Summer Lovin’ is Susan Emory‘s debut Aurifil thread collection. Selected to coordinate with her new fabric collection for Michael Miller Fabrics, the box features a range of 6 colors, 1 each in both 50wt & 12wt, perfect for piecing and hand-stitching. Bold & bright, these collections are sure to inspire some fabulous Summer sewing!
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Summer Lovin’
100% Aurifil Cotton, 12 Large Spools
Colors included:
1135 – 1320 – 2250 – 2730 – 2860 – 5004 (50 WT)
1135 – 1320 – 2250 – 2730 – 2860 – 5004 (12 WT)
To view this info on our website, click here. For purchasing, please contact your local Aurifil Dealer.
THE INTERVIEW
As a fifth generation quilter, who was it that first taught you how to sew?
I learned from both my mother and grandmother. They were both so proficient that they made it look easy so I was never intimidated.
What was the first item that you made completely on your own and what did you love most about it?
Oh gosh, I’m not sure. About 20 years ago, I made a king-size bargello quilt that was way above my skill level – and I survived! LOL
Who has been your biggest creative influence?
I’m not sure of a single person who has been my biggest influence, but I find creative inspiration in everything. I look at everything from quilts to logos to menus and consider what I would do to put my own spin on it. I’m very inspired by the emotions and lyrics in music (I may still be living in the 80’s).
What inspired your very first pattern?
Necessity. I owned a quilt shop and needed to find ways to sell more fabric so I started designing patterns that work with large-scale, directional prints.
Can you give us a sneak peek at what it’s like to put together a fabric collection?
I’m usually working on three lines at a time. Releasing my current line, while working on art for my next line, while thinking about and warm-up sketching the next collection. With Summer Lovin’ I knew I wanted to do something that was nostalgic of my childhood so I began with flowers that reminded me of the art classes I would take in the summer at the library.
I typically draw, then scan and manipulate my designs. Once I have several designs together I submit them to the design department at Michael Miller Fabrics. Then we go back and forth on what to leave in and what to take out, tweaking the colors, etc. Once we start to narrow it down I submit project ideas to support the prints. It’s a long process and by the time the fabric is released I’ve been looking at it for a long time. I love every step of the way!
Do you have a favorite project that was created with your Summer Lovin’ collection?
I love the Sweet Summertime quilt that has hand embroidery. It’s a five-month block of the month and each month you make one hand embroidered block and three pieced blocks. I love to draw and do hand work, so embroidery is a great fit for me. I think people new to hand embroidery will be able to finish these designs and more experience embroiderers will enjoy it also.
My second choice would be Flower Power. Having the threads match the fabrics for applique was wonderful for this quilt.
How did you first hear about Aurifil threads?
I bought my first Aurifil at Kelly Ann’s Quilting in Warrenton, VA. I was just getting back into hand embroidery and signed up for a block of the month (or several. LOL). Aurifil’s social media presence has been wonderful for links for inspiration and tutorials.
Do you have a favorite color/weight?
I use a ton of 50 wt. for all my sewing, applique and quilting. I buy A LOT of white and gray. I love how lint-free the thread is and, it might be in my head, but my bobbin seems to last longer.
How do you go about putting your thread collection, Summer Lovin’, together?
I had drawings of my hand embroideries and computer prints of my Summer Lovin’ line. Once I had final strike-offs and exact colors I just had to confirm that the colors I chose would match. I’m thrilled with how it all looks together.
THE GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win 1 Summer Lovin’ Aurifil Thread Collection and one Fat Quarter Bundle of Summer Lovin’ by Susan Emory for Michael Miller, 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 28! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Wednesday, June 29. Good luck!
Update (6/29): This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Kathy Cummings!
ABOUT SUSAN
Website — Blog — Facebook — Pinterest — Instagram — Twitter — Periscope
Susan Emory is crazy about DIY, color and creating! She expresses her art as a fabric designer, quilt designer, quilter, artist, teacher and blogger. Susan’s designs can be found under the Swirly Girls Design brand.
**All images and biographical text courtesy of Susan Emory.
I love those bright thread colours. Thank you for the chance to win.
I’m not a black fabric person, but I think Im won over with this collection!
My biggest influence creatively have been my children. Their inhibition in mixing colors and prints makes me want to make more lively quilts.
Thise colours are so happy and summery, they make me happy!
My biggest creative influence has to be the natural world around me.
My biggest creative influence would be my mom.
The biggest creative influence? I think Rachel Hauser from http://www.stitchedincolor.com . i ‘ ve been distance learner in her class . her chriatmas quilt was first thing I want to make. general sewing I learned from my grandmother.
My biggest creative influence has been my ability to observe the world around me. If I were to choose a person, it would be my friend PD who is always inspiring in everything she tries and is so creative in reimagining the ordinary in every way.
My biggest creative influence has been the internet.
I’m so into bright colors right now these are beautiful Michael Miller is one of my favorites I am working on very small flying geese right now and my Michael Miller fabric doesn’t fray and its silky smooth it’s a joy to work with.
My Mother has been my biggest influence.. she was an amazing seamstress as well as quilter.. she made our wedding dresses hand hand sewed tiny pearls on my sister’s dress.. I have her quilts hanging up in my home and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t remember the talented lady that she was
All the creative and generous quilt bloggers have influenced and inspired me to venture into this wonderful world of quilting. I love Susan’s new fabric line. It is soooo pretty and her quilt is fabulous! Your threads show the colors boldly, which opens up my eyes to the colors in the fabrics, thank you for that.
My best friend’s from high schools mother decided 25 years ago to teach me to quilt. I owe her so much, she held my hand all the way, and I am happily addicted now.
This is a great collection. My greatest creative influence is color and what is all around us. I think there are only 2 crafts that I have not enjoyed. FABRIC and working with it is my greatest joy! I love colors .. bright or subtle. Matters not!
Lovely giveaway, awesome bright colors.
The fabric collection is so summery! My biggest influence in sewing have been blogs,. They get me to see different ways to use fabric and I also get ideas on the Internetand in books for patterns of quilting for my quilts.
my biggest inspiration to sew and quilt was my mom….she handed down the crafty jean….And she showed me alot….As a kid……happyness04431@yahoo.com
Hi there,
My husband(professional Disney comic book artist) is a great source of inspiration to me…and I in turn, inspire him sometimes too!
Quilty Huggs,
Jacqueline
HI, such a neat Primary Colors Aurifil Thread Collection! Nature has always been my biggest inspiration for sewing and quilting!Thanks for sharing a great giveaway!
Three people influenced my creativity – my mom, my dad, and my grandmother.
I’d say my biggest creative influence has been my friend Cheryl. She has inspired me countless times, and encouraged me to complete more projects.
Love the Joy Ride bicycle block! My family has many artists – always enjoyed their influence on me!!
The Monday afternoon group I belong to always provides inspiration for me. There’s always new ideas. Thanks for the chance to win.
My biggest influence is Ineke Berlyn
My biggest influence comes from various people and pinterest.
My answer to the question of who has been a great influence to me would have to be my mother. It’s not in relation to quilting, sewing or crafting since my mother does neither. She’s just a wonderful person who’s led a good life. I want to be just like her when I grow up 😀
My biggest influence has to be my sister Gwen. She is an artist who is not afraid to take risks and she has helped me feel free to take risk with the fabrics I choose for quilting.
My mom has been a big influence. She has been sewing, crocheting and crafting as long as I remember. I haven’t been able to get her into quilting yet.
My big sister has had a creative influence on me. We love making things together.
My biggest influence is probably my children. They have lots of great ideas!
My greatest influence is my hubby. He is always pushing me to try new things and is so supportive!
So pretty!
My aunts (2) were my creative inspirations when I was growing up along with my Mom. Love the new line.
I think that I would have to say quilting magazines are my biggest influence. Thank you!
Yummy colors! Sure would like to win them!
Some of my biggest influences are blogs like this one and show and tell at our local quilt guild. Love this collection!
color – I love to match colors and turns out I have a knack for it
Thank you for this beautiful giveaway! I think my aunt was my biggest creative influence. She was a great and talented seamstress and quilter!
My mother in law introduced me to quilting in the 70;s. After retiring 6 years ago I started quilting again. Can’t stop! Love it. I love colors!
I don’t have a single creative influence but multiple: my grandmother, mother and sister.
Wow, in my journey as a quilter, covering a span of … 40 years … my inspiration has come from friends, classes, love of fabrics, books, Mother, friends, and more classes. Inspiration really evolves, yet each represents an influence.
I think My mom was my biggest influence for creativity. She always made great things with me in a wide variety.
Lots have influenced me, but I think the biggest is Eleanor Burns, Bonnie Hunter, Edyta Sitar, and Wendy Sheppard.
I think my Mom was my biggest creative influence.
I can’t begin to list all of the people who have been significant creative influences to me. But the one thing they have in common is their belief in themselves and what they are doing. The best have taught me that I should not learn “their” way of quilting/dollmaking, but should develop my own vision, my own ways of going about things, taking from them what is good and useful to me and adding that to my repertoire of skills and ways of looking at things.
My friends are my biggest creative influence
My family is my biggest creative influence.
My biggest creative influences would have to be the blogs of some of my favorite quilters, such as Amy Gibson, Pat Sloan, and Lori Holt. I love reading and getting ideas from a ton of different quilters. Thanks for the chance–the fabric and thread are gorgeous!!!
I love watching video tutorials, they help me tackle any quilting road blocks I come to. I have been watching lots of bloggers and Eleanor Burns is my favorite
That’s a really hard question. I’m always looking at quilts and mulling ideas around in my head. I try things from magazines and sometimes I change them up so they aren’t exactly like what I saw.
It is difficult to say who/what has been my biggest influence. Possibly an early one was my Aunt Sis, my Dad’s only sister. She was smart (degree in Physics, with almost straight A grades) and also sewed and did hand work. She helped teach me some needlework.
My Mom’s mother also did a lot of sewing and hand crafts.
I love fabric and it often is an inspiration.
This is a gorgeous bright line. And would be wonderful to win on my birthday!
I don’t really have one… but I’d have to say my mom the most!
My biggest creative influence…. not sure there’s been any one person. Going to my local quilting guilds have probably been the greatest influence. Just seeing all the ‘show and tell’ projects and listening to the guest speakers have probably influenced me the most. Love the ‘Summer Lovin’ collection! Such awesome colors. Thank you for this giveaway opportunity.
I have been making quilts for only about seven or eight years, and I draw inspiration from blogs and websites. Those I like the most make traditional quilts or traditional quilt blocks. I’ve also read many different quilt magazines and books and learn something from all of them. So, I would have to say that media has been my greatest creative influence.
I love using Aurifil thread for quilting and I agree that the bobbin lasts longer!
Gail Garber has been my greatest influence.
I think most of my inspiration has come from the internet. I also like quilt books and quilt shops.
Gorgeous! My biggest influence is my Mom without a doubt. She taught me to take inspiration from everywhere. I love that!
My biggest influence in quilting has been my family and friends – the folks who receive the quilts that I make.
My biggest influence in quilting was my grandmother. She was always working on a quilt, even when she was in her late 90s. She always said idle hands caused trouble! 🙂
Thanks for the chance to win!
My biggest influence has been the two friends that I’ve been quilting with for almost 30 years. We still get together once a week as often as we can. Over the years we’ve encouraged each other to try new and challenging projects (and have fun at the same time).
My biggest creative influence has been Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com she has inspired me to create scrappy, happy quilts.
I love the collection — so bright and cheerful! The person who influenced me the most was my mother, a very creative person. Thanks for the giveaway.
Great collection! Very cheerful! My mother never sewed or quilted, but my grandmother quilted, mainly to go overseas for charity.
My mum is my biggest creative influence, she has always been crafty and loves sewing and knitting.
Creativity definitely happens when you fall in love with a beautiful fabric and the colours lead to an awesome creations!
My mom and both my grandmothers were my biggest creative influence. They were all very crafty and wonderful sewers and quilters.
I’m not really sure who is my biggest influence, but my mom was always so creative with repurposing and how she put things together. I like to think I get my color sense and perspective from her.
love the colors. thanks for the give away
Happiness and a colorful past can inspire amazing work by Susan Emory.
Wow…such a fun collection of fabrics. Colors are wonderful. Perfect with the Aurifil thread collection. The pattern is too much fun!! I like it all!
It’s difficult for me to say who has been my greatest creative influence as I’ve been inspired by so many bloggers and fabric designers…all mixed together. If I had to name “someone”, it would be Mother Nature. She uses every color, in many combinations and it’s always beautiful!
I can’t think of just one person who is a creative influence. I follow about two dozen blogs. and I’m influenced by all the creativity these talented bloggers share.
Happiness is what comes to mind with Susan Emory’s collection of fabric and thread. My greatest influence has been my Mom, both my grandmothers and most of all my daughter!! All very creative women!!
I think my biggest influence has been my Daughter…she started to Quilt & wanted me to learn with her! We are having such a Special time!! She has influenced me in other things too…she is such a Treasure..my Hero!
Thank you for chance to win your Give-a-way too! 😀
My Mom taught me to sew out of necessity, then taught me crafting and quilting.
There isn’t a person but I am old so I will say the Internet has changed everything. You type in one word at 2AM and you can see a million quilts from around the world. You can learn 10 ways to do just about anything you want to do in a flash. It still amazes me.
Nature gives me the biggest creative influence.
My mom and grandmother were my biggest influence!
Trying to be a good of a quilter as my grandma was!
My husband is my creative influence. He is very creative and helps and supports me in everything I do.
Pinterest and Instagram provide lots of inspiration & quilting ideas
My biggest influence was my Mom.
Thanks so much for a chance to win this beautiful fabric and matching Aurifil thread!!! Love the colors!!! I am influenced mostly by Lori Holt of Bee In My Bonnet.
I think my biggest influence was probably my grandmother. During the summers we would make jewelry to sell on the reservation gift shop. I was fascinated watching her make our regalia.
influencing my quilting are loved ones whom remind me of a certain fabric print, color or place they have traveled. My mom, aunties and sisters are my biggest inspiration to keep on sewing and quilting.
I think all of the other quilters in the world are a positive influence for me. I see so much creativity and beautiful quilting everywhere, it inspires me!
I guess I would have to say my mom was my biggest creative influence.
My biggest creative influence was my Dad.
My biggest creative influence is my BFF from Texas, Paulette!!
I guess my creative influence comes from my Grandmother – she used to be able to make anything we wanted to wear – she’d grab some newspaper, whip up a pattern and the next thing we knew we had a new dress or bathing suit or whatever it was we needed! Thanks for the chance to win this awesome prize! 🙂
My biggest influence comes from a friend Michelle that got me started quilting.
There is no one person….many of my bee members inspire me to create. And all the colors and shapes that I see around me are a constant inspiration.
My friend Jean has inspired me the most. She has taught me most of what I know in quilting.
My mom. It took her a year to make each quilt because every stitch was done by hand – piecing and quilting.
I learned from Bonnie Hunter not to be intimidated by large busy quilts. One block at a time and I can do it. So many wonderful quilters that share their info are great.
My biggest influence has been the blogs and websites on the internet. No one in my family sews much. I am the only one. Thanks!
I really had no one growing up I had no one in my family that was a creative influence but I always had a desire to make things and so when I was old enough I joined 4-H clubs where I learned to sew and knit I guess you could say then that my 4-H leaders were my greatest influence.
My mom is always challenging me to be more and more creative.
My biggest creative influence is my own imagination. I take from what I see others doing in my quilting bees and guild, as well as on internet blogs and other spaces online.
My biggest influence was my mom. She could make anything just by looking at it.
My biggest creative influence would be my mom.
Biggest creative influence? Too many influences to name them all. Every book I look at, quilt I see, blog post I read, pinterest board I look at — all all to the creative process. Some things stay in my mind, others I don’t remember, or don’t know I remember, until they filter to the surface. Thanks for offering the giveaway.
I think my mom has been my biggest creative influence, even though she died before I started quilting. She influences my craft because she loved fabric and color, was meticulous in her work, and always believed in me and really delighted in whatever I created. Whenever I begin a new project or stop in the middle to assess what I’m working on, the encouraging voice I hear is my mother’s. Just remembering this brings tears to my eyes. What a beautiful legacy she left me; I wish she were here tonight for me to say thank you for the gift of encouragement and enthusiasm.
I think the whole online community is my greatest influence, so many people freely sharing of their joy in Making.
My influence was my aunt Beatrice who could do anything and everything creative and with grace and confidence. Make one skirt in an evening, simple, she would make 2 skirts pleated that were perfection. She taught me everything I know. I miss her very much.
My mom was my biggest influence to get my sewing started. But now my biggest influence are bloggers and designers.
I get my creative juices flowing from friends. IG and pinterest
This collection and design is a breath of fresh air!!! Thank you for your inspiration!
Beautiful collection! My biggest creative influence has been my family. They all inspire me in their own way. And they are beyond supportive… And of course, Instagram! It’s where I go for my daily dose of inspiration 🙂
I love the colors and the flowers – so summertime happy! My mom and grannie were the two influences early on in life. Not much to do when visiting Grannie – she lived in a little bitty town that only had 1 stop light. “Busy hands” were encouraged with embroidery, crochet, hand sewing and a little quilting. I learned from the very best – with love and guidance. I can still hear their voices when I struggle with a part of a project – precious memories!
My daughter has been a great influence in my quilting. She makes suggestion that I try to incorporate and I then love it. Thank you for the introduction, her designs are lovely.
My mother – she started me crafting at an early age, taught me a few things and has encouraged me as I set off in my own creative adventures.
My biggest creative influence seems to change often. Right now Ricky Tims is a big influence.
My biggest creative influence is Camille Roskelley
I would have to say my grandsons. I began easy quilting 9 years ago, and seriously probably 5 years ago. Everything is so new and exciting, it’s easy to see the world through their eyes!❤
My children and their enthusiasm for all the things I make as well as all the creative things they make too.
My influences- my quilt mentor Linda who was my first important teacher. I don’t remember a time when i didn’t love quilts and wanted to learn how to quilt- now there are many fabulous quilters out there that inspire me for different reasons – from Freddy Moran to Jinny Beyer to Paula Nadelstern to Ricky Tims to Ruth McDowell to Caryl Bryer Fallert to Gwen Marston and Kaffe Fassett – They all have influenced the quilter that I am today..
I would have to say the biggest influence has been my quilting and sewing teacher and the ladies who share my class. We are always helping and advising each other. I also like to get ideas from blogs, utube, magazines etc. So not one single person or place!
My Aunt Helen and my Great Grandmother have been the biggest influence on my sewing and quilting.
I love the colors and different wts of Aurifil
My biggest creative influence is the natural world; I see quilts everywhere.
My biggest creative influence would be all the great quilters out there that share there talents with us.