Love What You Make: A Day at Alabama Chanin

This was my wonderful and surprising Christmas gift from my husband: a little workshop with Natalie Chanin. 

He presented it to me so creatively, by making a Wonka Bar wrapper (wrapped around a Lindt Sea Salt bar) and giving me a 'golden ticket' with the exact wording of the Golden Ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...right down to presenting the 'golden ticket' at the factory gates at 10:00.....

Which I did, quite happily, back in February.  (Thank you, Husband!)

The shop is simple, homespun and inspiring. 

These ponchos are gorgeously detailed and the construction is so simple.  I liked them when I saw photos in one of Natalie Chanin's books, but now I plan to make one for sure because in person I thought they were great.  I'd wear these with jeans in autumn. I am thinking of tonal leaves on mine--in forest green.

Headbands! I made a few of these this Christmas for friends.

Handling the garments and inspecting them was such a treat. I had a hard time photographing them, though, with a finicky lens.  I have ideas, though: the "Alabama Fur" look is actually one I really like (surprise!), and I found myself drawn to a long skirt with a row of thick beading a couple of inches from the bottom.  I needed another hour or two to truly dive into these pieces! I ran totally out of time and did not get to dive into the swatch books, alas.  

The workspace was lovely. Our workshop was full, and basically covered the physics of sewing.  It was not new to me, but there were many beginners in the workshop.  Hearing Natalie speak was fun, particularly her encouragement to forgo perfectionism, and the notion of a garment as a document. She was lovely and perfectly down-to-earth, exactly like a neighbor you'd invite over for tea every week (without worrying about the condition of your hair or your house).

 The project I chose was a scarf, but we not only got the makings of the scarf, but also a sweet little paper-back Moleskine journal, a pencil for note-taking, and a canvas bag that has now become my portable sewing bag--I had been stealing my children's tote bags for this purpose (the children thank you, Natalie!).  The instructions are not included, so if you aren't sure how to construct an item, you will need to track down the book that features the project.

Then it was time for lunch and conversation.  The cafe made me feel quite at home--rough planked tables, mismatched chairs...I know this aesthetic. 

And we could shop. The table is covered with various stencil samples which were gorgeous in person!

Of course I made purchases!  Workshop attendees got a percentage off (yay!), so I loaded up on navy and forest green jersey, gorgeous blue bugle beads, and a delicious bundle of scraps in hues of cream and natural and pale pink.   

My husband and children took the afternoon factory tour with me, which was fascinating. I am so glad we did that because we got to peek at the stenciling area. 

My summary is that Alabama Chanin is all that it is cracked up to me: a generous, socially-responsible business, an artistic oasis, a funky cafe, and a wellspring of both inspiration and organic cotton fabric.  My impression of the staff was positive--the women I met who work there seemed to regard their work with pleasure, heart and enthusiasm. I loved that!

 Natalie Chanin is doing a good work in this world.  

The Art of Doing Good

"The finest of all the fine arts is the art of doing good and yet it is the least cultivated."

                           --T. DeWitt Talmage

Rocks + Doilies

My solution to the 'treasures' my children bring in from the Great Outdoors, which look junky to me when placed on the bare table: get a paper doily, put it on a silver platter, and suddenly it is seems intentional and beautiful. 

I love these rocks now!

The Fabric Mother Lode

My neighbor Naomi wondered if I would like to visit the fabric store in the lady's basement? The selection was thin but the prices were great?  We postponed for months, but finally got there today. 

I found several bolts of white denim-y-twill-y and bit the bullet, so to speak.  I quick search on my brilliant phone indicated that to slipcover the sofa, man-chair and ottoman, I'd need about 20 yards.  I bought 23, just in case.  For $23.

Yes.  One dollar a yard.  It was so much fabric that it required two of us to carry it into the house, but this means I may be able to slipcover my furniture for twenty-three dollars.

I was so celebratory that I spent part of the afternoon tracing a vintage dress pattern for Annie, to be made up in (I think) hot pink with white polka-dots. 

See the pale blue swirl sticking out there?  

I liked it so much that I bought what was left on the bolt, for a whopping $2.  

Now it is time to start washing! 

Visions of Rapture

Today at church our pastor told us about Fanny Crosby, a nineteenth century Christian-writer-activist who wrote thousands of hymns during her lifetime.  Some of her hymns are among my favorites, including one we sang today, "Blessed Assurance."

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; 
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.  

In addition to being a prolific writer of hymns, Fanny Crosby was also blind.

 Perfect submission, all is at rest,
 I in my Savior am happy and blessed,
 Watching and waiting, looking above,
 Filled with His goodness, lost in His love. 

I did not know anything about her story until today.  I love learning about people who use their gifts so productively throughout their lives.  It inspires me to order my days to that end as well!

Bloom Where You're Planted

"It seems to me that whether it is recognized or not, there is a terrific frustration which increases in intensity and harmfulness as time goes on, when people are always daydreaming of the kind of place in which they would like to live, yet never making the place where they do live into anything artistically satisfying to them.  Always to dream of a cottage by a brook while never doing anything to the stuffy house in the city is to waste creativity in this very basic area, and to hinder future creativity by not allowing it to grow and develop through use."

                --Edith Schaeffer, The Hidden Art of Homemaking

Midwinter City Treats

Tonight I had a haircut in the city, so my children got a night with Daddy and I got a haircut and then *shopping without helpers*. I decided to invest in a few treats to boost our morale through the end of the winter. I got, inter alia:


*a supply of my favorite soap--Dr. Bronner's.  Almond, as always, for my face, and this time I bought rose for the shower
*an amber saffron candle
*a new orchid (I was tempted by the forced hyacinths, but I just stood and smelled them for a few minutes)
*a bottle of chardonnay
*beads and chalk paint at the fabric store....

I love the city, seeing new people, checking out the shops, and I have an even greater love for driving down my little country lane home, seeing the cattle and the mountains and my quiet little house.