More Anniversary Goodness

As mentioned previously, this month is the Magpie Patterns shop one year anniversary and clearly there's nothing to do but celebrate (I love any excuse, really)!

{Knit Booties from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts}

So, I'm giving stuff away. Yay!

{Bunny Wallet from Zakka Sewing}

You may find other Magpie Patterns giveaways scattered around the crafty-web-world, but I'll also be giving away a book every week right here on this little blog until the end of the month to US and Canadian crafty birds.

{Seat Cover from Printing by Hand}

Because really, who couldn't use more craft books in their library?

This week our book is the lovely and very inspiring Alabama Stitch Book.

“Haute homespun out of the Deep South.” That’s how Vogue magazine has described the fashion of Natalie Chanin. Alabama Stitch Book brings us a collection of projects and stories from her clothing and lifestyle company, Alabama Chanin, known for the cutting-edge twist it puts on tried-and-true sewing, quilting, and embroidery techniques, applied mostly by hand to recycled cotton jersey.

This long-awaited book from Chanin begins with her story. After living in New York and Vienna for over 20 years, she began to transform cotton T-shirts into high fashion using the needlework skills she learned as a child in Florence, Alabama. When she moved home, Chanin hired local women (many of whom had worked in the state’s now defunct textile factories) to stitch her couture collections with her.

What follows is a step-by-step guide to the stitching, stenciling, and beading techniques used in the 20 projects showcased in the book: T-shirts, skirts, and corsets that are sold at chic shops around the world, plus a journal cover, sampler quilt, and tablecloth, among others. Also included are a pullout stencil, perforated postcard for bead-embroidery, and reusable patterns. Throughout are Robert Rausch’s beautiful photographs set against the back roads, farms, and homesteads of the rural South.

Ok, so how do you get a copy sent to you? Simple: 

• Sometime between now and tomorrow (October 5) at 10 pm, leave a comment letting me know who your very favorite pattern designer in the shop is. Tough choice I know, so if you can't decide on just one person, it's ok.
• Tweet (or retweet) about the giveaway—with the all important @magpiepatterns mention so that I know to include you in the drawing.
• Or share something from the Magpie Patterns Facebook page with your FB friends (and then send me a note so I know that you did!).

But, I don't want to diss all the amazing and fabulous crafty birds in other parts of the world SO if you don't happen to live in North America, you can do any of the above to win a pdf pattern of your choosing (shipping books beyond this continent can get pricey), which is also a very happy thing if you ask me.


After all the entries are in I'll randomly choose a winner, probably using Rae's toddler method and then contact that person by email, twitter, or Facebook (so be sure to include a method of contact) to get shipping digits.

Here's to free books (and patterns)!