Friday, August 6, 2010

I'm Obsessed: Alabama Chanin

I tend to burn through obsessions pretty quickly: one day it's millinery, the next it's owl brooches. The day after? It's anyone's guess. I used to worry about this aspect of my personality, but I've decided to take a different stance on it lately: that all these little obsessions add up to one unique world view - that they all contribute to my creativity in one way or another. So instead of fretting, I'd like to celebrate my obsessions here. And this week, it's "haute homespun" fashion line Alabama Chanin.

You may have seen the two sewing books out by founder Natalie Chanin: Alabama Stitch Book and Alabama Studio Style. I looked at the latter briefly when it first came out and mistakenly assumed that it wasn't my aesthetic. But then I saw a dress by this designer on display in the FIT Eco-Fashion exhibit and it was jaw-droppingly gorgeous. I also had the good fortune to meet a woman wearing a beautiful skirt that was handmade using the techniques found in Chanin's books. I was fascinated to learn that the method espoused by the books - and the line - is one of pure hand sewing. A machine never comes into the picture. The pieces in the line are created by artisan stitchers in Florence, Alabama. (The garments are fantastically expensive, as you can imagine.) But the real draw is the gorgeous embellishments.


I marched myself right back to the bookstore yesterday to pick up Alabama Stitch Book, and reading about the method is truly fascinating for sewing geeks and couture enthusiasts alike. (Plus, it'll make you itch to sit down with some intricate hand stitching!) The pieces are achieved by taking regular cotton jersey (sometimes sourced from old t-shirts), creating a deconstructed couture look with handstitched - often exposed - seams, and embellishing with intricate skill: stencils and fabric paint create the designs, and then the amazing handwork is created by applique, decorative stitches, and beading. The use of jersey, which doesn't ravel, is pretty brilliant: the applique edges can be raw, rather than that fussy look you can get with applique edges that have to be turned-under or stitched with a heavy satin machine stitch.


I'm not interested in copying these pieces exactly (though, if you are, the books are an awesome help for that). My question is: how can I tailor these embellishment and couture stitching techniques to my vintage aesthetic?


It's not quite such a stretch to imagine these techniques on 50s styles. After all, applique and beading was rampant during that decade. Can't you see these styles done Alabama style?

from Etsy
from Etsy


The real question is how to use the Chanin method, but achieve a more constructed look (rather than deconstructed) while still maintaining the simple, modern elegance of the embellishment?

I would love to try these embellishment techniques on a basic 50s-style dress like my swirly red one. The dress could be structured as usual (no exposed seams or unfinished hems for me). But I would use a stable knit like a doubleknit or a wool jersey for fall - this would allow the applique pieces to be unfinished, as on Chanin's creations. But it would be interesting to still structure the piece with facings, silk organza underlining, and horsehair braid on the hem to give it that 50s couture look I love. But then I would try a mixture of applique, reverse applique, and beading (and maybe sequins!) on the skirt border: with a vintage-inspired pattern like the roses on this lovely tablecloth.

Perhaps the dress would be a lovely saffron hue with white applique roses.

What do you think? How would you adapt the Alabama Chanin style to suit your own?

31 comments:

  1. When I was going through the S/S 2010 shows a while back I saw an Alabama Chanin coat that I was in love with. (Still kinda am, now that I see it again)

    It's here, on the left:

    http://alabamachanin.com/content/springsummer-2010-page-14

    Garnet

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have the Stitch book and love it. I dress more tailored than her styles, but like you are looking for ways to incorporate the embellishments with my daily warbrobe. I'm an accountant, so anything I can do to look less "accountany" (while still being professional) is a good thing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I fell in love with and bought that book a bit ago. Its a beautiful book. I really want to do several skirts and the top though I think I will do her emblishment and then sew it on my machine. I'm in the middle of a shirt for my son using her basic applique technique and love how it looks. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've been pondering this too. But I was thinking of trying it with wool felt and an underlining for a winter coat. Maybe just a few designs on the front skirt panel and/or back bodice.

    ReplyDelete
  5. One problem you might run into is weight. If you use her method, you end up having 3 layers of jersey for much of the garment, which is heavy!!! I've made a couple pieces just using the stenciling with a bit of hand sewn embellishment, and they've turned out nicely. I always have a hand sewing project in the works-they're great for working on in front of the TV or taking on airplanes!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would love to use this method to applique net or sheer mesh onto a raw silk background. The edges of these sheers wouldn't ravel. Plus, different colors could be used for the backing and applique work. Using sheers in layers, different color variations could be achieved.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh I just LOVE her!! I originally thought that the the aesthetic was not really 100% mine, but I think the work is gorgeous, and I bought her first book and recently started on one of the projects. It's a nice change to have a piece of hand sewing always waiting for you when you are too tired to think about sewing otherwise.

    So don't feel bad, you're not the only one obsessed! (wink)

    http://www.thelaughingmonkey.com/blog/2010/05/18/my-new-found-love-natalie-chanin/

    I can't wait to see how you make this technique yours!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I had not heard of this method before. Really gorgeous creations.

    Trudy
    www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. What about using a light suede or felted wool for crisper and more tailored looking edges on the applique? Love the Chanin look too...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh yes. I have the stitch book as well and have always been truly in awe of this style. It's simply genius and so beautiful and it's made from jersey! I can't even believe it! As Meg has pointed out, I think wool felt would be a good option. I actually have a ready-to-wear skirt that has wool felt applique with unfinished edges. And as I'm not into dry cleaning and do my own cleaning, it washes up just fine with out too much unraveling.

    I've thought it might be worthwhile to actually get a book on applique quilting and apply it to some garments using materials such as silk and wool. Gorgeous inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm one hem away from finishing a Chanin-style jacket. I took a workshop (a lovely day, albeit expensive) and then used the fabric to make a jacket (S3628). I've ordered fold-over elastic to finish the last hem. As Katelyn mentioned, some of the seams get bulky (with four or six layers of jersey), but I love this jacket and am planning my next one. The hand stitching has become addictive.

    In my first project, my adaptation of her style was just to choose a pattern that fit me well. (Her patterns tend to be form fitting.) Next I'll be making my own stencil design and adding more background stitching.

    I believe Natalie is planning her next book in which she will share all of the different fabric designs Chanin has used.

    Also, Flickr has an AlabamaStitchBook group that you might want to view.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Felted wool jersey on a silk background sounds lovely.

    I made an Alabama skirt using my sewing machine and 4 thrifted t-shirts.

    I posted about the project steps in http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2010/01/alabama-stitch-book-condensed-version.html

    ReplyDelete
  13. Brenda's suggestion of the Flickr group is great--lots of amazing skirt ideas there.
    Wouldn't a dyed cotton broadcloth or muslin circle skirt, with an appliqued and detailed wide hem border be great on a 50's style dress? The layered lower hem area would also act as interfacing to give the circle skirt some shape. I don't think you need to worry about cut edges of woven appliques, they should work for this type of project, right?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Amy: love the sheers idea! It would be interesting to use organza or organdy as a backing - this way it would work as part of the reverse applique, while also being an underlining for the entire dress.

    Jen O, my understanding is that if you use wovens in applique, it's recommended that you either turn under the raw edges or completely cover them with a satin machine stitch. They ravel and look messy otherwise.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love these books also even though they're not entirely to my taste. The ideas are marvelous! I've made a couple corsets out of old rock tees, and they fit my teeny frame beautifully and actually make me look like I have something on top! I've started one corset with the reverse applique that's been going since March. I kinda dread hand-sewing as it's so slow! Maybe it'll be done by the end of this year...!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I L.O.V.E.(!) Alabama Chanin, and I'm so happy you've blogged about Natalie's work! I'm currently reviving a beloved jacket with hand-stitched appliqued swirls. It is so soothing and meditative to sit at my table, listening to neighborhood sounds and slow stitching...mmm, mmm...

    ReplyDelete
  17. As for your "burning through obsessions", one of the best descriptions of this phemomenom is by Juju's husband of jujulovespolkadots.typepad.com. He claims she has "A Whim Of Iron". Love your blog and hope you continue to find new things that fascinate you...

    ReplyDelete
  18. I too love her work. I often go to my local (Powells) bookstore to browse the sewing section. More than a few times I have looked through her books, then didn't buy them for some reason, but I also gravitate to them. Maybe next time I should just buy it. I love all the embellishment ideas.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I recently got one of the Alabama Chanin books out of the library and fell head over heels in love with the style and hands on process that is used to embellish the clothes. I think the only thing holding me back from trying some of the techniques is how to marry the homespun aesthetic that embodies AC, while staying true to my more tailored look inspired by the 40s and 50s. I like your ideas of how to marry the two--it would be a great project to try! :)

    Also: I had a good laugh over how you characterized blitzing through one obsession after the other! I do the same exact thing, and often felt guilty about how "changeable" I must seem to otherwise. Until I realized it's just the symptom of an always hungry imagination and insatiable curiosity about textiles and fashion! I mean, that makes it a good thing--right? ;)

    Thanks for inspiring me yet again, Gertie!!!

    ♥ Casey
    blog | elegantmusings.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I didn't pay much attention at first-- thought it was a little too hoedown country of a style for me. But I finally broke down and got the book, and have come to really admire her style. Plus I have a much greater appreciation for hand-sewing now (that whole "slow sewing" thing)-- I used to hate it!

    I've been working on-and-off on a skirt inspired by the book-- I cheated and machine sewed the basic pieces together because I was whipping it up as a portable craft that I could do while hanging down at a beach condo with some crafty friends. (They crochet.) I didn't want to leave all the edges quite so raw-looking, so I've been stitching it very close to the edge of the applique and more or less entirely encrusting the edges with beads. I tried spacing them more, but it just didn't look right to me. So I guess you could say that's sort of an adaptation.

    One of these days, I would LOVE to make that all-over appliqued t-shirt corset. That is so right up my quasi-hippie Renaissance-loving alley.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Re: the saffron dress with roses
    I'm imagining a bouquet with just one color of applique on top and a reverse applique with the lining. So, three colors of rose that are really just different hues, with the main color of the dress in the outline stitch. Kind of like the lovely colors of your current yellow dress. Sounds beautiful to me, and I think the subtle variations in hue, like Amy's layered sheers idea, would have the effect of making the technique fit in well with the more tailored look of your work.

    ReplyDelete
  22. If anyone can incorporate this into structured vintage garments, it would be you Gertie!

    I've made a couple projects using their methodology. It was fun to sit and handsew - I'm mostly a machine-sewist. I'm working on the corset t-shirt (which, warning to any interested, the largest size corresponds to about a RTW 12) and have all the reverse applique done but am bored with the backstitched seams!

    I like the tablecloths. What a lovely piece of finery to bring out for guests!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi Gertie!! Yes, I saw this post and couldn't decide how to comment because I can't decide if I like this style.

    I saw this style in Anthropologie on a few pieces about four months ago - skimmed through the book in B&N, and emailed all my friends that still live in Alabama (well, I thought Florence maybe everyone is nuts for this there) - I didn't really get many strong opinions back - I feel lukewarm on it - I just can't decide if I like it - but Wow! Meeting the designer I'm sure would fuel my obsession!

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a wonderful technique. Thanks for introducing me to it. Are you familiar with Mola work from South America? Also extremely intricate, but full of colour.

    Sarah

    http://goldfinchandeagle.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  25. I'm so excited about this post! I'd never heard of Alabama Chanin before but now that I have, I'm dying to try some applique with scraps from an old t-shirt. My artistic practice used to entirely focus on using felt for its unravel-y features - I would make little dolls and things that were just too tiny and nitpicky to work with woven fabrics. Now that my focus is more on handmade, vintage inspired accessories and reconstructed vintage clothing I'm definitely going to experiment with jersey and some of these techniques! Thank you so much for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Great post!
    I have been an admirer of Alabama Chanin for a while now, since I first saw her work in a magazine.
    Since I'm a little more interested in 1940s styles, this technique would look really cool as a shoulder embellishment...maybe on a short kimono sleeved dress?

    ReplyDelete
  27. I LOVE Alabama Chanin! I really wanted to make some of the projects, but time is part of the issue for me. I made some circle spirals and hand sewed them onto a knit tshirt, and I am working on a small decorative pillow for my bed. I plan to do some beading on that.

    I have thought about making a shirt or skirt of jersey with my machine, but sewing the seams on the outside and then doing the handstiching on the seams.

    I love her style but I know it is not totally realistic for me-though I do feel there are ways to make it work with my style. And I think that is her whole idea. :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. These clothes include good quality and also they are looking so attractive. These are more expensive than other but there should not make compromise in this items.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I am considering a job with a single color applications on top and lining opposite applies. So three colors of pink, which is really just different shades, with the main color of the dress in the mesh contour.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Really great pics share here. I love to design the cloths with great textures and personalization.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I discovered Alabama Chanin a few weeks ago and have been obsessed with the clothing and the whole idea of slow sewing in contrast to my fast, get it done now personality. I am seriously thinking of going to one of her weekend sessions.
    Thanks, Gertie, for your take on her work. I read many reviews in the media but none seemed to be written by people in the creative sewing arena.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

© Gertie's Blog For Better Sewing. Powered by Cake