Alabama Chanin

The recent interest in Slow Sewing is interesting to me. I started hand sewing knit skirts after taking a workshop with Natalie Chanin in Portland Oregon several years back. She did an show in the gallery I was managing of her quilts (they are beautiful if you ever get a chance to see them in person). She offered the class to me for hosting her at the bookstore and having the show. I was hooked!! Sewing knit fabric by hand took all the fear out of sewing with knit fabric. Earlier this summer I bought another kit from Alabama Chanin because they were having a sale. It was the Facet Pattern. Now that is slow sewing…it has taken me all summer to complete the stitching on the 4 panels of the skirt…now I have to cut out the centers for the reverse appliqué  I also want to add some beading detail to the skirt. I hope to get it completed by Thanksgiving. 

 The top photo is of the 10 skirts I have made over the years (the most recent Facet skirt makes 11). I added beading detail to some skirts when I got a chance, I look at some of these skirts as a work in progress. I can keep adding detail when I have time. 

I have not even talked about the dresses I have made from the Alabama Chanin books. That is another post. 

Susan Beal,  Pendleton Woolen Mills 

and a new book

 A log cabin quilt from Pendleton plaids

A couple of quilts that use the lovely Pendleton San Miguel fabric

 A couple of items made from the book, a wool pillow, the banner and the bag at the bottom of the photo. 

On sunday I had the privilege of attending an event for Susan Beal and her latest book "Hand-Stitched Home". The book full of projects made from Pendleton fabric. The projects are fairly simple but the use of the Pendleton fabric makes these beautiful & classic quilts and bags. I have always been in love with wool quilts but have not made one because I was a little afraid of the bulk that would come from working with wool. Looking at Susan's quilts and projects it's just a matter of matching some lightweight wools with the heavy blanket weight fabric. Susan had several of the projects at the event so it gave me the opportunity to see projects and feel the weights of the quilts. I think one of my next projects will be the easy zipper clutch designed by  Sarai Mitnik of Colette or maybe a cute Border Print Wool Tote…there is a quick tutorial on Susan's website about making the bag with about 1/2 a yard of a border fabric from Pendleton.