Gael Towey's Guest Blog About Alabama Chanin
Gael Towey, our Chief Integration and Creative Director, visited Alabama recently and shares this blog with all of you.
You may have heard of Natalie Chanin. She is the designer and founder of Alabama Chanin, the southern couture dressmaker. She has become known for using local artisans and quilters to make highly detailed, exquisitely embellished clothing, all by hand, including the seams! Everything is made in America, using organic materials. Over the past ten years, she has pioneered a new-age cottage industry. I met Natalie through my friend, the singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash, who often wears Natalie’s clothes in concert. Rosanne and I decided that Natalie had to meet a mutual friend, Maira Kalman - artist, illustrator and author. We had tea together in Maira's Greenwich Village apartment, and the idea of an all-girls road trip was born. The really amazing thing is that with our busy lives, we actually set aside time, and we did it! We also decided to bring our daughters. We all met in Florence, Alabama for two days of learning to sew with Natalie.
Natalie is originally from Florence, which was formerly the T-shirt manufacturing capitol of most of the South. Natalie was a fashion stylist in Europe, prior to moving back to the States. She moved to New York City with an idea to make quilted embroidered T-shirts, which she made herself and previewed for department stores at the Chelsea Hotel. Barneys took the collection, so Natalie visited manufacturers in New York to see if they could do the work she envisioned. That’s when she realized she was thinking about the women who made the beautiful quilts she grew up with in Alabama. Natalie moved home to Florence, arriving just as many of the local T-shirt factories were going out of business and she created Alabama Chanin. The business she started more than 10 years ago has pioneered in the local and sustainable movement. The studio is in a former factory building, nondescript and industrial on the outside, but when you walk inside, you are in the world of Natalie. Everything is beautiful and artistic. The vibe of the studio is quiet and respectful, with art found everywhere. To view Natalie's sewing kits, click here. And if you'd like to sew with Natalie and her wonderful team, click here.
1 From left to right: Rosanne Cash, her daughter Carrie Crowell, Maira Kalman, and my daughter Maud Doyle standing outside the Alabama Chanin studio.
2 The main street in Florence, Alabama is very charming with 19th-century brick and wood storefronts.
3 We stopped for coffee at McGraw's Coffee House. They had delicious latte and iced coffee.
4 Upon entering Alabama Chanin, we were met by this sign: THERE ARE NO RULES - THAT IS HOW ART IS BORN.
5 And another sign: WASTE NOT WANT NOT
6 Natalie, with her distinctive white hair, is a firm believer in craftsmanship, beauty and utility. She's created a cottage industry based on her designs, which are constructed by talented local artists. She firmly believes in the cultural sustainability of preserving the hand-sewing skills or 'Living Arts' of her local culture.
7 She uses organic cotton grown in Texas and woven in North Carolina. The fabric is dyed with natural dyes in Tennessee. The dresses are cut in the studio and stenciled with designs for the 30 local artisans to follow.
8 Amazing hand-sewn detail
9 Another example
10 We spent our first hour getting a tour of the studio and indulging in the beauties and textures of the thousand or so beaded, stitched, quilted, embroidered, and appliquéd samples that are neatly filed in perfectly covered white binders.
11 Leafing through, here are some of my favorites. The handwork is complex and exquisite. Every page we turned was amazing and inspiring.
12 Sample
13 Sample
14 Sample
15 Before I went to Alabama, I ordered the Kristina’s Rose Skirt DIY kit. My kit included the 4 skirt panels already stenciled with the rose pattern, applique strips, beads and thread. This picture also shows the simple glove that Natalie wears with double-stick tape that you stick beads on. It makes it easier to pick up the beads as you sew.
16 This is the detail of the Kristina’s Rose Skirt pattern, using chain stitch with 4 beads in each chain, and folded applique with a bead every 1/4".
17 This is the sew-in label for your completed project.
18 You can learn all about her techniques in her books
19 Our next step was to try on sample dresses and skirts so that we could choose our silhouettes and then decide on a style and pattern to embellish our creations.
20 Natalie and I wearing Alabama Chanin dresses - The dresses are so comfortable, and they make you look great.
21 I decided to make that shape dress using this square pattern that reminds me of an old sample book. The beading, applique, and embroidery stitches make the square pattern hip and contemporary.
22 After the fabric for the dress is cut, it is stenciled with a very fine paint, which functions as a pattern for the embellishment.
23 Natalie and Rosanne - There is nothing like learning together to make a friendship even deeper.
24 Maira and Natalie - Natalie uses Ball canning jars for drinking water and wraps a pincushion cozy around each jar.
25 Rosanne and I met when our girls were 2-1/2-years-old in nursery school. Maud and Carrie then went to school together until 8th grade. Now that they are 23 and back in NYC. They really enjoyed catching up and sharing such a rare experience.
26 Natalie taught us the importance of 'loving your thread.'
27 She also told us not to thread your needle but to needle your thread - hold the thread and push the needle towards it; it just makes it easier. Once the needle is threaded, hold it in one hand and with your thumb and forefinger gently pull down on the threads so that the fibers relax and meld together, making for fewer knots and tangles.
28 Maira chose to make a coat with this appliqued circle design, which starts out in 5 or 6 rows along the bottom, slowly fading to a few circles.
29 The studio reflects Natalie's journey of making her business meaningful to her clients and community. It's filled with handmade objects, like found art collages.
30 And chairs that talk to you with hand-woven seats
31 In this cottage industry, local artists buy Natalie's cut and stenciled 'project kits,' sew them at home, and bring them back a few weeks later, beautifully sewn and finished. Natalie then buys them back for much more money.
32 The artists get to sew at home on their own time and be in charge of their own lives.
33 Natalie’s love of the living arts inspired her to collect story quilts, and several are displayed on the walls of the studio.
34 These quilts are all uniquely original with their whimsical embroidery and embellishments.
35 One quilt talks about the magical powers of sewing in a studio...
36 With the smell of freshly baked bread.
37 Another is about sewing at Alabama Chanin, which they affectionately call 'The Factory.'
38 Natalie also works with individual clients to design their wedding dresses.
39 This closet was full of intricately embroidered, highly detailed dresses, camisoles, and skirts.
40 Her clients love the individuality of a creation they can be a part of.
41 After two days of focused work, I felt rested and restored. Spending time with my friends, Rosanne and Maira, and our girls, Carrie and Maud, was a gift. Getting to know Natalie in her inspiring studio and learning to embroider and applique was an unforgettable and inspiring experience.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Gael, that is a most extraordinary place. I'd love to see it, but I don't suppose I ever will, but I can dream. I wonder if a person could order one of those kits by mail, or E-mail? It would be fun to try.
I have been needling my thread for a long, long time...ever since I read Tom Sayer way back in the day. Or, was it Huckleberryfin? (I don't even know if I'm speeling the naes corectly, it has been so long.) As I said, it was back in the day, and whoever he was dressed in a dress to run away and the lady had him sewing and that is the way he did it.
I've been doing it that way ever since and it works better than the way it is "supposed" to be done. I'm usually waaaaaaaay behind with everything, so I'm glad to know I was ahead on this one.
Thanks Martha, for letting Gael give us this treat.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | August 24th, 2012 at 12:28 am
Gael, How wonderful that you had the opportunity to share such a good time with such good friends. How blessed we are with friends and daughters! I know I am!
Posted by: Vicki Powell | August 24th, 2012 at 4:22 am
Gael,
Thanks for sharing this blog with us.
Posted by: KLBrown | August 24th, 2012 at 8:10 am
Thank you Gael for introducing us to an extraordinary artist, the craftmanship and intricacy of Natalie's designs are amazing and the fact that they are american made and the material organic is astounding! How inspiring of her to want to perserve the "living art" of quilting and hand sewing. It was also fun seeing pictures of Rosanne Cash. Maud and Carrie are beautiful young ladies and how fun for them to be able to reconnect. Thanks Martha for the guest blog today, everyone have a great weekend!
Posted by: Cindy F | August 24th, 2012 at 8:17 am
Hi Martha, Gael Towey is one of you best partners who has been at MSLO for just about the longest time and is a superior Chief Integration and Creative Director! I have enjoyed seeing other blogs about her and seeing her on your TV Shows, too! Thank you for letting her share this great blog today! Hi Gael, This is one of your best blogs I have ever seen and your recent visit to the Alabama Chanin studio is terrific! I love all of your wonderful photos and all of this information you shared with us! I've never been to Alabama, but this tour helps me feel like I'm there! How fabulous to see you, your daughter Maud Doyle, Rosanne Cash, Carrie Crowell, Maira Kalman, and Natalie Chanin! All of you look fabulous and very happy to be together! I love the signs at Alabama Chanin and all of the beautiful designs presented by Natalie and the beautiful outfits you were all wearing! My favorite photos are #1,7,16,19,20,21.22.23,27,&37! All of you looked so fantastic! Sure hope all of you have a great day and weekend and please wish the same for our dear Martha! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | August 24th, 2012 at 9:04 am
Hi Gael and thanks for sharing your fun trip with us. It’s always nice when we can get together with our girlfriends who luckily share our same interests. I haven’t seen my best friend from school in years but we email and send pictures all the time.
~
I don’t think I would be up to sewing a dress by hand but Natalie was very clever to open up her shop where the quilters are. If anyone can sew, they can and I bet they love working with Natalie’s kits. I am so impressed with everything she does from start to finish. There are some really great seamstresses in the south and I’ve met a few at Dollywood in the shops where they sell their wares but I don’t think they design their own material first. I was hoping to see a photo of you in your dress but maybe it isn’t finished yet. You picked a very nice design.
~
Over the years I have written a lot of song lyrics and back in ’89 I sent some to the House of Cash, Inc. I didn’t realize they had sold their publishing company until Reba Cash Hancock, Rosanne’s aunt, was kind enough to inform me. I still have the inspiring note she sent me with her kind words to “Keep writing and know you are good” and I think I mentioned it to Roseanne on Twitter one day. Thanks for introducing Alabama Chanin to us. Trish
Posted by: Trish | August 24th, 2012 at 9:19 am
thank you for your comments I am delighted to be able to share such a wonderful experience. Gloria G. you can order the DIY kits from Natalie Chanin go to her website: alabamachanin.com/studio-store/diy-kits. my photos of the kit i am working on were not in this post but we are adding them today so please check back and you will be able to see what the kit looks like and the rose applique and beading that i have done so far. Natalie also does workshops so it is possible to have this experience. We are putting all this information into the blog today sorry we missed it on the first round. thanks again for all your lovely comments, i feel so privileged to have Maira and Rosanne and Natalie as friends.
Posted by: Gael Towey | August 24th, 2012 at 11:07 am
We need to support more local... it will cost more but it will feed your soul
Posted by: Holiday Baker Man | August 24th, 2012 at 11:18 am
Wow, I think this was the best post ever. Sounds like a dream of a road trip, great talented women, beautiful design and local to boot ! to have daughters along would just bring it over the top. (nostalgic as I help pack up my daughter for her last year at MICA ) Many thanks
Dale
Posted by: Dale Coykendall | August 24th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Gael, I was curious to learn how much sewing experience you and the other women had before attempting one of Natalie's DIY kits. I am inspired and eager to purchase one of her kits, but have only modest sewing skills and more than a little trepidation about undertaking something that might be beyond my capabilities. A 'difficulty rating' assigned to each of the kits would be a great idea for those not able to attend one of her workshops.
Both you and Natalie look wonderfully glamorous in your dresses. I relished every little detail of your engaging blog today- a real delight- and am happy that you and your good friend were able share such a unique opportunity and memorable experience with your daughters.
Rosanne Cash has always been one of my top favorite artists and it was like feeling more a part of the event to see her with her gorgeous daughter, Carrie. Happiness agrees with Rosanne. She looks every bit as youthful as she did twenty-five years ago.
My favorite couture outfit is the stunning crisscross top with the long skirt (shown from the back in the photo) and I know who would look absolutely fabulous in such a gorgeous outfit: your daughter, Maud! Not only does she have a model's face and figure, she has the most exquisite posture I have seen in years. My mother continually emphasized the importance of good posture and looking at your daughter's photos I now understand why.
Posted by: Mary | August 26th, 2012 at 8:22 am
I hope you got visit Billy Reid Clothing while in Florence and then hopefully a trip to Birmingham for either Highlands Bar and Grill or Hot and Hot Fish Club.......
Posted by: chad | August 27th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
I live in Florence Alabama and it should be noted here that fashion designer Billy Reid is also based in Florence - he lives here. GQ and the Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded Billy the Best New Designer in America Award in February 2010. http://www.billyreid.com/
Posted by: Tony | August 27th, 2012 at 9:03 pm
I live in Tuscumbia, Al, a stonesthrow from Florence, and I am delighted to learn of Alabama Chanin! Seems so strange that, being an avid quilter I had never heard of her or her workshops. I'm definately putting one of these workshops on my "wish" list of things to do in the near future! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Ginger | August 28th, 2012 at 9:52 am
I will now have to think when I thread a needle whether I hold it and smooth the threads down together. I believe I do, but how did I learn to do that? Probably by trial and error over many years and seeing the coils relax. Did not think to push the eye toward the thread though. Will try that right away.
Posted by: jw | August 28th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
I love Alabama Chanin....her work and books are just lovely.
Posted by: sharon from sharon stanley writes | September 1st, 2012 at 11:07 pm