Aurifil is pleased to introduce Foxglove by Aneela Hoey. This stunning collection features a mix of 50wt, 28wt, and 12wt threads in a darling array of colors. It was created to coordinate with her second collection for Cloud9 Fabrics. Foxglove is inspired by the English countryside and some of the striking wild flowers – foxgloves, cowslips and primroses – that grow there in abundance. We get a little giddy thinking about the wonderful things we could create with these beauties and hope that this post leaves you feeling inspired to create something of your own.
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Foxglove
100% Aurifil Cotton, 12 Large Spools
Colors included:
2785 – 2277 – 6730 – 2021 (50 WT)
2420 – 2830 – 1133 – 6730 (28 WT)
1133 – 2830 – 2420 – 2277 (12 WT)
To view this info on our website, click here. For purchasing, please contact your local Aurifil Dealer.
THE INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into this wonderful world of textiles?
I studied printed textile design at Winchester School of Art. When I finished my degree I worked in a couple of different studios and also freelance. In those days, I created actual artwork using paint, ink and collage. Whilst taking a few years out to have my children, I picked up a some hobbies including quilting and through this found myself falling in love with fabric and design all over again. I decided to try creating some new designs and had them printed digitally using Spoonflower. I put some up for sale in my small etsy shop and they sold super fast. I had more printed up but couldn’t keep up with demand so I decided to approach a fabric company. I emailed Moda one day in early 2010 and they decided to take me on as a new designer. It was a steep learning curve, I’d decided to try creating my designs digitally but had no clue how to use illustrator. I taught myself and learned as I designed my first line ‘Sherbet Pips’. It took me two weeks to design and I still have no idea how I managed to get from zero experience to that in such a short time.
What inspired Foxglove, both in terms of color and pattern?
The initial idea behind Foxglove was to get more of the flowers I loved onto quilting fabric. A lot of the time fabric flowers tend to be the same old roses or chrysanthemums. I wanted something unusual but beautiful so I looked at drawings I’ve done over the years of flowers like foxgloves, cowslips, dianthus and so on. I knew that I wanted them to look very clean and graphic not painterly or overdone and also that movement was very important. I drew up my designs digitally in illustrator making sure that there was plenty of movement and also incorporating light/shade and colour. It’s kind of an odd process because I feel like I am making up this picture in my head then trying to create that picture digitally. One day I was doing some housework and thinking about where else I could take the designs. I suddenly had this brainwave to throw some foxes in there dashing through the foxgloves. I had that mental image in my head, so all I had to do was to recreate it. Initially there were a lot more colours in the designs but this wasn’t making the patterns work well as a group. The combination of colours used in the Fox In The Foxgloves print were some of the strongest so we started to narrow the colours down to those and that helped things click into place.
I know that this is your second collection with Cloud9. How did you first connect with them and what was the fabric design process like for you?
A couple of years ago my friend Pennie and I went to a talk given by Gina Pantastico of Cloud 9 on the subject of organic fabric at The Village Haberdashery in London. What I loved most about Gina’s talk was that she was highly informative and passionate about her subject but never preachy. I had been working on some new designs and a few months later submitted them to Cloud 9 through their online site to see if they would be interested in us working together. They liked what I sent in and we began developing the collection a little. In some patterns we altered the layout, in others we played around with scale and so on. I love working with Michelle (the design director). I always feel like she helps me move my design thinking forward whilst retaining my original vision for my design work.
How did you work through selecting colors for your coordinating thread collection?
I took it very seriously indeed as only a thread and fabric loving girl can! I set up my Aurifil color card, my Foxglove strike offs and my various spools of Aurifil thread and floss. I spent a lot of time thinking which colours and threads would work for different sewing situations – piecing or quilting a quilt, making a bag, sewing up a dress. I thought about topstitching and hand quilting too. I knew that I wanted a variety of different thread weights included and spent a lot of time draping threads across the fabrics to see which colours would work best across all these scenarios. The thread box is basically a box of answers to all these questions! Plus it looks kind of pretty too.
Do you have a favorite Aurifil thread color/weight?
I love everything Aurifil but if I had to narrow down to just one it would be the light pink 2420 in the 28 wt. This colour is super pretty and blends or contrasts well with a large number of colours so it works really well when quilting a top pieced from different fabrics. The 28wt is that little bit thicker so creates a really strong seam, excellent for when making bags and pouches and also gives a beautiful finish when topstitching. A great all rounder.
You just finished a fantastic collection showcase over on your blog. What was it like to work with such a wonderful collection of designers, all eager to create with your fabrics?
All the makers featured in the showcase were people I’ve been following for a while. In many cases they’ve made something from my fabric or patterns at some point or something else which has caught my attention. They are all artists who always know instinctively how to use a particular fabric or print. They just have that eye and imagination to take the fabric somewhere else altogether. I’m so grateful for getting the chance to collaborate with such a talented team, I learned so much myself, things that it would never have occurred to me to try!
[editor note: see below for showcase project gallery]
What is next on your own project list? What can your fans look forward to next?
I’ve been working away on new patterns and designs most of this year, it’s a continuing process. Hopefully things will be finished enough to show very soon.
ANEELA’S FOXGLOVE SHOWCASE
Aneela just finished up a tremendous collection showcase both on her blog and through a group of incredibly talented designers. Aneela’s posts are listed below for easy reference. Click through for free projects and added insight into the inspiration behind Foxglove. See below for a gallery of additional projects.
5/26: Foxglove Thread Set
5/30: Foxglove Showcase
5/31: Cowslips
6/1: Foxgloves and Foxes
6/2: Stem Dot
6/4: Evening Primrose
6/6: Foxglove Nesting Boxes
6/7: Flutter
6/8: Foxglove Colourways
6/9: Foxglove Selvedge
6/10: Foxglove Showcase Gallery
GALLERY
THE GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win, click here to head to the Rafflecopter entry page, or simply click on the image above. You do not have to complete all the options to be entered but the more options you choose, the more entries you have! Entries will be accepted from now through 11:59pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, June 21! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Wednesday, June 22. Good luck!
UPDATE (6/23): This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, Chiska!!
ABOUT ANEELA
Website — Instagram — Twitter — Pinterest
Aneela Hoey is a textile designer and pattern writer. She designs fabric lines with Cloud 9 fabrics and also previously designed for Moda Fabrics. Her sewing and embroidery patterns are available in her online shop whilst her embroidery book Little Stitches (published by Stash Books) is widely available in Bookshops.
** Images by Aneela Hoey & Showcase Designers (as listed)
I would ove to make a zigzag quilt and some pouches! Such a beautiful line!
I would make a cute apron.
What an adorable summer dress this would make for my little granddaughter with matching throw! Foxglove is just so pretty!! Thanks so much for the chance to win 🙂
Debby E
samtaylorcjsmimi at yahoo dot ocm
I’d love to make that triple dresden pillow in Foxglove. crystalbluern at tds dot net
Love the colors
Love the fabrics and the really great job of selecting just the right threads.
I love to make that little mini-quilt with the butterflies. It would look great on the wall in my sewing room.
What a great line -I’d love to make a picnic quilt!
These fabrics would make an awesome pillow or two.
My current fav colors – beautiful. I see a small quilt
I think this fabric would work wonderfully with Jacquelynne Steves BOM.
Love love love the colors in the fabric and thread collections! and I’m working on quilts for my grandkids, so this would be perfect. 🙂 Thanks for the chance ~ fingers crossed!!
The hexie pillow is what I am inspired to make!
I think they would be pretty in a dresdan quilt.
I would love to make a mini quilt with the Foxglove collection.
I’ve had my eye on the All in One Box pouch for a while. I could sew it with this gorgeous collection. Thank you, peterstankovich@comcast.net
I would love to make a quilt with a ‘scrappy’ tone. I’m loving the ‘Glitter’ (Jen Kingwell pattern) quilt made from this line. It’s just gorgeous! The color range in this fabric line is absolutely lovely.
These colours and patterns are awesome, what a wonderful cmbination with the Aurifil threads! Wow!
The color palette of Foxglove remind me of fall, so I would create some fall decor items, such as a table runner, placemats, and perhaps a pillow!
i would use it for the nursery for my soon to be new grandson.
My dear friend loves foxes, so I’d make her a lap quilt. I’d also love to try all those beautiful aurifil threads for the quilting.
I don’t have an idea for how to use those lovely fabrics. Perhaps just pet them for a while first.
I’m inspired to make an adorable baby quilt with this gorgeous fabric and thread! I seriously love it all!
What wonderful fabrics and thread, I would make a quilt for one of my siblings.
Hi, love to make a Baby Charity Quilt+ maybe a Mini Quilt for me! Thanks for sharing!
I would make a table runner for my bedroom, the colors are right.
I would make some new pillow covers for my mom
I would like to make some pouches or totes.
I would make a quilt for our baby due in December. Love this fabric collection x
I’m in love with this color combination and the flowers! I would make a quilt–hmm maybe a baby quilt of a bear from Tartan Kiwi’s pattern.
Too beautiful to choose what! I just might sit and pet it for a while until the perfect thing comes along!
I would love to make some cute zippy bags! thanks!
I love these fabrics from Aneela – I would make a quilt to show off all of those gorgeous prints ! thanks for the giveaway 🙂
I *love* that scrappy toddler quilt that Stacy Olson shared on her blog. I would try to make something like that.
I would make a sun dress for my little granddaughter.
I think my niece would love a quilt made out of these. She graduates from college next year, so I had better get a quilt started if I want to get it done in time! 🙂
I’m a quilter, so quilts are at the top of my list, but I have been embroidering for decades. I see myself using scraps from a quilt to English Paper Piece and perhaps also adding some embellishment embroidery to some larger pieces of fabric.
Oooh what a great giveaway I’m all about mini quilts so I love the flutter mini downloading the pattern right now
I get a bit of native feel and modern Dresden so I guess maybe a Dresden plate quilt.
Love the collection — I even have foxgloves growing in my garden. Many ideas come to mind
for using the beautiful fabrics.
I love the colors and the dainty flowers. I would love to make quilts, pillows, bags and pouches with her designs. Beautiful! Thanks so much!
tdkcarpenoctem@hotmail.com
I would make a cute quilt for my granddaughters to snuggle under when they visit.
There is one block in particular that I like from the Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Winter 2015 that I’d like to make with this fabric collection. I would make about 20 of those blocks and have a great quilt!
I’m intrigued by the pillows so new pillows I Foxglove would be Marvelous!
Adorable, I would love the make the modern hexie pillow. Thanks!
It would be really fun to make a bag with this!
I’d like to make some pillows!
I’d like to make a wall hanging for my entry way.
The casserole carrier is too cool. I love the long handles and the multiple prints used in the body too.
Neat collection!
I’d like to make some smaller projects (both for myself and as gifts) and play with using the various threads to see their effects with both hand and machine work. I love the range from delicate to intense colors in this group — I think it’s my favorite so far.
I am crazy for pillows and see several in your write-up that I would love to make.
I would make a pillow using the hexies method above.
I’d love to make a quilt with some coordinating pillows. Maybe a zigzag quilt? Or something with giant half square triangles to show off the fabric
I love the entire fabric collection!!! I would make a quilt.
I’d Loooove to make the Hexie Pillow…and a Throw for our Family Room!! Thank you for chance to win your give-a-way too! 🙂
I would like to make a baby quilt and a few small accessories.
These are colours that I love, so I would like to make a lap quilt.
I would like to make a lovely table runner.
Your butterfly quilt is wonderful. I love the orange with grey background. I don’t know what pattern I would use but for sure I would make a quilt. Maybe a butterfly-Drunkard’s Path block. I would give it some thought.
Cute collection. I would make a quilt for my newest great-niece, and matching dresses for her and her big sister. They would love it!
Beautiful line! I’d love to make some fabric baskets
I would make some hexie pillows. Beautiful colors! Thank you for the chance to win!
The colors are gorgeous might be just the thing for a hexagon project, thank you for the chance to win !
I love the prints and colors of your collection. Thank you.
I’d love to make an floral applique wall quilt for my dining room.
I would like to make a mini quilt, something I could hang up and see every day because I love these designs!
A quilt for my grandson’s new bedroom. Thank you.
Beautiful fabric & beautiful thread–what’s not to like!
Beautiful collection!
I would LOVE to make a braided quilt! Thank you for the chance to win!
Inspired to make a quilt.
Love your fabrics and color combinations
I would love to make a quilt for my daughter’s bedroom!
I think I’d make a bag–intrigued by the idea of top stitching with the thicker thread!
Love to make the quilt you have shown.
I would make a quilt or a childs wall hanging
This collection is so beautiful! I would love to make some new pillow covers with it. Thanks!
I would make a mini quilt or wall hanging. Or maybe a pillow cover. Or maybe something for the kitchen. Hmm. 🙂
I am inspired to make something that reminds me of the sunset.
I would love to make a lap sized quilt with this lovely line. Thank you for the introduction.
I would like to make a patchwork pillow so I can use all of the different colors and weights of threads.
I love this fabric! I would love to make some patches or one of those pillows!
I need some kitchen accessories, like place mats, tea towels, and a teapot cozy, this line would be perfect!
What a beautiful collection! I would love to use these fabrics in a quilt.
I would make a baby quilt. I love the colors and designs on these fabrics. I really like the butterfly quilt.
I would love to make a modern quilt with these. what great looking fabrics! thanks for the chance
I love the prints and colorway. For starters I think I would make the hexagon pillow. Thanks for the giveaway!
Would definitely have to make a quilt, or 2, or 3 & a pillow or 2, or or 3….beautiful fabrics and colors!
Love the prints and colors of the Foxglove collection. Would love to make fabric boxes to brighten up my sewing room. Thank you for this giveaway opportunity.
small pouches and bags. the teal fabric with the foxes will make a perfect macbook case for me since I love foxes and my hardshell is teal.
Would love to incorporate these into a large quilt I’m piecing!
Beautiful summer fabrics, so many possibilities!
I love making miniquilts! This collection would be great for some fussy cutting and piecing! Thanks for the chance!
I think perhaps some kind of doll or mini quilt. Thank you!
I would make a hexies pillow…want to try this method and this bundle is very beautiful!
Delighted I discovered this website. I wanted to thank for the time it considered you to put this fantastic read together! I certainly enjoyed every bit of it and I have will be back to have a look at more from you in the future.
It’s nice to see small fabric patterns. It’s also lovely how she has darker colors, not just all pastel. Love the little flowers!