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

I was hesitant to buy this book. I wasn't a big fan of the Panama on the cover, I had never heard of Alabama Chanin and looking at some pictures of the clothing line I didn't see myself wearing it. I decided to buy because of the focus on hand sewing, embroidery, fashion applique and beading. This might be the best sewing book purchase I've made in the last 12 months (and I've made quite a few). This is a truly outstanding book from start to finish for several reasons: 1.) Seam diagrams are very easy to follow. 2.) Patterns are shown in LARGE closeups. 3.) The garments included are very simple and can be handmade from one of the simplest, most eco-friendly and forgiving fabrics - cotton. Jersey.4) The instructions are very good. Even a beginner can sew a t-shirt, t-shirt, skirt, bolero, stole or fingerless gloves with his own hands with minimal effort, except for high-quality fabrics and threads. These particular items are also unlikely to provide a snug fit for a beginner. You'll need more screen or beadwork tools, but even those are pretty easy to come by. applique on a long dress) or simple (add a simple ruffle to a t-shirt) as you like. It really is "luxury casual" at its finest. All of this coupled with the author's uplifting storytelling (kind but not overbearing) make this a wonderful book. There are very few things that I consider mandatory. However, if you are interested in hand-sewn clothing or just wondering how to embellish your homemade or custom clothing, this book will do the job perfectly, with enough ideas to keep you busy for a very long time.