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
Website : https://www.sissybellesews.com/
