I vividly recall the day nearly three years ago that Natalie Chanin, author of Alabama Stitch Book: Projects and Stories Celebrating Hand-Sewing, Quilting, and Embroidery for Contemporary Sustainable Style and founder and head designer of Alabama Chanin, came to my office to discuss her book proposal. I think we became friends in the first five minutes. Click here to read a recent Q&A with her about her commitment to sustainable design, her motivation for writing her book, and her decision to return to her hometown of Florence, Alabama, after living around the world. Click here to see a selection of projects from her book.