Category: Artisan Techniques

  • Learning How to Reverse Applique the Alabama Chanin Way

    Learning How to Reverse Applique the Alabama Chanin Way

    I have to admit that, when Alabama Chanin’s unique reverse applique t-shirts gained popularity in the late 2000s, I wasn’t a fan. Unfinished edges (even though cotton jersey doesn’t need to be finished), uneven hand stitching, and exposed thread tails — the details that others found charming went against my tailored style aesthetic. I couldn’t…

  • Sashiko: Stitched by Hand to Create a Unique Look

    Sashiko: Stitched by Hand to Create a Unique Look

    Sashiko stitching requires rhythm. Up, down, forward motion — with a threaded needle in one hand and cloth in the other, one hand pricks while the other hand guides. Both hands move in unison, creating lines of stitches that run straight or meander into waves and coalesce into stunning designs. Image from here Growing up,…