We are thrilled to share the eleventh project showcase created by our talented Aurifil Artisans for the 2022-2023 season. Our yearly collaboration with these skilled artisans aims to showcase their expertise and beautiful creations, while also inspiring others to experience the joy of working with Aurifil Threads.
For the April Challenge, the Aurifil Artisans were tasked with creating a project that features upcycling in some way using Aurifil Threads, in honor of Earth Month. The Aurifil Artisans took on the challenge and created inspiring pieces, such as visible mending, making coasters from fabric scraps, and upcycling garments into quilted boxes. We loved seeing all of the beautiful and inspirational work. HUGE thanks to all of our participants for March — we are grateful for you, your creativity, and your incredible willingness to play along with us month after month!
Kate Sandford
I reuse a lot of scraps in my work. Recently, I was given a beautiful selection of fabrics and some orphan blocks from a double wedding ring quilt. I immediately knew I wanted to put them on a denim jacket! The colours would work so well together. So I did! And I had enough scraps left over to make a vase. š
Shereece Nicole
My tip for working with small pieces: use 80wt thread! It was so much easier to get seams to lay! This is the April 12 Minis in 12 Months block by Liza Taylor Handmade.
Sarah Harris
Sewing with repurposed clothing is one of my favourite ways to create and to reduce waste. For my Trinket Quilt block boxes, I used one pair of previously thrifted tweed trousers (and the buttons), part of a patagonia dress, and extra upcycled materials to stabilise and stuff the boxes. I machine quilted the mini paper pieced blocks on repurposed paper using Aurifil 50wt, added hand quilting with the 12wt, then plaited/braided Aurifloss to create the button loops.
Janine Heschl
I have put a lot of thought into the @aurifilthread artisan monthly challenge, which asked us to create a project that features upcycling. As per definition, this means giving something no longer in use a second life. The idea of creating this #flyagaric mushroom in a can popped up a couple of nights ago, thinking about our natural resources and how we bit by bit destroy our own home.
Thinking of the future ahead and the absurdity of it all, I came up with the concept of ānature in a canā – canservation. Keeping something alive and making it available and accessible in a can, because we failed to do so while we still had a chance when it was free to us all! I used fabric scraps, cardboard, wire, old nylons, a can, foam from the scrap yard and thread for the moss. The mushroom is hand stitched using Aurifil mako 12wt for extra strength and Aurifil mako 50wt for creating the moss, stitched on water soluble stabilizer.
Karen Foster
Playing with Parts and Possibilities is a process more so than a pattern that I have taught and made many times but never before using the fabric from four different pairs of deconstructed pants. Pieced with 50wt, quilted with 40/3wt variegated and finished off with 12wt trying big stitch by hand on the binding, Aurifil threads made for great teamwork. A durable throw in a beautiful palette is the perfect companion for spending time outdoors on Earth Day and everyday.
Anorina Morris
This was my first foray into visible mending and after this challenge, I really want to mend more. Such fun! Using Aurifil Monofilament thread, I stitched around the holes on the denim to secure the patches in place. I then used 2 strands of beautiful Aurifil 12wt cotton thread in bright colours to stitch the patch in place. A wonderful way to give an old garment, new life (and a new look). ā
Anna Wraith
I was asked to design a quilt pattern specifically for upcycled fabrics and this was harder than I thought! You can read about my process and top tips for using upcycled fabric on my blog.
Bhiravi Rathinasabapathi
I chose to turn my smallest and hardest-to-use fabric scraps into checkerboard coasters for this Earth Month make. Paired with Aurifil 50wt in 2021 and 4020, these coasters are made colorful, beautiful, and completely biodegradable.
Alison Carpenter-Hughes
The symbol for Leicester, in the UK, where I live, is a fox. My upcycle project is made from tiny scraps of leftover fabric, little pieces of gifted lace, trimmings from an old lampshade, cord handles from paper bags and lots of other bits and bobs from my (this might come in handy) stash! Every part of my fox was lovingly hand sewn together and his whiskers wrapped with Aurifil embroidery floss. I left all the ends of the threads loose and fanned out to add to his general fluffiness!
We encourage you to click through and check out each of these amazing projects in more detail!