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

Designer Natalie Chanin blends embroidery and hand-sewing techniques with her own personal story in this empowering guide for all who love stitching and handcraft. 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 colour—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 not only makes understanding complex stitches and techniques easy, it also challenges us to go deeper by examining the history of a beloved company and cherished pastime.