---
product_id: 2807697
title: "Alabama Studio Sewing + Design: A Guide to Hand-Sewing an Alabama Chanin Wardrobe"
price: "€ 52.73"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.pt/products/2807697-alabama-studio-sewing-design-a-guide-to-hand-sewing-alabama
store_origin: PT
region: Portugal
---

# organic cotton & natural fabrics customizable embellishments & stenciling 50+ hand-sewing techniques Alabama Studio Sewing + Design: A Guide to Hand-Sewing an Alabama Chanin Wardrobe

**Price:** € 52.73
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🧵 Elevate your wardrobe with slow fashion’s ultimate DIY guide!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Alabama Studio Sewing + Design: A Guide to Hand-Sewing an Alabama Chanin Wardrobe
- **How much does it cost?** € 52.73 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.pt](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/2807697-alabama-studio-sewing-design-a-guide-to-hand-sewing-alabama)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Personalize Your Wardrobe:** Layer colors, appliqué, and beading to build a unique, luxe-casual collection.
- • **Revamp & Repair with Style:** Transform old or thrifted clothes into chic, wearable art with easy embellishment methods.
- • **Beginner-Friendly & Detailed:** Step-by-step guides and large photos make hand sewing accessible for all skill levels.
- • **Craft with Sustainable Fabrics:** Create timeless, eco-conscious garments using organic cotton and natural materials.
- • **Master 50+ Hand-Sewing Techniques:** Unlock endless design possibilities with expert stitch charts and clear instructions.

## Overview

Alabama Studio Sewing + Design is a comprehensive guide by Natalie Chanin that teaches over 50 hand-sewing techniques rooted in sustainable slow fashion. Using organic cotton and natural fabrics, this book empowers makers—from beginners to pros—to create, customize, and repair timeless garments with detailed stitch charts, large photos, and versatile embellishment methods. Perfect for those seeking a unique, eco-friendly, and personal wardrobe.

## Description

Learn the techniques behind the celebrated Alabama Chanin aesthetic and discover how hand stitching, stenciling, embellishment, and thoughtful design can be combined to create a timeless handmade wardrobe from organic cotton and other natural fabrics. In this follow-up to the bestselling Alabama Stitch Book and Alabama Studio Style , author Natalie Chanin presents all of the techniques her company uses to create the award-winning Alabama Chanin line of organic cotton clothing, plus more than 50 variations that lead to infinite design possibilities. Rooted in principles of slow fashion, craftsmanship, and sustainable design, these techniques encourage makers to create beautiful garments designed to be worn, repaired, and cherished for years. Create dresses, skirts, tops, wraps, ponchos, hats, and accessories while learning techniques that can be customized to build a truly personal wardrobe. By layering embellishments, colors, and design variations, makers can create a stunning, unique, and versatile collection of handmade garments. Whether you're an experienced sewist or an adventurous beginner, this inspiring guide offers the skills, techniques, and creative confidence to design wearable works of art by hand. Praise for Alabama Studio Sewing + Design: “Transform organic or recycled materials into clothing or home décor items with haute homespun flair.” ― Better Homes and Gardens Quilts and More magazine "Natalie teaches you how to make them yourself . . . They don't just make you look better than you did in whatever you were wearing before, they make you feel better." ―Heather Ross, textile designer and author of Weekend Sewing

Review: Handstitched Gems - I wavered on buying this book. I wasn't a big fan of the bucket hat on the cover, had never heard of Alabama Chanin, and when I looked at a few images of the fashion line I didn't see myself in those clothes.I made my decision to purchase based on the emphasis on hand sewing, embroidery, fashion applique, and beading. This may be the best sewing-centric book purchase I've made in the last 12 months (and I've made quite a few). This is a truly outstanding book from cover to cover for a few reasons: 1.) The stitch charts are very easy to follow. 2.) The samples are presented in LARGE, close up photographs 3.) The garments included are very basic and can be made by hand with one of the easiest, green friendly, most forgiving fabrics out there- cotton jersey. 4) The instructions are very good. Even a beginner could make the tank, tee, skirt, bolero, wrap, or fingerless gloves by hand with a minimum of notions except for quality fabric and thread. Those particular items would probably not give a beginner a fit over fitting either. You'll need more tools for stenciling or beading, but even they are pretty simple to acquire. 5.) The book's index includes photos for fast referencing 6.) The embellishments shown are beautiful and accessible!You can go as elaborate (full beading and applique on a long dress) or simple (adding a basic ruffle to a tank) as you want. This is truly "luxe casual" at its best. All the things above tied together with the author's encouraging narrative (friendly without being too exhausting) make this a wonderful book. Very few things I consider a "must have". However, if you are in to hand sewing garments or just curious about how to add embellishment to clothes you make or own, this book does an excellent job and has enough ideas to keep you busy for a very long time.
Review: Stunning book, and my whole wardrobe is being revamped! - I have all three Alabama Chanin books and love them all, but I must say this is my favorite! I can't believe how generous Natalie Chanin is with sharing her techniques, and the sample photos are really wonderful. So far I have made 2 t-shirts, a fitted tank top and two boleros. While the neckline of the tank was too low for me and I had to raise it, I love the cut of her patterns. The t shirts are so graceful with the slighly curved hems. Very flattering. In addition to the above items I have made from scratch from an old cotton jersey t-shirt sheet, I have also started to revamp some of my existing clothes. For example, I took an oversized frumpy old maternity t-shirt I set aside about 5 years ago, laid one of my A.C. t-shirts on top of it, traced it, re-sewed along those lines, and then added some appliques cut from another t-shirt I had unsuccessfully tried to alter back in my ill-advised days of following the instructions in the Generation T book. (Not saying Generation T is a bad book, but being almost 40, the styles are not appropriate for me, and I needed something a bit more refined.) From these two depressing old rag bag t-shirts, I made what is now one of my very favorite shirts. Similarly, I had a Coldwater Creek shirt I bought online, and the very first time I wore it, one of the seams developed a hole, right in the front of the shirt! They had no more in stock, and I didn't want to hassle with a return, so into the "to be altered" pile it went. Luckily, the shirt had two layers of fabric on the front, so I was able to do some reverse-applique using a stencil from the book. I just finished it a couple of days ago, and I can't wait to wear it. Another garment rescued from the rag bag. It feels like magic to make beautiful and functional from something that had been too ugly and ill-fitting to even wear as pajamas. It's like making something from nothing. I have read some reviews that complain that the sizes run too small in these books. I will say I border on regular sizes and plus sizes, and the XL in the book is just barely too small for me. I have to alter the patterns a little, but I just do it when I trace the patterns off, and so far have had luck. But even for a person who is much larger than this, you can either apply the embellishment techniques to existing garments that fit you, as I have, or just find a simple sewing pattern for knits from one of the big pattern companies, which often go on sale for 99 cents each at places like JoAnn Fabrics. Use a plus-size pattern with clean lines and simple construction, similar to the patterns in the book, and I'm sure the results would be great. Don't feel like you can't profit from this book just because you are a plus size lady, because there are lots of ways to customize the techniques to suit you. A great source for material is cotton jersey sheet sets. Also, at thrift stores, I can very often find large plus-size cotton jersey dresses, often made of very high-quality fabric, which I can cut apart and use to sew smaller garments from the patterns in the book. Someday I'd love to splurge on the gorgeous organic cotton yardage they sell at Alabama Chanin, but that's not in the cards for me right now. It's a very accessible book, and great to use as a jumping-off point for your own designs and ideas. I think that's the whole point of it. Take Natalie Chanin's advice, and then run with it to make your own creations.

## Features

- Get new ideas from this great books

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #155,200 in Arts, Crafts & Sewing ( See Top 100 in Arts, Crafts & Sewing ) #741 in Fashion Craft #793 in Sewing Patterns & Templates #814 in Fiber Arts & Textiles |
| Customer Reviews | 4.8 out of 5 stars 385 Reviews |

## Images

![Alabama Studio Sewing + Design: A Guide to Hand-Sewing an Alabama Chanin Wardrobe - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71UWIqRkD4L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Handstitched Gems
*by N***S on February 18, 2012*

I wavered on buying this book. I wasn't a big fan of the bucket hat on the cover, had never heard of Alabama Chanin, and when I looked at a few images of the fashion line I didn't see myself in those clothes.I made my decision to purchase based on the emphasis on hand sewing, embroidery, fashion applique, and beading. This may be the best sewing-centric book purchase I've made in the last 12 months (and I've made quite a few). This is a truly outstanding book from cover to cover for a few reasons: 1.) The stitch charts are very easy to follow. 2.) The samples are presented in LARGE, close up photographs 3.) The garments included are very basic and can be made by hand with one of the easiest, green friendly, most forgiving fabrics out there- cotton jersey. 4) The instructions are very good. Even a beginner could make the tank, tee, skirt, bolero, wrap, or fingerless gloves by hand with a minimum of notions except for quality fabric and thread. Those particular items would probably not give a beginner a fit over fitting either. You'll need more tools for stenciling or beading, but even they are pretty simple to acquire. 5.) The book's index includes photos for fast referencing 6.) The embellishments shown are beautiful and accessible!You can go as elaborate (full beading and applique on a long dress) or simple (adding a basic ruffle to a tank) as you want. This is truly "luxe casual" at its best. All the things above tied together with the author's encouraging narrative (friendly without being too exhausting) make this a wonderful book. Very few things I consider a "must have". However, if you are in to hand sewing garments or just curious about how to add embellishment to clothes you make or own, this book does an excellent job and has enough ideas to keep you busy for a very long time.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stunning book, and my whole wardrobe is being revamped!
*by N***F on September 21, 2012*

I have all three Alabama Chanin books and love them all, but I must say this is my favorite! I can't believe how generous Natalie Chanin is with sharing her techniques, and the sample photos are really wonderful. So far I have made 2 t-shirts, a fitted tank top and two boleros. While the neckline of the tank was too low for me and I had to raise it, I love the cut of her patterns. The t shirts are so graceful with the slighly curved hems. Very flattering. In addition to the above items I have made from scratch from an old cotton jersey t-shirt sheet, I have also started to revamp some of my existing clothes. For example, I took an oversized frumpy old maternity t-shirt I set aside about 5 years ago, laid one of my A.C. t-shirts on top of it, traced it, re-sewed along those lines, and then added some appliques cut from another t-shirt I had unsuccessfully tried to alter back in my ill-advised days of following the instructions in the Generation T book. (Not saying Generation T is a bad book, but being almost 40, the styles are not appropriate for me, and I needed something a bit more refined.) From these two depressing old rag bag t-shirts, I made what is now one of my very favorite shirts. Similarly, I had a Coldwater Creek shirt I bought online, and the very first time I wore it, one of the seams developed a hole, right in the front of the shirt! They had no more in stock, and I didn't want to hassle with a return, so into the "to be altered" pile it went. Luckily, the shirt had two layers of fabric on the front, so I was able to do some reverse-applique using a stencil from the book. I just finished it a couple of days ago, and I can't wait to wear it. Another garment rescued from the rag bag. It feels like magic to make beautiful and functional from something that had been too ugly and ill-fitting to even wear as pajamas. It's like making something from nothing. I have read some reviews that complain that the sizes run too small in these books. I will say I border on regular sizes and plus sizes, and the XL in the book is just barely too small for me. I have to alter the patterns a little, but I just do it when I trace the patterns off, and so far have had luck. But even for a person who is much larger than this, you can either apply the embellishment techniques to existing garments that fit you, as I have, or just find a simple sewing pattern for knits from one of the big pattern companies, which often go on sale for 99 cents each at places like JoAnn Fabrics. Use a plus-size pattern with clean lines and simple construction, similar to the patterns in the book, and I'm sure the results would be great. Don't feel like you can't profit from this book just because you are a plus size lady, because there are lots of ways to customize the techniques to suit you. A great source for material is cotton jersey sheet sets. Also, at thrift stores, I can very often find large plus-size cotton jersey dresses, often made of very high-quality fabric, which I can cut apart and use to sew smaller garments from the patterns in the book. Someday I'd love to splurge on the gorgeous organic cotton yardage they sell at Alabama Chanin, but that's not in the cards for me right now. It's a very accessible book, and great to use as a jumping-off point for your own designs and ideas. I think that's the whole point of it. Take Natalie Chanin's advice, and then run with it to make your own creations.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Inspirational.
*by L***A on March 22, 2013*

This book took my breath away, if it were possible i would LOVE to spend a week with the extraordinarily inspirational and talented designer of the projects and hence author of the book. I came across the book by accident and am delighted that i did so, i was feeling flat and lacking creative inspiration when out of now where this book presents itself, after flicking through the "look inside" function i was hooked. I had to have this book, the few glimpses inside the book inspired me no end. I love the book for the simple fact that there is an environmental consideration regarding the materials used for each project, the projects are set out in a clear, concise, easy to follow step by step manner with many tips and hints along the way which facilitates the process of the user creating a well made garment, this in my view, renders the book as user friendly. Now for my favorite part of the book, the "designs", the designs in this book are breath taking for their simplicity, adaptability and endless possibility. I found the embellishment techniques in the book promote and encourage the creation of original garment by, using the simplicity of the initial garment design then, embellishing the garment to create a totally unique, hand made one of a kind, heirloom garment. Individuals who enjoy any craft will benefit enormously from this book as the techniques are adaptable and transferable to many other crafts, the imagination and creativity of the user will be stimulated and inspired to limitless heights, the possibilities are truly endless. This is the most valuable book in my collection, I love it so much i keep it protected in a box to avoid damage LOL :) An outstanding, inspirational book with a conscience and a clear message to get back to a by gone time of creation not consumerism. Thank you Natalie Chanin for this timeless treasure :)

## Frequently Bought Together

- Alabama Studio Sewing + Design: A Guide to Hand-Sewing an Alabama Chanin Wardrobe
- GEOMETRY OF HAND SEWING
- Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns: A Guide to Customizing a Hand-Stitched Alabama Chanin Wardrobe

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.pt/products/2807697-alabama-studio-sewing-design-a-guide-to-hand-sewing-alabama](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/2807697-alabama-studio-sewing-design-a-guide-to-hand-sewing-alabama)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Portugal*
*Store origin: PT*
*Last updated: 2026-10-03*