Chapters explore design-related themes—craft, technique, relationship, repeat, and color—through images, instruction, and stories from Chanin about her life, Alabama Chanin, and the evolving view of craft and hand-sewing in the modern world. The book also explores how sewing and embroidery relate to wider concerns of sustainability, community, and women’s empowerment.
As makers, we tend to learn different stitches over time without thinking much about how they relate to one another. Embroidery challenges us to go deeper by examining the history of a beloved company and cherished pastime.
Natalie Chanin is the founder and head designer of Alabama Chanin and the author of five books, including bestsellers The Geometry of Hand Sewing and Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns. Her work has been featured in Vogue, the New York Times, and Town & Country, among other publications, and on CBS News. She is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. She lives in Florence, Alabama.