Sew Cuddly Book Blog Hop: Shannon Fabrics + Rachel Ring

Hi, it’s Rachel here on day 8 of the Sew Cuddly blog hop. I’m one of the Shannon Fabrics Brand Ambassadors, and I’m really excited to share these projects with you. Judy Gauthier, one of my co-Ambassadors, recently published the book Sew Cuddly - I purchased it immediately when it released and knew I’d use many of the patterns included. Some of the smaller projects would even be great to sew with my kids, not just for them!

I eagerly sewed up the reading pillow for my 9-year-old daughter, who LOVES it. It was an easy and satisfying sew, and didn’t take long to complete. The pattern calls for 1.5 yards of your favorite Shannon Fabrics Cuddle® (Miss P picked the Luxe Cuddle® Galaxy in Blush) and I found that I had enough left over for a bonus project. I decided to sew a quick 16” square throw pillow to go with the reading pillow, and have written a quick and easy 10-step tutorial for that to share with you today!

The following list are the supplies that you will need for the reading pillow - if you’d like to make the throw pillow as well, you’ll need a pillow form (I used this one from our vendor partner Fairfield) and a non-separating zipper (I used a 14” nylon zipper, but 10-12” would work for this size as well).

Supplies:
Sew Cuddly book by Judy Gauthier
Luxe Cuddle® fabric of your choice, 1.5 yards
Supplies listed in the pattern
Sewing Machine with a walking foot
SCHMETZ Size 90 Jersey or Stretch Needle
So Fine! Polyester Thread by Superior Threads
Seam ripper (I use this one from KAI Scissors)

I found Judy’s directions for the reading pillow straightforward and easy to follow. I used Clover Wonder Clips® instead of pins, but clipped about every 2 inches to ensure that the fabric didn’t slip as I was sewing. It stayed in place really nicely, even around the pivot points that form the bottom back corners. I sewed the pattern exactly as drafted, and the finished size is great for my kids but still plenty big enough for an adult. It does use a LOT of stuffing to get a nice firm result, so stock up on that for sure! I used the Original Poly-Fil® from Fairfield and it worked perfectly for this. My son is not-so-patiently waiting for me to sew one for him!

Now, onto the throw pillow. The following photos outline the process step-by-step, it’s a great beginner zipper project even if you’ve never sewn one before. And the nice lush pile of the Luxe Cuddle® really hides the stitches so don’t worry if it’s not perfect! I used heat transfer vinyl (cut on my Silhouette Cameo machine) to embellish the pillow - I recommend doing any embellishment before you assemble your cover. Once you’re ready to begin, gather your supplies and follow these 10 easy steps:

Hope you found this as much fun as I did - it was a great afternoon project and I know both pillows will get a lot of use in my house. We’re all avid readers, and it makes me happy to sew things that I know the kids will love when they’re curled up with a good book!

*If you make something from this book be sure to tag #SewCuddlySewAlong. And, don't forget to subscribe to the Shannon Fabrics blog to see more of the projects from this book. To see other projects I’ve made, please follow me on Instagram @handcraftedbyred.

Ask for Shannon Fabrics Cuddle® fabric and Sew Cuddly at your favorite quilt shop! Or, click here for the Shannon Fabrics Store Locator. To purchase the book from the author visit her Etsy shop.

Until next time,
Rachel Ring

Don’t forget to check out the other posts in this blog hop!