Three Alabama Chanin-Inspired Tutorials

In 2013, Linda took her first workshop with Alabama Chanin down in Florence, Alabama. It was a weekend that would change her sewing forever as she started incorporating Alabama Chanin's signature intricate embroidery and appliqué techniques into her own garments. It also introduced her to the beautiful American-made, organic cotton knits manufactured and used by Natalie Chanin in her designs. Today we are one of the few places where you can buy the full range (25 colors) of Alabama Chanin knit! But, what if you don't want to spend all that time hand stitching, beading or appliquéing? What if you just want to add a little detail to a simple garment? Well, we have three ideas for you.

​The eTee is a great canvas for featuring Alabama Chanin techniques. In this first example we add some texture by hand-stitching narrow strips of knit to the bottom of the tee. This is a great beginner technique for working with appliqué, it is simple but visually effective. See the full tutorial for creating this look here. 

This project combined Alabama Chanin fabric with a printed jersey knit. To create this shirt, Kathy used an Alabama Chanin downloadable design to cut out leaves in a solid knit, which she then appliquéd over the print of the backing fabric. Pick up a stencil at your local craft store and make your own - Kathy explains her technique in this tutorial. 

Alabama Chanin knits aren't just for t-shirts – Linda made a great version of the Peony Vest out of a double layer of Alabama Chanin knit, which she then topstitched and added an intricate beaded detail. Stunning! Read the tutorial here.