Finally! my Alabama Chanin outfit! It’s finished, and now done and dusted! Yay! I may look all cool, calm and collected on the outside here but on the inside I’m cheering like a madman.
Phew. This project has been quite an undertaking… quite an undertaking, to say the least. I had received a length of beautiful Alabama Chanin cotton jersey in colour Dusk from the lovely Lisa, of Lisa’s Carolina, and I really wanted to do the fabric justice, to honour its Alabama origins and make something worthy and not to do things by halves. I decided I just had to go the whole nine yards and make another full-on ensemble. The Full Monty Alabama Chanin. Obviously!
There was enough of the blue to make one skirt and a few bindings, so I needed to make some more colours…. I bought some plain white cotton jersey from Spotlight, cut some scraps and played about with dyeing; experimenting with greys, greens, greeny-blues, blue-y greens, blue-y greys and greeny-greys, plus I’d also had some pink cotton that I dyed blue, to get some purple-y blue into the mix too.
candidates!
Ultimately I rejected my purple- and grey-toned experiments and settled upon greens; shades of teal and sea green, which I thought subtly highlighted and championed the dusky blue the absolute best, toning it without drowning it amongst other shades of blue. I think; if you’re trying to showcase a colour in an ensemble/design, then it’s best for that colour to be the only one of its shade, and for the contrasting colours to be all a different shade and variations of each other, not of the showcase colour. As clear as mud? Yep, I thought so! Sorry, maybe that’s not making much sense, but at least I know what I’m talking about.
Pattern; all patterns are from the book Alabama Studio Sewing + Design, by Natalie Chanin. I made a full-length skirt, a fully-embroidered mid-length skirt and a fitted tank. Every single component is sewn by hand, in the Alabama Chanin way 🙂
So: the mid-length skirt! Which is the biggie in my ensemble, taking a few months to embroider the pieces! The skirt itself is my precious Dusk Alabama Chanin cotton jersey, and the motifs I’d dyed some white cotton jersey from Spotlight to be a teal/sea-green and to purposely be a little variegated with strong tones paling to lighter tones appearing shaded in an ombre kind of a way across the piece. All the details of the stencilling and early preparations pre-embroidery, are fully described in this post here. This part actually took aaaaages, or it felt like it at the time. Obviously, once I got embroidering then that was the bit that REALLY took ages! I had decided upon blanket stitch embroidery to attach the motifs, using light tan Gutermann’s upholstery thread. I liked the colour and the look of the embroidery, but this particular stitch was probably not the ideal choice. It is an enormously time-consuming stitch and I found myself questioning my own sanity/stupidity in choosing it, many a time. I’m glad I did persevere now though, since I really do love how it looks. Although it did take a lot of time, it wasn’t too bad, since our trip to Japan involved several plane, train and bus rides with hours and hours and hours of enforced sitting, so I got plenty of embroidery done during those times… I had completed two whole skirt panels by the time we got home! YAY! I then would have finished pretty quickly if I had then not dropped the ball for the next few weeks… oops. But once I put my mind to it and got going again I finished the embroidery pretty soon; and with the embroidery done the whole ensemble felt practically home and hosed!
I joined the pieces, hand-felling the seams using the same light tan upholstery thread as the embroidery;and I found a light yellow/beige fold-over elastic at Spotlight that looked quite nice for the waistband binding.. not that you’re ever likely to see that bit! It’s actually button elastic, for waistbands, and has buttonholes in it along the fold, but that’s ok. The colour is great, and since fold over elastic is a rare beast in Perth, in any colour, I counted myself pretty lucky to have found it!
The full length underskirt: originally white cotton jersey from Spotlight, and I dyed it to be just slightly variegated, strong teal-y/sea-green. I wanted it to be a little bit uneven in its shade, so as to fit in with the whole handmade, rustic aesthetic of Alabama Chanin. The underskirt is entirely handsewn with emerald green upholstery thread, with felled seams, and a single strip of randomly hand-ruched/ruffled cotton jersey around the lower edge. I’d originally stitched on three evenly spaced strips of ruffled cotton, but removed the upper two, because three rows didn’t look as nice as I’d hoped. The upper edge of the petticoat is finished with teal elastic, handstitched on with herringbone embroidery stitch. This was the first piece to be finished in this ensemble, believe it or not!
btw, I’ve had some feedback already that some think the underskirt is too long… opinions?
Tank top; white cotton jersey from Spotlight, dyed in the lightest shade of eau-de-nil green, and with armhole and neckline binding in the Dusk blue Alabama Chanin cotton jersey. The tank top is handsewn with light tan upholstery cotton, the same as the skirt embroidery, with felled seams and herringbone embroidery to attach the neckline and armhole binding.
All the details, summed up succinctly in just one pic:
So that’s it re the outfit…
And now for a little story about that weird and bizarre, modern-day phenomenon, the blog photo shoot…
I’d delayed posting this because I wanted to take some really nice pictures with a pretty background, something better than just these ones taken in our boring old garage… so I pick an absolutely beautiful location at my parents’ house … and a hopefully beautiful time of day … dusk would be an appropriately poetic time of day, yes? because the colour of my Alabama Chanin fabric is named “dusk” Ok, perfect! However turns out dusk is actually a terrible time to take pictures, … all my first batch of pictures were a giant fail… everything very dark and you can hardly see a thing, ha! So I disconsolately packed up to go back to the house; to try again the next day.
And did I mention my chosen photo shoot location is a paddock quite a long walk from the house? Honestly, the things we do… I walked down in jeans, disrobed, re-robed, in the paddock, as you do…. TWICE, on two consecutive days… all under the bemused and intensely interested gaze of a mob of kangaroos. Well obviously, they must have been admiring my Alabama Chanin finery? hmmm?
hey guys!
The second day I timed my arrival to be just before sunset, with that lovely pre-dusk golden glow … and wasn’t til I’d got all set up and going with my pictures I realised I’d left my sunnies back at the house and so I’m squinting in Every Single Picture… (groan)
And in the end I felt like the “boring” garage photos weren’t really all that bad and actually the details show up pretty well against that quiet blank background, so I’m posting a few of those too. Sorry for the picture overload.
Moral of the story; blog photo shoots can verge on the ludicrous
Anyway!! it’s done… Thank you so much to my friend Lisa, of Lisa’s Carolina, for the gift of the Alabama Chanin cotton. It’s such a gorgeous colour and I hope I managed to make something that is worthy of the fabric 🙂
Details:
Tank top, skirt, underskirt; all patterns from the Alabama Studio Sewing + Design by Natalie Chanin. Blue cotton jersey is from Alabama Chanin, other fabrics from hand-dyed by me. Embroidery design, half of the Magdalena design by Alabama Chain, embroidered in blanket stitch.
So very beautiful! Wow. I am in awe of the investment of time, energy and creativity! But it has certainly paid off! I remember when my oldest daughter was a baby, and we had so little money. I window shopped and analyzed all the adorable baby outfits in the fancy German shops. Then I went home and quilted fabric to sew into a snowsuit for her. I was so proud of myself!
thanks so much Amy C! Your story reminded me of that time in my life too! I used to make clothes for my kiddies when they were little, It was such fun; only tiny amounts of fabric, and of course they looked cute in everything!
Carolyn, this is jaw-droppingly stunning. I think it may be my favorite make of yours, ever. I love the pairing of the over- and under-skirts, and the simple tank top is the perfect complement. I’ll be sending you my measurements 😉
thanks Masha! hehe, once you’ve made something like this, you look at the prices that Alabama Chanin charges for their hand-embroidered garments and realise they are actually a pretty amazing deal!
I absolutely think the length of your underskirt is perfect. The whole ensemble is very beautiful, somehow classically so.
thanks Elisabeth! I’ve decided I like the length too, so it’s staying 🙂
Also, I think the length of the underskirt is perfect. Don’t change it!!
I love it love it love it! So, so beautiful. I’m speechless actually.
It is beautiful. The colour is just perfect. I was excited to see your blog post pop up with the new project, I saved reading it until the last, as I knew it would be the best. You don’t disappoint.
And the photo with the kangaroos is so cute, kind of as if I took photos with deer here in Canada.
Carolyn – this is amazing! Wow the amount of time you invested in this project! It totally paid off. I love the length of the underskirt.
You are a very talented and patient seamstress! An incredible outfit. You will stop traffic wearing this.
thank you so much Caroline! 🙂
You have made a very beautiful ensemble. There is nothing I would change about it.
thank you Philippa! 🙂
This is a wonderful Outfit! I’ve just finished an AC-Jacket – not half as much embroidery aus on your skirt. I’m so impressed!
Another amazing feat!!
Just beautiful – the colors are so rich – and the embroidery, swoon!! A true labor of love. 😉
Ooooooooh. Ms Chanin would be over the moon to see this.
The handmade color scale from denim to teal could not be more perfect. Maybe hand dyeing or color design ends up being your next calling?
When is a tank top not a tank top? Here! This is an elevated essential. It fits and flatters; it’s elegant in a contemporary way. It turns the skirts into a dress silhouette. Separately, as easy as blue jeans to combine with bottoms in rusty oranges; golds; black; ivory; tans; taupes; greys. Maybe even olivey greens. Yum.
The Magdalena skirt is an heirloom. Casually opulent. Perfection. You’ll wear it forever. It would sing worn with a denim jacket, or a black bolero, or an ivory handmade tunic such as ones you’ve already made, or a turquoise silk blouse. (Your Issey Miyake pleated top???)
Blanket stitch on the applique: Did the upholstery thread choice make it bothersome, or was it just the stitch itself? I don’t think you’ll regret the extra work. If you hadn’t secured the raised applique edges this well, pieces might start catching and coming loose. May as well go the distance and make it as durable as you can. I think blanket stitches also became part of the ornamentation.
Long skirt. Now that you mention it, perhaps it would work better on its own as a maxi! The lines, the color and hem detail (which adds a bit of weight and interest) are terrific. But worn as a pair, could it be that the maxi and midi skirts compete against each other? You can pull off any combination, but it’s quite possible that both would show off their best qualities if worn separately.
Oh. Would you like to gild the lily? This tank + the longer skirt +… a Chanin style obi wrap belt. If you can stand to make another stenciled anything. The wear options would be endless. I could even see the tank worn tucked in + Magdalena + obi. Travel wardrobe multiplication magic.
Thank you for another deeply enjoyable project post!
Thank YOU so much sankati for your always thoughtful comments! seriously, are you a stylist? Your suggestions are fabulous, and always get my mind buzzing along again!
The blanket stitch was time consuming while not really bothersome… my previous Alabama Chanin projects I’be just stuck with the simple running stitch embroidery, which moves along quite quickly and it’s quite easy to gauge the stitches to be the same length as each other. With blanket stitch, it just takes that little bit longer to measure up each one to ensure it’s going to be the same length/size as its neighbour, and going to fit in with the size of the motif as well…
I really like upholstery thread for this purpose, it’s tough and smooth and glides through the fabric very easily. Also, it’s the strongest thread in the Gutermann’s range, so a good choice for something like this where simple all-purpose thread would not stand up to the strain of holding the fabric layers together for very long. You don’t want your garment falling apart after the first wash!!
Thank you so very much for your thoughts 🙂
So sorry, I just found your reply! Thanks for your kind words, and your reply to the upholstery thread question.
For me, the best part of knitting and sewing is the process of brainstorming ideas for how to achieve something special. Even a basic piece should have something special about its color, shape, function, interior details, fit. Execution can be tedious, but if the end result satisfies, the effort is part of the satisfaction.
The next best part is being inspired by someone else’s projects. When I see how far you’ve taken your creative ideas and forged them into a body of work (heh) that suits your life and your taste, it makes my head burst with thoughts on how to go even further. So exciting. I thank you for that joyful inspiration.
I’m a (architecture & landscape) painter and textile addict. I care more about color, line, rhythm and proportion than most people can stand to hear about. That’s so funny; stylist would have been the career for me, had it existed in the 80s! Alas I’m an amateur costume and style analyst. With my favorite sewing mate since childhood (mother), I’ve obsessively analyzed how silhouettes have changed over the decades/centuries, and how a properly fit garment can look entirely different on different people. Age, body type, coloring and personality all come into it. Helping friends discover things that suit them is great fun for me.
There’s always more to learn about clothing design. For instance, here’s my current hypothesis on color: sweet color OR sweet cut – never both at once.
Take Cassie’s new grey dress. A flattering, feminine cut. But it could easily veer to Easter-egg-land if it were made in a wispy pastel. Especially on someone less young and lissome. Thanks to the urbane gray print, which grounds the design, the dress has spine and sophistication.
Conversely, the easiest way to wear sublime pastels might be to choose a smart, edgy cut. And to favor tougher accessories in greys, tans or black, instead of white.
Musings over. I’m looking forward to your next pair of shoes!
I was so impressed with all the dying you did to get just the right combination, then onto the embroidery (I’ve done hand embroidery and it takes hours AND hours – a lovely meditative exercise HOWEVER I cannot imagine hand embroidering something to wear! I had my pictures stretched and framed, sealed with glass on the front! THEN I realized you had hand sewn the whole outfit. My goodness what project but the end result is truly couture. Stunning. I love the under-over skirt look. It’s such a beautiful project. Do you plan to wear it someplace very special?
thank you very much Kathleen! Yes, I plan to keep this for special occasions for now 🙂 though probably it’ll become more everyday wear eventually!
This is stunning! The length of the underskirt only adds to the appeal of the whole outfit, in my opinion. You’re my sewing hero;)
aw, thank you so much Ann! 🙂
Sankati summed this up when describing this an an “heirloom”. You create the most incredible pieces – more than just clothes – that are worthy of passing on and being enjoyed by many future generations. Perhaps your creations will end up at the NGV one day?!
thank you so much Helen! 🙂
Truly beautiful. I’ve never seen anything so lovely, and I wouldn’t change the length of the underskirt at all. You wear it so very well. I need a new vocabulary to put this loveliness into words — or, how about: I WANT IT. You’re amazing.
thank you so much Robyn 🙂
Work of art! I like the skirt lengths, seems like good proportions to me. And love the colors!
thank you Noelle! xx:)
I.am.simply.moved.to.tears. You are so beautiful. Your Alabama Chanin creation is stunningly beautiful. Everything is perfection from the colors you dyed and chose to use, thread color, the stitching, the ensemble look….. perfect. What struck me in your photos, was how the light plays off the colors in a ‘casually opulent’ way, using sankati’s words there. Your being at your mom and dad’s, the kangaroos, barefeet and all the effort you put into the photo shoot just adds to the garment’s story. I love the long skirt underneath. There’s a photo in the book I’ve always liked and it’s a similar style.
Your beautiful garment now has its own story to tell and has taken on a life of its own forevermore. You are a sweet, dear lady I am so privileged to call my friend.
aw, thank you so very much Lisa! You are so sweet, and I’m so pleased you like the outcome as much as I do! And I’m really looking forward to seeing your own creation very soon too! 😉
It looks great! I love the colors. You’ve now inspired me to pick up my Alabama Chanin mid-length skirt which has been sitting there neglected for about 4 months, a third of the way done. 🙂
thank you Val! yes, it’s very very tempting to lay it aside, I get that! but it will be worth it when you finish it! 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous! Definitely inspiration for trying my hand at this sort of thing, but… for now it’s enough to just admire your amazing work.
thank you very much Irene! 🙂
I’m so pleased you included the bushland pictures as the colours of the outfit really come to life in the late afternoon sun. The colour combination is beautiful and the sewing is perfect. I love the long skirt. Actually I love it all. Gorgeous!
Beautiful! The underskirt isn’t too long, everything about this ensemble is perfect.
wow, this is really beautiful.
Your makes have to be the most creative stunning and individual that I have seen for a while.
really inspiring, well done!
aw thank you so very much Charlotte! that’s so sweet of you to say 🙂
If you are comfortable in it, it is the right length.
The garage shots definitely do your outfit justice. Your description of your photo antics made me laugh because Easter weekend saw me turning myself into a contortionist in the front seat of the car to get my blog photos. The things we do!
I love the colour of your outfit. It must have been quite the marathon effort all of that hand sewing.
its stunning. Well done on sticking with it. I made 2 long sleeve hand-sewn tees some time back intending to someday try a skirt… and I may yet. I love the layered look and I think if the underskirt was shorter it would take from the full-on layered look but its really up to you. you wear it so well. love those shades
thanks so much eimear! I’ve decided I like the skirt the way it is too, so it’s staying 🙂
The ensemble is absolutely lovely. You continually amaze me. 🙂
thank you so much Kay xx 🙂
I’m so impressed with how much effort you put into this outfit! It really looks lovely and everything matches so nicely together!I cannot believe you sewed all of that by hand! Absolutely inspiring your outfit! And I liked the different photos as well, the mix of details pictures and beautiful pictures of you wearing the outfit are in a perfect balance.
A thing of beauty. Bravo.
thank you 🙂
Wow! This is absolutely gorgeous! I really amazed with your hand embroidery, beautiful in every details 🙂
You are so talented and this outfit is just one example of your skills and exceptional patience and attention to detail. Enjoy!
Gorgeous work of art, love the colour combinations and your hand embroidery is perfect.
Very impressive Carolyn. I love this look but don’t think I have the patience for it at the moment.
thank you Gail! It does take that, for sure 😉
A wearable work of art. Absolutely stunning and an outfit you should be very proud of.
Love this outfit – it’s beautiful. I like the over & under skirt look; I think it’s only too long if it trails when you walk.
thanks Norma! I’ve decided I like the skirt long too, so it’s staying. 🙂
Wow, what a lot of work and so nicely done! The whole outfit looks great together and I bet you’ll get plenty of wear out of the pieces separately too. I did a small cushion cover for my mum AC-style with the blanket stitch appliqué and that seemed like a lot at the time!
thank you so much Nina! Yes, once you’ve done some Alabama Chanin yourself, that’s when you really appreciate those pieces for what they are 🙂
perfection! the colors and the stitching are so lovely and i agree with everyone else who says the skirts look just right together… a truly exquisite outfit! cheers!
Very beautiful. love your subtle colours and the blanket stitch. The ruched edge is also very cool. I think the skirts is the right length, but like you say, the pieces are easy to mix and match for different looks, including the shorter skirt on its own.
i love !!!! It’s just beautiful !
thank you so much Liochka! xx:)
So beautiful! The underskirt is dramatic and lovely as is, and perfect for special occasion wear! If you are planning more day-to-day wear, the practical person in me would shorten the back just a bit to keep it from dragging and wearing out. I say this mainly because I am waaaay too impatient to ever make something this intricate and precious, and if I had, I couldn’t bear to let it wear out before I had taken every BIT of enjoyment from it. As always – beautiful all around – beautiful craft, beautiful design, beautiful results!
thank you so much Kris! I’ve decided I like the length, so it’s staying… I’ll probably wear it with a heel for now, so there’s less chance of drag. 😉
That must have taken an insane amount of patience! Even the dyeing experiments. But it turned out perfect.
My goodness, is the underskirt too long? Hahaha. Non! You can’t improve on perfection. Of course it’s your decision but I don’t know how you could improve this in any way. All hand-stitched? I need to take a trip so I can do some sewing! Hahaha. Truly, exquisite work, divine work.
Such a wonderful ensemble. I love the length of the skirt – it gives it a real flourish. The whole thing is jawdroppingly beautiful and once again, I am in awe!!
I just stared and stared at that photo of you from the back in your garage. It’s what I think Cinderella’s ball gown should look like, but far more comfortable. It’s glorious. Absolutely a work of art. Well done. I love the length, but if it gets underfoot, that can be irritating. I want you to do these every day, they are so pleasurable for me to see. Your colors are perfect. As always, I’m inspired to try something you make look so effortless.
Aw thank you so very much Juliann, that’s so very sweet of you to say xx 🙂
Your creations always amaze me. I first discovered Alabama Chanin when Natalie first opened her business in Florence and I was there with a group of friends. I haven’t visited again, but should you ever find you way to the states, please know you are welcome to stay in my home and I will gladly accompany you to her business in my home state of Alabama. It’s about a three hour drive. Of course we will have to drop by Ken’s Sewing Center in Florence, Alabama, a large eBay machine and notions seller to see what deals he has while we are in the area. Amazing work, Carolyn!
So beautiful! You did a great work of art. I love the lenghth and the colours. You are inspiring me, thank you for sharing your experience.
Looking beautiful! The colours are just perfect. 🙂
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This is so beautiful! I don’t think the underskirt is too long, it looks like the one shown in the books.
Is the underskirt a single layer? And if so, does it cling if you wear it on its own? If not, are four layers bulky?
I’m just beginning my AC journey and love what you have made. Thanks for the inspiration.
The underskirt is a single layer, and I’ve never actually worn it on its own, only layered with this overskirt. The two skirts tend to cling to each other while I’m wearing them. And the overskirt isn’t actually double layered, it too is a single layer skirt, with appliquéd sections on it. Thank you for your comment! and good luck with your own AC journey 🙂