Embroidery: Threads and Stories from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making

Designer and bestselling author Natalie Chanin blends embroidery and hand-sewing techniques with her own personal story in this empowering guide for all who love stitching and handcraft.

Foreword by Grammy Award–winner Roseanne Cash

Embroidery: Threads and Stories from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making mixes lessons in sewing, design, and embroidery with Natalie Chanin’s engaging, personal story of the evolution of Alabama Chanin and the indelible mark the techniques she pioneered and the company she founded have made on the sewing and fashion industry.

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.

Includes Color Photographs

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.