We relish every opportunity to work with companies in this amazing industry whom we admire– those making bold and innovative moves and who consistently push the boundaries in the best of possible ways. Quiltfolk is one of those companies, sharing the stories behind both the quilts and quilt makers via stunning imagery and compelling words. We look forward to receiving each new issue, eager to discover the wonders contained within. For our most recent collaboration, we turn to quilt enthusiasts and AuriFriends Jenni Smith and Kay Walsh. Their adventure series with Quiltfolk presents a fresh range of virtual workshops. Most recently, they ticked a fascinating destination off their quilting bucket lists and flew to the magical islands of Hawaii for over two weeks of textile exploration. We’re delighted to welcome them here to Auribuzz to share some insights, some stunning imagery, and an exclusive discount so that you can all join in on the magic.
HUGE thanks to Jenni & Kay and also to Quiltfolk!
Today we have a very international story to share so prepare for a mini trip around the world! We are your tour guides Jenni Smith and Kay Walsh, writing from our studio which lies on the edge of Ilkley Moor in the North of England. We have worked together with Aurifil for many years now, especially at the Festival of Quilts show in Birmingham each summer where we love meeting customers and putting together an inspirational showcase to highlight the thread we can’t live without!
Our passion for quilting and story-telling led us to collaborate with Quiltfolk (the quarterly magazine which travels around America state by state to uncover spectacular stories) and to create a new series of virtual workshops. Last Summer we too packed up our bags and hit the road to learn about quilting in different cultures first hand.
Our first destination was Wales, then we headed across the channel to France and most recently we ticked a fascinating destination of our quilting bucket list and flew to the magical islands of Hawaii for over two weeks of textile exploration.
Hawaiian quilts are stunning and recognised the world over. They are stitched completely by hand with needle turn appliqué and echo quilting and many of the designs are based on the beautiful plants and flowers found in the stunning landscapes. On Oahu we were blown away by the natural beauty, hiking through lush mountains, watching the incredible surfers on the North Shore and strolling along white sand beaches like Waikiki and Kailua.
It was a dream come true to study many quilts up close with visits to museum, the Royal Palace and Honolulu Festival.
Hawaiian quilters invited us in to their homes and shared techniques as well as heartwarming insights into why this craft is so special to the people and how they capture the “Aloha” spirit in their iconic textiles, many of which take months if not years to complete.
Together with our Adventure film crew we captured many magical moments on camera for our upcoming workshop the Spirit of Hawaii and we also designed an exclusive thread collection to celebrate this special experience.
The palette of the 7 spool collection reflects the official colors of the Hawaii islands with warm tropical hues and summer vibes! We chose 50wt thread because is works brilliantly for needle-turn appliqué as well as hand quilting and piecing. We have also designed a modern patchwork quilt for our workshop with some basic foundation piecing and love how 50wt thread enables you to have perfectly flat seams and points which match!
If you would love to travel from the comfort of home to immerse yourself in Hawaiian quilt culture then we would be delighted to share more of this trip with you. Our six-hour workshop premieres in June where we host it live and you then have lifetime access to all of the content. You can sew along with two projects – a tradition Hawaiian appliqué pillow and a pieced quilt whose design is based on tradition bark cloth or “kapa.”
Other highlights include an exclusive tour of quilts in the Iolani Palace and the treasured coverlet made by Queen Lili’uokalani during her imprisonment in 1895 as well as a tour of the quilts at the Honolulu Festival and much more.
The exclusive discount code for the Aurifil community is Aurifil20 and offers 20% off a single workshop purchase. It is valid until June 8th and the workshop is live on June 9th and 10th. (click on the image or button below for more info)
The production quality of the Provence workshop is at such a high level, you can’t help but feel as though you are there with them. I cannot wait to learn more about the quilts of Hawaii.
– Claire Campion, Digital Marketing Coordinator, Aurifil USA
If you’re intrigued by Hawaii, keep an eye out for more exclusive collections from upcoming destinations which include the Scottish Highlands and a visit to the studio of much-loved Aurifil designer Sheena Norquay.