Embark on a journey into the enchanting world of Aurifil Thread, where each strand weaves a story of artistic brilliance waiting to be unveiled. As we reveal the mesmerizing creations of our talented Aurifil Artisans for the first challenge of 2024, we invite you to delve into the secrets behind their organizational prowess.
In this edition, we decided it was the opportune moment to discover the Aurifil Artisans’ insights into keeping their threads impeccably arranged and readily accessible. Witness how these artisans have gracefully risen to the challenge, sharing the unique ways they manage their threads, ensuring they are in perfect order and within arm’s reach for moments of creative inspiration.
We extend a heartfelt expression of gratitude to all the participants who have made the January challenge into a dazzling success. Your unwavering creativity and enthusiasm have infused an extra burst of inspiration into this first chapter of the year.
Madeline Bonner
This month is all about organising your thread. What better way than making some zipped pouches for sewing on the go. I have made Carolyn Friedlanders Split Pouch using some of my favourite Liberty Tana Lawns and a selection of neutral threads.
Karen Foster
Finding an organizational balance is key. Let’s be honest, Aurifil with all of its colors and weights is inspirational – Eye Candy to be enjoyed. But there’s also a practical side to keeping the spools and cones safe and accessible.
Janice Reimer
I recently found this abandoned paint stand in my husband’s crafting space, and quickly made a new home for it in my sewing space. It’s the perfect size for large Aurifil thread spools and having my thread on display instead of a cardboard box has made it easier to dream of fun new ways to use it. Keeping a stash of ready-to-go bobbins in 2311 50wt ensures that an empty bobbin doesn’t cause my sewing motivation to crash.
Debbie Jeske
One of my thread organization tips is to keep similar thread weights together. I keep mine sorted in a variety of containers. Other tips:
- Organize your threads by color, when it makes sense.
- Keep the threads you use most close to your machine!
- If you find yourself running low on a thread color or weight you really like or use often, order a spare so you have it when you need it.
- Try out different thread weights. Before becoming an Aurifil Artisan, I used almost exclusively 50wt thread. I’ve since discovered that I like to use heavier weights for machine-quilting, I love 12wt for embroidery, and 80wt is amazing for paper-piecing.
Kate Sandford
To keep my threads where I need them, I have clusters of some in my work basket, some stacked neatly in thread containers next to my sewing machine and some in a vintage toolmakers box.
Lynett Muhaso
On the blog l share my simple thread organisation containers that help keep my Aurifil threads neat and tidy. Plastic storage containers with dividers, repurposed glass jars or biscuit tins make for good thread storage containers.
Zeïba Monod
I’m sharing my storage solutions for my Aurifil threads, whether machine sewing, hand quilting, or being on the go.
Elissa Ziccardi
The theme for this month is all about thread organization! I’m sharing several of my favorite ways I stay organized in my studio, and on the go. I took the opportunity to make myself my favorite bag for storing my threads – it is positively bursting with a rainbow of color. As you can see I can store 60 small spools of 50wt thread (or any of the Aurifil small spools) in the zippered pockets on just a single page front. I have my threads at my fingertips ready to stitch no matter if I’m in my studio, at home, or on the move with my family. I constructed and quilted this bag with the 50wt Roar! collection by Tula Pink that will be released Spring 2024. This 10-spool collection is the perfect combination of warm and cool. Thread Storage Cases hold 12 medium spools or 24 small spools – pictured here are my 80wt threads that I love to use for hand appliqué. The compartments are also ideal for needles, thimbles, and assorted small notions. Neat and tidy – and easy to stack for storing multiple cases. I love it!
When I’m traveling to teach or lecture I like to fill up my Travel Essentials 2.0 bag that hold a variety of different sized spools of thread as well as my Aurifil Swatch Book and literature. I can fit TWO storage cases mentioned above in the bottom zip pocket of this bag! I’ve used 50wt Dragons Breath collection by Tula Pink to quilt this bag. I love the rich colors in this collection so much! Pattern: A Place for Everything 2.0 – ByAnnie.com Pattern: Travel Essentials 2.0 – ByAnnie.com Fabric: NEW Roar! fabric collection from Tula Pink and FreeSpirit Fabrics shipping April 2024.
Alison Carpenter-Hughes
A playful patchwork approach to storage solution on the go to keep my threads in one place as I travel between, home, studio and when away. I used free motion embroidery and applique techniques, inspired by Jill Finley’s Orchard collection colours, to create little decorative squares made into a zipped pouch.
Adam Burch
When we were talking about how we store our threads, I thought I would keep it honest, as creatives we have things all in places that make sense to us. So sometimes things aren’t always where we think– hehe. I store my most frequently used threads on my peg board shelves. For all my thread collections and hand quilting threads I love the Aurifil storage cases. They keep all the runaway thread contained and stop them from misbehaving.
Fiona Johnstone
I like keeping various colours close at hand, and I keep my most frequently used threads in a tray on my Ikea pegboard on the wall next to my machine! This way I don’t even have to get up to switch out threads for a project. All the extra thread colours and weights I have, live in my Aurifil boxes which are easy to find when I need something a little different than my usual!
Sarah Harris
Loving my new old Thread and Notions bar. I found a vintage metal cart which works brilliantly for organising my Aurifil thread by different weights, plus keeps my portable thread organisers handy. An old wooden printing tray was a perfect fit for the beautiful wooden Floss and 80wt spools. On the cart, I used clear sliding drawer organisers which double as portable trays for all other weights. For small projects, I love using small vintage tins for organising my threads and project supplies.
Irina Malyukova
Since I don’t have a dedicated sewing space, an efficient solution to store my threads that can be easily accessed or packed away is super important. I don’t have an extensive Aurifil thread collection, just the colors I use most, the threads I bought for a particular project as well as those I received in my Aurifil Artisan Welcome Package. I used to store all the threads in a large metal tin, but it ended up becoming too small. I found a great solution: a plastic box with a lid from Ikea.
The box has 5 compartments, and I keep my threads organized by weight. A small compartment holds 12 small spools, or 3 large + 6 small spools. In the large compartment I store different weights of thread. I store the spools with small amounts of thread upside down. Not only does this save space, but it also serves as a visual reminder of what thread to use first or restock, and makes it easy to access. You can find more tips regarding thread organization on my blog.
Anorina Morris
My thread is sorted by thread weight, by set, and sometimes by neutral/colour. It’s all easy to access and though not the prettiest storage method, it works.
Justine Wilson
My thread organization hasn’t changed very much over the many years I’ve been sewing — but my thread has! I’m so happy my thread rack is full of Aurifil these days! I organize the spools in color order on a wooden rack which hangs over my sewing machine but can also stand on its own. It’s easy to access and color match any time I need to!
Anna Wraith
Can you tell the difference between these thread shades? Some might say if you can’t tell then it doesn’t matter but I know for sure that it would bug me! Click the link to learn the easy hack I use to ensure I always match my bobbins to my thread.!
Vickeidy Plybon
Let me show you how I organize my moderately sized collection of Aurifil threads in my fairly small sewing room. With most of my wall space already taken, I repurposed this bar cart as a mobile thread storage station. I secured a thread stand to the back, and it also holds all my most-used sewing and quilting essentials like needles, scissors, and rulers. I love that I can easily roll it around to make space whenever needed!
Mariana Diaz
Everyone knows that creative people can have trouble staying organized, but really, it’s because we always have ten different things going on at the same time, and we fall into a personal system that only we understand. That said, my personal system is that I need things to at least look tidy, so I thought this was a great chance to do some inventory and make sure each of my threads were in the right place. To start, I did the most daunting part of organization: dumping everything into one place so I could start from scratch. It was almost like a game, creating that perfect color wheel, though of course I also had to cut loose threads because they drive me crazy. I use 50wt and 40wt the most, so that’s what dominating the pile. I first set aside my everyday/basics, and I just keep one of each of those out at a time, the rest sit tidily in a drawer until they’re needed. My floss also goes in a drawer, but for the opposite reason! I don’t use floss as often since my machine is usually the one holding the needle, but I still like to have them all nice and ready to come out for fun little projects or details on quilts.
Then came my favorites: variegated! My system throws practicality out the window for these because I keep them in view because they’re SO pretty!! As I got to play with them just recently, I have a teeny tiny 8wt collection which I’m hoping to grow over time! Now, for the threads not going into drawers, I had two options: boxes where I received threads, because they are always covered in the most lovely designs, and my trusty wooden racks! All my Liberty spools stayed in the Liberty box, because it felt so fitting, and then the racks above my sewing machine were filled, one with cool colors, the other with warm. It’s funny: when I first started sewing, I would only use white 50wt for EVERYTHING. I considered it huge when I started using light gray for non-white fabrics. Now look at me! I had to buy a second rack because I couldn’t fit all in one! I’ve experimented with the pros and cons of each weight, or better said: what each weight was best suited to do. In the vein, I actually want to add some more 80wt to my collection, because it disappears like magic when piecing with delicate fabrics! Since it was picture day, I set them all on the racks so you could enjoy the view 😉 Is my system perfect? Of course not. But I like walking into my studio and seeing that pop of color waiting above my sewing machine to be picked and used to make something new, so I’d say it works!
We encourage you to click through and check out each of these amazing projects in more detail!
Is there a pattern for Elissa’s thread bag???