This month, our Aurifil Artisans are wrapping up the year with a flourish, infusing their projects with the magic of their favorite Aurifil threads. With the challenge to use their preferred thread of choice, our Artisans have embarked on a journey of exploration and expression. Whether it’s the discovery of a new favorite weight or the timeless allure of a trusted thread, their creations promise to dazzle and inspire. From intricate embroidery to bold quilting, each project is a testament to the endless possibilities that Aurifil threads offer.
We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the Aurifil Artisans who made the May challenge a glorious success. Your unwavering creativity and enthusiasm to join us month after month are truly appreciated. Join us as we celebrate their artistry and bid farewell to this term’s Artisans with a burst of creativity and color.
Heidi Schlicht
I started my Artisan year as the biggest fan of 28wt. One year later I’m also absolutely in love with 50wt for my FPP projects.
Aurifil Thread used: 2320 50wt and 2375 28wt
Candice Odeen
For this month’s Aurifil Artisan challenge we were to use our favorite thread. If you’d have asked me a year ago, 50wt would have easily been my answer but now, 12wt is where it’s at. I love the texture that 12wt adds to decorative stitching and that I can zhuzh up my work so much with a heavier weight thread.
Aurifil Thread used: 12wt 4182, 1100, 1125, 5022
Elissa Ziccardi
The theme for this month is “Favorite Aurifil Thread of Choice” – this was an easy choice for me as 50wt is my “just right” thread of choice. It’s the thread that I use most often across my work from bags to garments to quilting and EPP… an easy favorite, though competing hard this year with 12wt! I wanted to end this year as an Artisan with a bang, so I decked out this quilted bag using no less than TWELVE thread colors. I hope you’ll take the time to zoom in on the quilting, decorative stitching, and foundation paper piecing to see the texture, detail, and finesse that the perfect thread brings to a project. Ribbon and webbing from @renaissanceribbons match the thread with perfection – No detail left untouched! This bag is appropriately named Every Day Every Way and I enjoyed carrying it with me throughout my time at the H+H Americas show in Chicago earlier this month. On my shoulder or at my elbow, crossbody, and as a backpack, it tackled all of my needs. It colorfully exudes my point of view as an Artisan this year, wrapping up nicely a full spectrum of creativity and color… living my life one stitch at a time.
Aurifil Thread used: 50wt — full collection Roar! 10-spool collection, 50wt Neon 7001 and 7000
Maude MacDonald
While 50wt Aurifil Thread will always be my go-to, ride or die thread, I LOVE the new 8wt by Aurifil! It’s smooth, strong and beautiful! Can’t wait for more colours to debut!
Aurifil Thread used: 8wt: 2843, 2850, 2240
Karen Foster
Medallion Mashup #01 is my latest finish. I used my favorite thread weight on both my domestic sewing machine and a long arm for quilting. We were tasked with sharing our very favorite thread weight which isn’t easy to narrow down with so many wonderful products and a range so broad. Maybe it’s because the quilting step is such a dramatic step in the process that the Forty3 spool of Aurifil cotton stands out to me or maybe it’s just that not all of my quilting friends have discovered the beauty and ease of it and I want to spread the word.
Aurifil Thread used: Piecing 2600 Dove 50wt Cone, Hand Appliqué 2220 Light Salmon 80wt spool, Longarm and Domestic quilting 2843 Light Grey Green 40/3wt Cone, Domestic and Handstitch Binding 2865 Emerald 40wt spool
Fiona Johnstone
To showcase my favourite thread weight and colour I made these cute triangle pouches. I use 50wt for all my hand piecing and nearly all of my machine piecing and this project used a good combination of both as well as some quilting! The pouches also happen to be the perfect size for a spool of Aurifil thread!
Aurifil Thread used: 50wt in 4020
Anorina Morris
The new 8wt cotton thread has become an absolute favourite and was used in creating this curvy, big stitch quilted Euro cushion.
Aurifil Thread used: 50wt #2920 + 8wt Evolve collection
Janice Reimer
I couldn’t decide whether to quilt my Procyon Quilt with a matching pink (2479) or orange (2245) thread, so I went with both! I had so many threads to bury, but the texture that was created made it absolutely worth it.
Aurifil Thread used: 50wt 2479, 2245, and 2311
Annie Tremblay
For this project, I used 50wt for piecing, which I have been using from the beginning of my quilting journey. But I also used it for machine quilting pinwheels designs alongside a new favorite, the 40wt. I had to add some pretty hand stitches to the mix with my beloved 12wt. I love the fact that there is a huge range of colors! Aren’t these bright colors fabulous?!
Aurifil Thread used: 50wt in 2510 and 1148, 40wt in 2479, 12wt in 4020
Francesca Kemp
The last Aurifil Artisan challenge of the year was to choose our favourite thread. Well how can you possibly choose from when the possibilities are just endless? I know that black no2692 is my number one but I just couldn’t decide which weight to use so I’ve done a sampler of my three favourites for free machine embroidery and I thought I’d give you all a few of my insights.
- 80wt – My latest addiction gives the finest finish, fantastic for sketching with thread, it’s so fine and allows a slow build-up of thread, would be great for fluffier projects.
- 50wt – My tried and trusted outliner, it’s always been my go-to choice and beginning this year I would have picked it for everything but my head has been turned lately.
- 40wt – great for fonts and colour flooding, I love the boldness. I found using it as an outliner a little too cartoony, but against stronger colours like my oranges it was a much-needed pop.
This year has been wonderful for shaking me out of my comfort zone and allowing me to make more confident thread choices in both colours and weights. I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity by the Aurifil team and they will continue to be my ride-or-die thread choice. Thank you Aurifil Thread for a wonderful year of challenges, I only wish I could have done more of them!
Aurifil Thread used: Black 2692 in 80wt, 50wt and 40wt
Aimee Hagedorn
If you had asked me a year ago what my favorite thread was I would have told you embroidery floss of course. But one of the best things about being an Artisan for Aurifil was having the opportunity to experiment with all kinds of thread. I found the 12wt thread was not only versatile in hand stitching but came in a wonderful selection of colors. I loved how silky it was and could easily be used with a machine. For this challenge, I hand-stitched fabric yo-yos to make postcards just in time for summer travel. Literally a full circle moment to end my Artisan journey in the same fashion that I began: fancy snail mail.
Aurifil Threads used: 12wt, various colors
Kate Sandford
For the last post, they want to know “What is your favourite weight thread?” I hate to be annoying but how could I choose? They ALL have an important job role in my creations. 50wt for impeccable piecing and quilting. 40wt and 28wt for added visual interest in quilting or embroidery. 12wt for a bold quilting line either hand quilting or machine! 80wt for the best applique! I used ALL of the thread weights in my latest quilt!
Lou Orth
My favourite thread? It has to be the 50wt, 2600. It’s with me for piecing, bag making, binding and more!
Aurifil Thread used: 50wt 2600
Zeïba Monod
Combining both April and May challenges (me-made and favourite threads), I sewed my first linen skirt and used my favourite threads, Aurifil floss, to embroider flowers, bees, and other lovely creatures around the bottom hem.
Aurifil Thread used: Aurifil 40wt (2311) for the skirt and all the Aurifil floss I had in my stash.
Emma Giacalone
It’s almost impossible to pick my favourite thread weight. 50wt is the perfect all-rounder for machine embroidery; it is fine enough to add intricate detail, but can also be used for smaller areas of colour drenching. In this project where there was quite a lot of detail within the shading, the use of 50wt allowed the detail to remain distinct (although I did cheat a little, and used 40wt for the purple areas for speed of cover and Aurifloss for the French knots/sprinkles!)
Aurifil Thread used: 50wt: 2024, 4241, 2720, 2520, 4140, 5018, 1114, 2886, 2135, 2130, 7000, 2720, 2277, 5002, 2415, 2530. 40wt: 1200, 2582. Aurifloss: 5002, 2886, 2310, 2415, 4140.
Mary Burroughs-Mayer
The May Aurifil Artisan Challenge was all about using your favorite thread weight. Now 50wt is probably the unsung hero of my sewing room, but it’s hard to ignore the gorgeous texture that quilting with 12wt thread provides. I decided to show it off on a whole cloth quilt kit I got from fellow Artisan @PiperAutumnFabrics a while back. I quilted a straight grid in one direction, and then a repeating arc in the other direction for a little more interest. I love how this turned out!
My Machine Quilting with 12wt tips:
- Use a 90/14 Topstitch or Jeans Needle
- Use a 50 wt. coordinating thread in the bobbin (you can also try 40 wt., but I tend to have more options in 50 wt. in my sewing room).
- Tension settings will depend on your machine and the thickness of your project – make sure to test settings on a sample piece of the same thickness. If your bobbin thread is showing on top of the piece, decrease your top tension. If the top thread is showing on the bottom of the piece, increase your top tension.
- Use a stitch length of 3.5 or higher (I’m using 4.0 on this project. Play with this on your sample piece to figure out what you prefer!
- Use a walking foot and go SLOWLY for the best results.
- Start and Finish your stitches *off* your project if you can and hang onto that top thread when starting to stitch.
- Sew a “victory lap” around your finished piece after trimming to keep the thicker thread from popping out of the stitches. Good luck! I can’t wait to see how you use this thread!
Aurifil Thread used: 12wt in 2425, 50wt in 2420
Justine Wilson
I used my favorite Aurifil 50wt for piecing and quilting this mini quilt. I made this project to remember my time being part of the Aurifil Artisan team. It has been such a fun and inspirational experience. I loved getting to try new threads and meet so many talented makers. I will always be grateful for this opportunity!
Aurifil Thread used: 50 wt – #2105 (Champagne)
Mariana Diaz
This month the challenge for the Aurifil Artisans was to create something using a favorite thread. I discovered the 28wt thread this year as an Artisan and fell in love. It’s thick and it shows beautifully when quilting, yet it’s not too thick so I can still use it on my sewing machine. The color 2479 is a rich pink that goes perfectly with the project I had in mind, something that is just pure fun and for ME haha! You already know my soft spot for Liberty Fabrics, especially their Tana Lawn, it has the softest feel and daintiest look. Inspired by Kate from The Last Homely House, I chose the Royal Oak House print from Liberty of London as the centerpiece. It’s one of my favorite prints and it looks just like Kate’s house, it even has Rita the cat!
The cushion is made with a pattern that releases next month actually, so you’re getting a sneak peek! It’s called Summer Lanterns. as you can see, it has these geometric layers that form the lantern and give the illusion of depth. Deciding to be playful, I actually used the thread to make additional shapes on top of the pieced fabric ones to enhance the look. Doesn’t it look awesome?! Now I have a new favorite cushion that no one else is allowed to use (teehee), and I can conclude my year-long Artisan journey with a valuable lesson: It may feel like ripping the wrapping paper of a gorgeously wrapped gift when we use our favorite fabrics and threads… but you have to if you want to reach the goodies inside. After all, I’ll enjoy these prints and colors much more sitting on my couch than hidden away in a drawer!
Aurifil Threads used: 28 wt. 2479 / 50wt. 2309
We encourage you to click through and check out each of these amazing projects in more detail!