Dovetails and Stitches

10/05/2026

Some furniture is worth restoring because of what it is. Some is worth restoring because of what it means.

This canopy bed was not an antique, but it had real sentimental value to its owner. So instead of replacing it, we restored it.
Furniture restoration often means working with what is already there: old joinery, worn finishes, damaged surfaces, missing or loose parts, and years of use. The goal is not always to make a piece look brand new. It is to make it sound, usable, and worth keeping.

We do restoration and repair work on both newer heirloom pieces and antique furniture, depending on the project.

This one went back home with the history intact and a lot more life ahead of it.

Made by Hand. Built to Matter.

For a piece with history, age, or simply too much meaning to replace, contact the studio.

09/27/2026

Before East of the Sun becomes a menorah.

Asha cutting the curve that gives this piece its shape.

Every handmade menorah we make begins as hardwood in the studio, then slowly becomes something more refined. The curve, the proportions, the joinery, the finish, the brass or nickel details. None of it happens all at once.

This is part of the work behind East of the Sun, one of our modern wooden menorahs, made one at a time in our Birmingham, Alabama studio.

Made by Hand. Built to Matter.

https://dovetailsandstitches.com/products/modern-handmade-menorah-east-of-the-sun

09/17/2026

Fire and Rain. A custom quarter-sawn white oak fireplace surround, built one at a time.

As the weather starts to turn, people begin thinking about the rooms they gather in most. For a lot of homes, that means the fireplace.

Fire and Rain is our custom quarter-sawn white oak fireplace surround, made to order in our Birmingham, Alabama studio. We build each one for a specific firebox, wall, and room, with clean lines, solid hardwood, and proportions that feel at home in the space.

Quarter-sawn white oak gives the piece its character. The grain, the medullary rays, and the depth of the wood do most of the talking. Up close, those details are what make the surround feel warm, grounded, and built to last.

From the full room view to the close details, this is the kind of work we love most: practical, lasting, and made to belong.

If a custom fireplace surround or wood mantel is on your mind for fall or winter, now is a good time to start the conversation.

Made by Hand. Built to Matter.

https://dovetailsandstitches.com/products/custom-fireplace-surround-quarter-sawn-white-oak-made-to-order

09/13/2026

We’ve been doing a little building outside the studio, too.

Over the past few months, we’ve been spending a lot of time on DovetailsandStitches.com.

Some pages have changed quite a bit. Others are still on the list.

The goal is simple: make the site feel more like the studio itself. More of the work. More of the story behind it. A clearer look at what we make, how we make it, and what happens when someone comes to us with an idea of their own.

It’s still a work in progress.

But if you haven’t stopped by in a while, take another look.

https://dovetailsandstitches.com/

Made by Hand. Built to Matter.

Would love your feedback and suggestions.

09/08/2026

The Look of Love.

A little mid-century shape. A little walnut. And a much better place to keep the knives you actually use.

Asha wanted this one to feel more like something you’d hang on the wall because you love it, not because you needed somewhere to put the chef’s knife.

Handmade one at a time in our Birmingham, Alabama studio. https://dovetailsandstitches.com/products/mid-century-magnetic-knife-rack-the-look-of-love

08/09/2026

From a piece of solid black walnut to an East of the Sun menorah.

Every East of the Sun begins with an 18 × 4 × 2-inch hardwood blank. Asha sands the wood before cutting and refining the curved profile, fitting each candle cup and finishing the piece by hand.

The finished Hanukkah menorah has eight aligned candle positions with the shamash raised above them. We keep the form simple so the curve and the natural grain of the walnut can do most of the work.

Every East of the Sun menorah is made individually by Dovetails & Stitches. Even when we repeat the design, the wood makes each one different.

https://dovetailsandstitches.com/products/modern-handmade-menorah-east-of-the-sun

08/06/2026

This is how we build our Gimme Shelter solid walnut magnetic knife rack.

Each rack begins with a carefully selected piece of solid hardwood. On the back, we create seven separate pockets for seven rare-earth magnets. Each magnet is installed individually to create a defined holding position for one kitchen knife.

The magnets remain hidden inside the wood, so your knives rest against walnut rather than an exposed metal. It is easier on your knives and a lot prettier to look at.

Gimme Shelter is a 24-inch wall-mounted knife rack designed to hold up to seven kitchen knives. Each one is made individually in our workshop and mounts with four brass screws and brass finishing washers.

https://dovetailsandstitches.com/products/gimme-shelter-magnetic-knife-rack

07/17/2026

A new delivery of rough-sawn walnut has arrived at the workshop, and over the next few weeks these boards will be cut, shaped, sanded, and finished into this year’s handcrafted menorahs.

We make only a limited number each season. Each one is built in our small workshop from solid hardwood, with the grain and character of the board helping determine the finished piece.

This is one of our favorite times of the year: starting with raw material and turning it into something that may become part of a family’s Hanukkah tradition for years to come.

We’ll be sharing the process as the first pieces begin to take shape.

Follow along for this year’s limited menorah collection.

Shop handmade menorahs crafted from solid hardwoods, modern, heirloom-quality designs made one at a time for Hanukkah and year-round display.

03/09/2026

There’s a moment in the shop I never get tired of.

It’s when the finish begins to come alive.

In this case, I’m wet sanding at 600 grit, using a blend of natural orange oil and beeswax as the lubricant while the surface is worked smooth.

The desk slowly starts to glow as the grain of the cherry comes forward.

It’s not a fast process.

But good furniture was never meant to be rushed.

This is the Ania desk in solid cherry.

Heirloom-quality custom wood furniture handcrafted by 4th- and 5th-generation artisans at Dovetails and Stitches. Unique designs and timeless craftsmanship—made just for you.

02/19/2026

We’ve built a lot of cutting boards over the years.

Most of them are still in the kitchens they were made for.

If you want yours to age that way too, here’s how to care for it.

https://dovetailsandstitches.com/blogs/journal/how-to-care-for-a-wooden-cutting-board

A furniture maker explains how to care for a wooden cutting board. Prevent cracking, warping, and mold with proper cleaning and conditioning.