Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Introducing Michael Miller Fabrics Brand Ambassador - Stephanie Cunnyngham !


We are so pleased to introduce Stephanie Cunnyngham as our fourth Michael Miller Fabrics Brand Ambassador! 

Stephanie has a contagious enthusiasm for sewing and quilting. We love her whimsical aesthetic.


Hello! My name is Stephanie Cunnyngham, and I am a wife, boy-mom, and farmhouse-dwelling girl who loves sewing and living in the country. I grew up in rural Indiana and have lived here all my life. I married a handsome man I met at a Civil War reenactment, and we have two very handsome, energetic, and fun-loving little boys.



I guess you can say I have always loved being creative. My mom and I would spend Saturdays painting or sewing when I still lived at home. My granny lived two miles down the road, and she was an avid quilter that was always sewing something at her kitchen table or making quilts to sell. I would go visit her and she would try to teach me to hand-quilt or crochet, but she was left-handed and I was young, so we would get frustrated with the sewing quickly and decide we would rather just spend our time together talking and eating pie. I carried my love for art and creativity to college with me, and my first college degree is in Art History from DePauw University. I loved taking art classes in college and learning about composition, layers, and working with different methods or creating. When I got married and moved away from home, my mom bought me my first sewing machine, a white machine with purple accents by Kenmore from Sears. I made curtains for our apartment and aprons to sell at markets and fairs.

Right now, I really enjoy all things quilting, and I have published a couple of mini quilt patterns that I sell through my etsy shop, and I have had had two patterns published in Homespun Magazine. Pattern design is definitely something I would like to continue to develop.


       My first major sewing project that I made by myself was a reproduction ball gown to wear to a fundraiser for a historical society I volunteer at. It involved layers of taffeta, organza, and lots of trim.


My first quilt was made from the scraps leftover from all the cotton aprons I was making. I used very fluffy batting and hand quilted it. It was a learning project, that’s for sure.


2. Other hobbies I enjoy are antique shopping, gardening, and decorating (and re-decorating) my house. I also love planning vacations, some of which we actually take!

3. My favorite color sometimes changes with the season, but one color I love in almost all shades is green. Jadeite green, mint green, grass green. You will find those colors pretty much all over my house. I also love rich purples, and I am starting to develop a love for yellow.

4. As far as a dream vacation, I’d have to say anywhere with mountains.

5. My granny tried to teach me to sew, but it was really my mom who taught me techniques and how to use a sewing machine. She is fantastic as sewing clothes and made my wedding dress. As far as most of my quilting knowledge and techniques I have learned, I am mostly self taught. My favorite things to make are small quilted projects like bags/pouches, mini quilts, and pillows.

    

6. Oh, how I love food. If I could only pick three things to eat if I was stranded on a desert island, they would be strawberries, chocolate chip cookies, and bacon. But mostly bacon…

7. I also have a Master’s Degree in Nursing, and I currently work as a consultant for two different hospitals. Over the last few years, though, I have started spending more time at home and less time at work so I can focus on enjoying my boys and on turning my sewing hobby into more than just a hobby. In 5 years, I would love to see myself focusing just on sewing, pattern writing, and possibly even fabric design.

Thank you so much Stephanie!

Be sure to follow Stephanie at  :
Instagram : @sissybellesews

1 comment:

Nathalie V said...

Your ball gown is impressive!