Seamstress, designer, and author Natalie Chanin is something of a virago — and I mean that in the most positive sense of the word. Indeed, she is a woman to be reckoned with. With her newest venture, the Alabama Stitch Book ($35) she takes you further into her world, sharing stories of cotton production, growing up in rural Alabama, and the family tradition of embroidery. Of course, Natalie's take on embroidery is decidedly modern. Whether she's showing her readers how to create a cotton jersey layered corset shirt or instructing them on how to embroider a postcard, the book's tone is always personable, knowledgeable, and approachable. I read the whole book in one sitting, and then immediately started listing projects to start in on, since there are numerous patterns and instructions included in Alabama Stitch. You can buy the book here, and I highly recommend you do. It's been one of the most delightful reads to cross my desk in quite some time.