Sweet Summer Sewing: Shannon Fabrics + Aurifil with Faith Essenburg

Welcome back to our blog series featuring Shannon Fabrics + Aurifil! We are featuring projects handcrafted by both Aurifil Artisans and Shannon Fabrics Ambassadors using Embrace® Double Gauze, Cuddle® Minky, and Aurifil 40wt thread! Today we are thrilled to feature another one of our treasured Aurifil Artisans, Faith Essenburg. Faith has impeccable style, is super creative, and we absolutely love her gorgeous photography. Today, she’ll be sharing 2 projects – 1 featuring Embrace® AND 1 featuring Cuddle®. Of course it all comes together with some of Faith’s favorite Aurifil 40wt threads!

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Hi there, my name is Faith Essenburg and I’ve been sewing for five years. My very first sewing project was a baby blanket and crib sheet sewn up with Cuddle® fabric and my second sewing projects were two “bedspreads” also made out of dimple Cuddle® fabric for my big boys beds. As a self taught sewer I had literally NO idea what I was doing, and there were a few lumps and bumps in my projects. But, five years later they are still in daily use. Years later when I found out that many sewists are nervous to work with Cuddle® fabrics, I thought to myself ‘if I can do it ANYONE can’!

I jumped at the chance to work with Shannon Fabrics in hopes of encouraging others in this seemingly scary fabric. And of course, since my first go with basic Cuddle® went so well I figured a whopping 72 x 72 quilt was a good idea! Turns out it actually was!

I chose one of my fabric bundles that had been waiting for just the right project and decided on my friend Kristin’s new quilt pattern, Floored. Shannon Cuddle® fabric feels so luxurious and somehow both heavy and light at the same time. I decided to skip batting and just go with the quilt top and backing, giving it a wonderful drapey feel.

I was pretty nervous to actually quilt it so I went with a simple plaid design using Aurifil #4668 in 40wt. The variegated reds give it a Christmasy look that I just love. I kept my stitch length longer at 3.0 and did some serious spray basting. No bumps or lumps in this quilt and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome! I am now dreaming up all the Cuddle® projects with Shannon Fabrics (seriously, SO luxurious!).

This quilt is all ready for Christmas and the colder weather but I don’t think my boys are going to let me put it away till then, it’s already being snuggled with!

I also gave Shannon Fabrics Embrace® a try. I had seen the swaddle fabrics at local stores but they always seemed to be very thin. When my order came and I felt how nice the Shannon Fabrics Embrace® is, I almost skipped my baby quilt idea to make myself an infinity scarf instead! It wasn’t like I had imagined, rather much more thick and soft with greater structure than what I had previously seen.

Since I wanted a baby quilt rather than a blanket, I chose to add batting. I was sure my insanity levels would be off the charts when I started the process of quilting on Embrace® fabrics! But, I held my breath, used a longer stitch length, and just kept going. To my surprise it quilted up like a dream! I am loving the little wavy lines and can’t wait to see it all washed up and crinkly!

The pale silver Aurifil #2600 in 40wt is just dreamy on both the front and back of this quilt. I went with a wrap around binding so the edges of the quilt are also soft, just waiting on a new baby.

I hope this will encourage you to try some new fabrics, whether it be Embrace®, Cuddle® or any of the other amazing products that Shannon Fabrics has to offer. And of course no project is complete without my trusty (and gorgeous) Aurifil Threads!

I’m off to scope out an Embrace®-able Infinity scarf idea for Fall 😉

— Faith Essenburg

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A million thank yous to Faith for giving both the Cuddle® and the Embrace® a try and for sharing such gorgeous projects!

Don’t forget to pop over to the Shannon Fabrics blog next week to get a peek at 2 brand new projects by Shannon Fabrics Ambassador Pamela O’Neill & Colleen Bell!

SCHEDULE
August 10 – Intro
August 15 – Aurifil, Hilary Jordan (By Hilary Jordan & Aurifil Social Media Coordinator)
August 17 – Shannon Fabrics, Jayme Christensen (@findingsweetland)
August 22 – Aurifil, Amista Baker (Hilltop Custom Designs)
August 24 – Aurifil, Faith Essenburg (Sarana Ave)
August 29 – Shannon Fabrics, Pamela O’Neill (@pamelaon)
August 31 – Shannon Fabrics, Colleen Bell (The Embroiderist)

ABOUT FAITH
Website — Etsy — Instagram

Faith Essenburg is a maker, stitcher, quilter and sometimes blogger. She has three boys and just moved to a small town where she hopes to spend her days sewing, cooking, and gardening. Faith has been sewing for five years now, trying everything from EPP, embroidery, free motion quilting, and even bra making.