Jo Avery of My Bear Paw has long been a designer who we’ve followed closely on social media, awaiting her next beautifully staged photo, or her next stunning quilt finish. We adore her style and admire her knack for combining vibrant colors. Sherbet Dip is her debut collection for Aurifil and it includes her favorite shades for piecing and quilting, all in 50wt, alongside some lovely variegated threads that she tends to use in her free motion quilting. Though she does use a wide range of colors, the collection is really a representation of her signature color palette.
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Sherbet Dip
100% Aurifil Cotton, 12 Large Spools, 50wt (1422yds/spool)
Colors included:
2535 – 2545 – 5017 – 4093 – 6729 – 5015
6725 – 5006 – 4670 – 3320 – 4654 – 3660
To view this info on our website, click here. For purchasing, please contact your local Aurifil Dealer.
THE INTERVIEW
What first drew you to to the world of sewing and quilting?
My big sister taught me to sew when I was six years old and I spent a lot of my childhood making toys. She also taught me to EPP hexies and when I was in my early twenties with a home of my own I started making them again and this became a quilt top. I joined a local quilting group and they taught me how to quilt it and introduced me to the whole world of rotary cutters and strip piecing. I haven’t stopped quilting since!
Who or what has been your greatest creative inspiration?
This is a hard one as I feel I have been influenced by so many amazing quilters and artists. However the person who really opened my eyes to the creative possibilities of quilting was Nancy Crow. I attended a lecture by her at the V&A in London in the mid 1990’s and her work totally blew me away. I think she was so ahead of her time and I am always trying to bring her to the attention of the younger Modern Quilters.
What is your favorite thing to make?
This changes day to day as I have a low boredom threshold! I love making a full-sized quilt, it is very satisfying to finish a large project. I’m not one of those people who puts off the binding stage, I always feel that binding locks in all the quilty goodness so I bind as soon as I’ve finished the quilting. At the moment I am addicted to making zippy pouches, I make at least one with the scraps from each finished quilt.
Do you have a go-to technique?
I do like to switch about and try something different with each project but I am always drawn back to needle- turn applique which I find aesthetically pleasing and very soothing to work on. I like to find ways to combine it with other techniques, and am always refining my hand sewing skills. One thing I love about quilting is that you never stop learning and improving, it is a lifelong journey.
When did you first discover Aurifil threads and what do you love most about them?
I was given a sample at the first Fat Quarterly Retreat in London five years ago. I remember the first time I used it for hand sewing, the thread just glided through the fabric, it felt completely different to the other threads I’d used. I started using it for machine piecing and quilting soon after. As it’s so fine you can get much more thread on to a bobbin than you can other brands which means less changing, perfect for FMQ.
How did you go about selecting colors for Sherbet Dip and what excites you most about releasing the collection to the world?
It was a very easy job for me as I love choosing colours! I had some favourite Aurifil shades that had to be included and I knew I wanted some variegated threads as I love to use these for FMQ. I also tried to make the selection representative of my signature colours. I hope this box inspires others to use more colour in their quilts and be braver with their choices, or just to feel happy when they look inside it!
THE THREAD HOUSE
Jo Avery joined forces with fellow UK quilt designers Lynne Goldsworthy and Karen Lewis to launch a new Retreat and Pattern company in 2016, The Thread House. They hosted their first retreat in January of this year with a second planned for January 2018. Nine exclusive patterns are currently available — 3 from each designer. Jo’s patterns are the Starlights Quilt, the Crockery Cupboard Quilt, and Conker Quilts (also the thread collection cover quilt!) and all three are available for purchase here on payhip.
GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win Jo’s Sherbet Dip thread collection AND a digital copy of each of Jo’s 3 patterns for Thread House: Conkers, Crockery Cupboard, and Starlights, 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 Saturday, August 26! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Sunday, August 27. Good luck!
ABOUT JO
Website — Facebook — Instagram — The Thread House
Jo Avery has been playing with fabric and yarn for as long as she can remember, culminating in her current role as a designer, teacher and entrepreneur. Her natural affinity with expressive colour informs all her quilts and her love of intricate techniques such as needle-turn appliqué and embroidery adds further levels of rich detailing, and allows her to embrace both modern and traditional aesthetics. Jo enjoys inspiring others to discover their own creative potential through her workshops and retreats.
** Images, biographical text and interview text by Jo Avery
I love the pattern for The Crockery Cupboard quilt.
I love the gray/neutrals background and then the pop of color added to the quilts! Beautiful! 💜
Love the Shangra La Farm Sherbet Quilt – so pretty & so different-the colors are outstanding! Thank you for sharing, Susan
I would love to make the Crockery Cupboard quilt. Thanks for a great giveaway. x
I like the Tendrils quilt.
Beautiful quilts! I love Starlight quilt especially because of the background!
The Starlights quilt is my favorite
Starlight is my favorite, I need this pattern! Thanks for the giveaway.
cork at pa.rr.com
I fell in love with the Tendrils Quilt……breathtaking!!
Great colours! I love the Crockey Cupboard pattern. Jo, you have a new Instagram follower (the_nav) Thanks for sharing, Jo and Aurifil!
I love the Conker Quilt, the colors are beautiful.
I am in love with the Starlights quilt!!!
Tendrils would be my first choice! I love the color and movement with the vine applique! So pretty!
the crockery cupboard reminds me of my mom’s china cabinet, but the starlights quilt is gorgeous.
I love the Conkers quilt
The colors and pattern in the Conker Quilt are lovely. That’s the I like best!
Love the colours. Always admire jo’s pics
Wow! How colorful!
I’m fascinated by Jo’s Tendrils quilt!
That’s my favorite!
(Thank you, again, for a great interview! I really enjoy these looks into the creativity of today’s designers!)
Pat T.
The Crockery Cupboard would be my favorite pattern. Thanks!
Love the colors and how she uses the applique work on her quilts.
Love the ColorSync and the patterns
Love the way the backgrounds are done in so many of Jo’s quilts . My favorite pattern is Starlights and I’d love to start piecing right now with aurifil thread, of course!
I love the quilt you used on your thread box! Fell in love with it when you posted it ion IG! 💟 On my summer bucket list just haven’t got to it yet but summer isn’t over yet. Having this group of colorful threads to do it in would be a wonderful addition!
Crockery Cupboard is Jo’s pattern at the top of my list. It has so many possibilities, depending on the fabric one chooses. Imagine it all in blue and white fabric, like our crockery.
I love those colors, and the unique quilts.
I love the Starlight pattern-traditional and modern all at the same time!
Starlights is my favorite.
Starlights is my favorite.
Jo’s color palette is bright yet soothing. I would love to make the Conkers Quilt pattern
Jo is such an inspiration! this is a great thread collection and how great that it includes a variegated spool! Thanks for the opportunity to add to my aurifil collection!!
I would love to make Country Cupboard. It would make a great gift for my sister.
Starlight is my favorite
I love the Conker Quilt, but it may be a bit over my current skill level — lol.
Just my colors plus a few to cause me to stretch out of my comfort zone. Thank you.
I like the farm sherbet quilt. Love the trees shaped like leaves with the rolling hills behind them.
I’d love to make the conkers qilt! Thanks for a great giveaway!
I really like her Starlights Quilt! And the Shangri La Farm Sherbet quilt. And the Conker Quilt. OK, I like them all !! Love the colors, too!
I love your designs and colors so the Aurifil thriead in matching colors are georgeous.
I love the conker quilt. Jo is a fabulous teacher and I am about to do another class at the end of the month. Love the colours in Sherbet Dip box.
My mom loves to cook the Crockery Cupboard would be a great quilt for her, I love the Conker quilt so I’ll have to throw that one in for myself!
I would love to make the crockery cupboard!
Erin’s Shangri La Farm Sherbert Quilt is the pattern I’d love to make. The colours are gorgeous!
I would have to say Shangri La Farm Sherbet Quilt. I love, love the colors and I am just learning how to applique’ and this looks like a good one to help me with my techniques. Great job Jo!
I would love to make the Crockery Cupboard Quilt.
I love the tendril pattern very much!
Love love love the sherbet dip collection! Gorgeous fizzy colours that would look brilliant on the Conkers Quilt! Especially now that I can paper piece Jo’s new york beauty block! Great collection Jo! 😀
I think the feathers pattern would be lovely and a great stash buster too!
Thanks for a great interview.. I like the Conkers and the Cube. Wish she had a pattern for Shangri La Farm.
Starlights would be fun to make. Pretty collection.
I like Crockery Cupboard.
I would love to make Starlites! Thank you!
love, love the curved piecing with leaves (or trees) on top!
I like the Conker quilt.
LOVE THE ‘STARLIGHT QUILT’! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!
I like the Starlights quilt and would most likely tackle that one first!!
I like the Starlights Quilt pattern best. My absolute favorite is really Shangri La Farm Sherbet Quilt>
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
I really like the Conker quilt.
I would make the Crockery Cupboard Quilt.
Starlights is my favorite.
just love Jo’s Shangri La Farm Sherbet Quilt and her Sherbet threads – awesome colour choices !! I’d really love to make the Conker quilt – its such fun !
Love Jo’s work and that thread selection is just scrumptious!
Love them all but especially Starlight.
I would like to make both the Starlights Quilt and the Crockery Cupboard Quilt,
beautiful colourways.
Her quilts are bright and beautiful. I particularly liked the crockery pattern.
Starlight is my favorite, but I love all these quilts!
I would like to make the Conkers Quilt.
Beautiful colors.
My favorite is Starlights.
I would make Conkers Quilt first, then Starlight.
I would make the star lights quilt. I love star quilts.
I am having difficulty deciding whether Starlights is my favorite or Crockery Cupboard. Starlights would make a beautiful bed quilt. Crockery Cupboard would make a delightful wallhanging.
Love all of them. Couldn’t choose. The colors are fabulous!! The purple is my favorite
Love every thing that jo does, and the colours she uses. It would be great to win this
Beautiful collection. Starlight is the one I like best.
I want to try the hand appliqué technique Jo showed on your FB page for sewing stems and leaves! Love Jo…love Aurifil!!
I love the Star Lights quilt. That is the one I would enjoy making. Great bright lovely quilts. Thanks for the post.
I like the starlight quilt
Shangra La is my favorite I probably spelled it wrong! But I love the trees!
What beautiful colors! I just love the tendrils pattern!!
Love the colors! Love the starlight pattern.
I love Conker Quilt! It is a unique pattern and I love her colors.
I am most excited about the Starlights quilt. Thanks!
Love the color choices Jo makes. Fabulous quilts!
Crockery Cupbord – would love to make that!!!
I’d love to make the Starlights Quilt – thanks for the chance to win 🙂
The Crockery Cupboard is my favorite…I have so many cute fabrics I could use for this one!
I just love the Starlights pattern!
I like Tendrils–great combination of piecing &applique
I like Tendrils–great combination of piecing &applique
I’m most excited to make The Starlights Quilt.
Very pretty creations
and I’d like to make
a zippy pouch.
Carla from Utah
The Starlight and Conkers patterns are right in my wheelhouse. The Conkers pattern made me think of eyelashes when I first looked at it.
tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Crockery cupboard is so cute!
I love them all!. But I like the freshness of the Starlight pattern, giving a modern look to an old pattern. Conkers too is great.
Love all of the bright colors.. but being 1st one i saw… Shangri La Farm Sherbet Quilt is my favorite by a little bit…
I love all of them – the colours are amazing! My personal favourite is the Crockery Cupboard quilt – as I know exactly where it could go in my home.
Love the colors!
I am most excited to make the Crockery Cupboard quilt, but I truly love them all!
The Tendrils Quilt … it’s absolutely stunning!
My favorite is the Shangri La Farm quilt- just gorgeous!
I love the Crockery Cupboard quilt!
Love the crockery cupboard quilt
I love your collection. The Starlights Quilt is lovely.
Such gorgeous, luscious colors! I’m partial to the Tendrils quilt but they are all beautiful.
Love love love the tendrils especially on the pouches!
There is not just one quilt I would like to make from Jo’s designs! The Tendrils would probably be first, then probably the Starlights, Shangri La Farm, and Conkers! I can’t wait to see what additional quilts that Jo designs! So beautiful!
I love the conkers quilt.
I currently am using her tendrils technique to make a pouch!
I love ‘Conkers’
I’d love to make the Conkers Quilt. We have horse chestnuts here in California which I think are the same as conkers. The shapes in the quilt are very dynamic and give the pattern lots of movement. Love it.