Review on 🧵 Sewing + Design for Alabama Studio: Hand-Sewing an Alabama Chanin Wardrobe by Tara Ford

Invaluable hand embroidery text! I've only tried one pattern, a sleeveless tunic dress, and I don't like it. First, the size is VERY small. I'm on the small side and had to use the big one for this template. Secondly, it fit so strangely that it pulled out of shape after the first two wears. I'm not sure what body type this was for, but I think a larger back and shoulders like mine would have helped if the armholes are stretched and hanging down and out. I found the neckline too wide (so I figured broad shoulders might help) and the armholes were too narrow on the arm for this to work long term. An arm that can move in all directions needs some freedom, otherwise it will stretch some fabrics (like cotton jersey) and create the unsightly slack I have. I even altered the armholes to make them a bit larger, but the pattern isn't designed to have almost no excess on the chest or back because the straps are too far apart. In the end, it still didn't help the sag. Tl;dr, I don't think the sleeve patterns would have this problem, and the rest - skirts, boleros, ponchos - should be fine too, although it probably needs a lot of tweaking just for sizing. I'm sad that this pattern doesn't suit me at all because all my favorite tops are sleeveless. I have to keep searching for the perfect t-shirt pattern or just accept it and draw it myself. Luckily, the advice and knowledge contained in the book is amazing. Two pages of hand stitching alone were worth the cover to me. --- March 2017 update. After giving the tank style pattern another try, I think I have a better idea of what's going on. First, for those new to cotton knitwear (like me), basting edges and seams is not only important, it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. In my previous project, I tried on clothes before cutting holes for the arms and neck without basting them, and this is where the permanent stretch began. If you're concerned about size, opt for muslin and allow for the stretch. Second, it is confirmed that the size is indeed strange. The problem I used to have with armholes is now with the lower front - unsightly outward sagging. I realized that this pattern was designed for very small breasts (as you will notice, none of the models in the book have a cup size larger than A or B). AC's actual product dimensions are probably designed much more carefully, but for the purposes of this book it's likely that they simply increased the base size to small without further adjustments. IF YOUR SIZE IS MEDIUM OR LARGE, THESE PATTERNS WILL BE MORE ALTERED TO EXPLAIN AN INCORRECT CONFIGURATION OF CHEST AND LARGER. Also, prepare to add a crease down the center of the front edge of the neckline. Without them, the extra inch of fabric has nowhere to go and it will sag outward. This is not a problem with flat chests. Another recommendation for people who are medium (probably large, although I'm not sure): do not use stretch stitching for the neckline and armholes in shirt patterns. They are big enough not to need them and this prevents further stretching.