Kitty Wilkin of Night Quilter is sunny, creative, and a passionate collaborative partner. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have worked with her for about 4 years, but she has been a lover of Aurifil for much longer than that.
Her debut Aurifil collection, Color Crush, came out in February of last year, just before the world was turned upside down and inside out. Now, as we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, Kitty had to take a moment to celebrate. She took her spools out for an earthly adventure and luckily agreed to take us all along. Thanks so much to Kitty for joining us today!!
Just over one year ago, my Color Crush thread collection greeted the world with excitement at QuiltCon in Austin, TX. Shortly afterward, the country shut down due to coronavirus and life as we know it was turned on its head.
Hope is returning as the distribution of vaccines increases, and again I turn to whimsy and celebration. To celebrate this collection’s first year of life, I thought I’d share an intimate (and silly) introduction to the threads included, with a nature hike along which we’ll experience rare sightings of each of them in their natural habitats. I curated this collection based on threads I have in my own stash, and the ones that I pull the most often.
These threads are essential for the rainbow-sewists among us, especially if you love a tertiary rainbow as much as I do. Much of my quilty inspiration comes from nature, and I delight in the colors found there. It comes as no surprise that each of these colors are also found in the natural world—and if I may be so bold—love to get out and adventure there still. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
In true ROYGBIV fashion, I’ll begin the introductions with Medium Red-5002. The color of passion, representative of the life force that drives it, red can be overpowering at times. The subtle softness that Medium Red brings to the sewing table provides that pop of fiery spirit while still allowing other colors to shine. Even those of us who do not often sew with red (raises hand) need this thread color in our stash, trust me. Among the dancing tulips is where Medium Red loves to be when she’s not hanging out in her cozy Color Crush thread box.
She helps those newly budding beauties unfold their full glory, nurturing and encouraging.
Ahhh, Dusty Orange-1154! Harvests and autumn splendor are captured in the threads of this spool. It loves to romp with the fall leaves, pick pumpkins, and oversee the baking of pies galore. Joy, warmth, enthusiasm, and energetic creativity are its trademarks, and it brings vitality to any project it joins.
Whimsical and light, Gold Yellow-5015 spends its days frolicking in the fields, blowing wishes on dandelions, picking buttercups, and encouraging the bees on the sunflowers. As bright as the sunshine, this thread will fill the cracks in life with its gold delight.
Ahhh, new life! There’s something about those first peeks of green emerging from the brown spring soil that fill your spirit with joy, right? From those first hopeful seedlings, to the new growth on old pines, to the magical moss that carpets lush forests, Spring Green-1231 holds them all. This thread is one of two greens in the Color Crush collection, since the range of greens in nature is boundless. Spring Green and its best buddy Green Yellow (coming up next!) help encompass the life giving range of photo-synthesizers in the world around us.
There he is! Hidden in the branches of a peaceful pine tree, we see Green Yellow-2884 in his natural habitat. Embodying a more bold and mature shade of green, Green Yellow watches over playful Spring Green from his perch in the over-story. His slow growth and wisdom provides calm guidance and revitalization to the rest of the Color Crush crew.
As soon as the ocean is in sight, Turquoise-2810 leaps for joy and settles in to gaze at the crashing waves. Its natural habitat is surely somewhere in the tropics where the ocean calls its name and mirrors its color, but it still enjoys a good trip to the sunny Maine coast. This spool brings the soothing, hopeful calm of a tropical breeze, warm sand under your feet, and colorful fish darting all about. Every quilt needs some turquoise in it.
Sitting alongside Turquoise on the Maine coast, you’ll find dear Light Jade-1148. While Turquoise yearns for palm trees and the warm tropical breeze, though, Light Jade is right at home on the misty, foggy, Maine coast. He’s the vibrant expression of the lichens growing on rocks, the teals of hardy deciduous leaves, and loves to sit beside his color doppelgänger lobster buoy rope as the seagulls call overhead.
Turquoise and Light Jade are quite a pair, since anyone who sews with turquoise or teal fabrics knows that they are very distinctly different fabrics, and having coordinating thread for both is essential. They love having their own perfect niches in which to stitch. (And see, I do sew with my threads, too! LOL)
Heading back to the garden after our trip to the coast, we find good ol’ Magenta-2535, relaxing in the magnolia tree. When purple and pink get together, Magenta is the result. Resourceful and organized, Magenta jumps in to coordinate with your tertiary rainbow like a pro. With a balanced outlook on life, Magenta embodies universal love at the highest level. Every sewing space needs some Magenta in it.
Oh, fiery and fierce Fuchsia-4020!! For every effort Medium Red makes to relax and make room for others, Fuchsia steps in and takes the spotlight. Bold and brilliant, Fuchsia rightfully lives amongst the most voluptuous flowers in the garden—peonies! Bring this thread to your next party and you’re sure to have a great time!
With all of these personalities all in one box, I knew that Color Crush needed some down to earth neutrals to help keep the peace. These three pack a big punch when it comes to versatility, especially with panacea Dove in the mix. Let’s say hello, shall we?
As soothing as a fresh blanket of snow, a clean palette, a peaceful glade, we find Natural White-2021. As the name alludes, this thread thrives in nature and in my quilts, the perfect match for a multitude of uses. When I’m stitching white pieces together for English Paper Piecing, quilting the negative space, or piecing light fabrics of any shade, Natural White steps out of the cold and into the sewing room like a pro.
Sometimes difficult to catch since she’s such a snow bunny, Natural White is a wonderful addition to Color Crush, even though she’s technically the absence of color. She provides much needed balance, and her calm is contagious.
No thread set curated by yours truly could possibly be complete without my dear old Dove-2600. Dove is my panacea thread, you see. It’s a cure-all. It coordinates with, complements, and blends with colors across the spectrum. When in doubt, grab Dove. They can be found schmoozing with the barnacles along the coast, though the crushed up shells in the sand join that color party, too.
Drift wood, birch trees, seed parachutes… they are all embodied in Dove.
Last but absolutely not least, we have Dark Grey-1246. Dark Grey may seem broody from the outside, but he’s a big softie through and through. The color of a stormy sea, the sky right before dark, and the layered grooves of geological finds across the world, Dark Grey is the rock of the Color Crush collection.
Together, these twelve bold and versatile threads represent life on this earth—in all its diverse and glorious beauty! As you explore the natural world around you, take a look for these colors and think back on Color Crush. Or, take a page out of my book and bring your Color Crush threads with you on your natural adventures! I promise you’ll see the world in a unique and vibrant way. Who knows, perhaps when you return home, you’ll be inspired to create a quilt! You’ll have just the threads for the job.
Happy stitching!
ABOUT KITTY
Website — Facebook — Instagram — Pinterest — YouTube — Twitter
Kitty is a stay at home mom of three littles, wife, sewist of quilts and other beautiful things, runner, gardener, photographer, and all in all lover of life. With three little kids, her only sewing time is after bedtime. Thus the night quilter was born. To learn more about Kitty in her own words, visit this post on her blog.
**All images by Kitty Wilkin.
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Color Crush
12 Large Spools, 50wt (1422yds/spool), 100% Aurifil Cotton
5002, 1154, 5015, 1231, 2884, 1148
2810, 2535, 4020, 2021, 2600, 1246
To view this info on our website, click here. For purchasing, please contact your local Aurifil Dealer.
So many beautiful colors! Great collection!!!
What a wonderful collection. Thank you for the nature tour. It showed the colourful threads to perfection.
That is a lovely collection. I think I would use every single colour. Great selection…especially love the blues.
Beautiful threads showcased in Kitty’s incredible photography!