20/52 | 2019
“Bldg. 14 works to preserve [the] history and tell a new story of modern manufacturing in the United States.” ― alabamachanin.com It’s been 5 years since we opened Building 14, the machine manufacturing arm of Alabama Chanin’s Family of Businesses. In those five years, we have ushered in the Core Club and the Clean Tee,… Read on

April 17, 2019
UPCOMING: FRIENDS OF THE CAFÉ DINNER WITH BILL SMITH
“The fact that you could do, for a job, something where people come in and be loud and be with friends and have a great time – that’s the aesthetic I’m thinking about. Then, there was a certain standard of good cooking that sort of goes hand-in-hand with that – if your really splendid food… Read on

April 15, 2019
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 16/52 | 2019
“The buildings are simply elegant and the machinery is of the latest style and embraces all of the modern improvements for making cotton yarn.” ― Tom Anderton on the Cherry Cotton Mill in East Florence, quoted by William McDonald in his book, Sweetwater, Yesteryears, 1990 Though the history is not always pleasant, cotton and cotton… Read on

April 12, 2019
ALABAMA CREATIVES (WITH TRAVEL + LEISURE)
We are constantly singing the praises of our home state—its natural beauty, its historical musical past, its food culture, and its people. Our people: Alabama’s greatest treasure. In this Travel + Leisure article, author Kevin West winds his way across the state observing our inspiration and witnessing as we try to reckon with our ghosts…. Read on

April 8, 2019
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 15/52 | 2019
“Food is everything we are. It is an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It’s inseparable from those from the get-go.” ― Anthony Bourdain This Thursday kicks off The Gathering at The Factory, and next week, we welcome the community for the first annual… Read on

March 13, 2019
FRIENDS OF THE CAFÉ: BILL SMITH
Born in New Bern, North Carolina, chef Bill Smith grew up appreciating the simple yet elegant food cooked by his great grandmother. Family tradition has played a central role in his more than 20-year career at Chapel Hill’s revered Crook’s Corner. A member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, Bill expanded the scope of Southern food… Read on

March 6, 2019
THE GATHERING 2019 @ THE FACTORY
The Gathering weekend is fast approaching, and we’re busy preparing The Factory for a spring season full of events. We’re hosting the customers, artisans, and the Shoals community for a weekend full of good food, workshops, company history and future. This is a time for the entire Alabama Chanin community to come together and celebrate… Read on

January 9, 2019
ANNOUNCING FRIENDS OF THE CAFÉ 2019
It has been five years since we began our Friends of the Café dinner series here at Alabama Chanin. Take a look back on our Journal for a look at the experiences created by the generous chefs who donated their time for these fundraising events. This year’s events will certainly be as special and we… Read on

December 29, 2018
ALABAMA CHANIN: THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Every year it seems that we say what a busy year it has been for us at Alabama Chanin, and every year we mean it. We seem to keep growing as a company and as people and making opportunities that expand our horizons. Look back at the 2018 happenings for The School of Making, Bldg…. Read on

November 27, 2018
GIVING TUESDAY
As the “Global Day of Giving”, Giving Tuesday began seven years ago when the United Nations Foundation and the 92nd Street Y in New York City sought a way to turn attention away from the consumerism of Black Friday and focus on the spirit of giving. On this year’s day of giving, we are here… Read on

September 12, 2018
JOHN T.’S POTLIKKER PAPERS + A SYMPOSIUM
“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

July 3, 2018
MANUFACTURING OUR WAY
It is almost impossible for us to believe, but we have reached the fifth anniversary of the creation of Bldg. 14 – the manufacturing arm of Alabama Chanin. This has been one of our most collaborative enterprises and represents the elements of what our company stands for: sustainability, creativity, design innovation, promoting the living arts,… Read on

January 19, 2016
MATERIALS CULTURE
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

December 31, 2020
2020: THE YEAR IN REVIEW
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

December 28, 2020
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 51/52 | 2020
Instagram: @alabamachanin “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” ― Nelson Mandela If 2020 has shown us anything, it has been the resilience and courage of so many. It is with this spirit of hope that we move into 2021, but before the new year arrives, we reflect on our year at Alabama Chanin. As we look… Read on

June 10, 2020
RUTH CLEMENT BOND + THE TVA QUILTS
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

May 20, 2020
HOMEBOUND WITH CHEF WHITNEY OTAWKA (+BUTTERMILK TRES LECHES CAKE)
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

May 18, 2020
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 20/52 | 2020
“Don’t go to a museum with a destination. Museums are wormholes to other worlds. They are ecstasy machines. Follow your eyes to wherever they lead you…and the world should begin to change for you.” ― Jerry Saltz As we all work to keep our family, friends, and neighbors safe by physical distancing and staying at home, museums… Read on

May 12, 2020
FACE MASK UPDATE: NEW COLORS + FILTER PATTERN
We are honored and grateful for the overwhelmingly positive response to our reusable face masks. The entire Alabama Chanin and Bldg. 14 teams have been working to safely produce them for over four weeks now. Each day the nation’s need grows, and each day we look for ways to help – all while keeping our staff… Read on

April 20, 2020
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 16/52 | 2020
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” – Rachel Carson, Silent Spring Natalie has been creating sustainable fashion in our community for 20… Read on

September 16, 2019
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 38/52 | 2019
“Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” ― Helen Keller One of The Shoals most famous residents was Helen Keller. Blind and deaf, the Tuscumbia native devoted her life to education and improving the lives of the deaf and blind. She authored numerous books throughout her life and on September 14, 1964 (55 years… Read on

September 9, 2019
THE FACTORY + ALABAMA CHANIN 37/52 | 2019
“The living owe it to those who no longer can speak to tell their stories for them.” ― Czeslaw Milosz 2019 marks the eighteenth year since the September 11th attacks. Remembering the victims – their lives and their courage – has kept their memories alive in the years since the tragedies of that day. This week we share our own memories, tributes from the 9/11 Memorial and Museum,… Read on

July 24, 2019
Q&A WITH CHEF CHEETIE KUMAR
Born in India, the now-Raleigh, North Carolina-based chef Cheetie Kumar’s life in America began in the Bronx, New York. She and her family lived in a small apartment in an immigrant neighborhood, where she began to cultivate her new Indian-American identity. Her mother began introducing Cheetie to her culinary heritage at an early age, teaching… Read on