Greetings Aurifil family! I am thrilled, as Master Educator and Aurifilosophy Program Coordinator, to host the incredibly talented Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill of Whole Circle Studio. Years ago, Sheri took her background in graphic design and transitioned her creative skills into the world of quilting, where she excels in designing custom modern quilts and patterns and sharing her knowledge of quilting with the community.
Sheri has been a friend of Aurifil for many years, a fearless thread warrior, and one of our treasured Aurifilosophers. In this month’s Thread Matters, we are excited to celebrate Sheri and the launch of her newly announced 2025 Block of the Month, Starry Signs. As a master of Foundation Paper Piecing, Sheri is renowned for her precision and creativity, and she will be sharing some of her favorite tips with us today. We’re certain you’ll enjoy the beauty, creativity, and insights she brings to the table.
Is your shop, group or guild looking for insightful, inspiring and educational information on thread? Consider booking a virtual or in-person program with one of our skilled Aurifilosophers. Learn more about Aurifilosophy and find your favorite Aurifilosopher here.
Happy Stitching!
Karen L. Miller ~ Redbird Quilt Co
Exploring Starry Signs: 2025 Block of the Month + Quilt Sew Along
Hi, quilting and star-gazing enthusiasts! I’m Sheri from Whole Circle Studio, and I’m thrilled to introduce you to my newest quilt project: Starry Signs, a Block of the Month (BOM) and Quilt Sew Along. This project has been so much fun to bring to life — combining my love for design, the wonder of the night sky, and the joy of piecing and quilting.
As a collaborator with Aurifil and an Aurifilosopher, I absolutely love working with their beautiful threads. I used a variety of thread weights while Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) and later Walking Foot Quilting my Starry Signs quilts. In this blog post, I’ll share details about the project, show you how I used Aurifil threads, and offer some of my favorite FPP tips and quilting specifications to inspire you on your own stitching journey.
Let’s explore Starry Signs!
The Inspiration Behind Starry Signs
I’ve always been fascinated by the stars, but as someone who prefers cozy nights indoors to camping outdoors, I wanted to bring the beauty of the constellations to a quilt and literally sleep under a quilt of stars.
After researching countless constellations, I decided to feature the zodiac constellations. Each block captures one zodiac sign, and throughout 2025, we’ll sew each constellation block during its corresponding month, following the stars through the year—from Capricorn in January to Sagittarius in December.
This quilt is designed for creativity and flexibility. Whether you want to make your quilt look like mine, create your own version, highlight your zodiac sign, or personalize your quilt with blocks representing friends and family, there’s plenty of room to make a quilt that’s uniquely your own.
Foundation Paper Piecing Starry Signs Constellations
This quilt pattern is TOTALLY Foundation Paper Pieced (no applique). Included in the Starry Signs BOM registration are easy-to-follow quilt patterns, along with bonus video tutorials and tips.
I find that most quilters either love FPP or haven’t found the love for it — YET. Foundation Paper Piecing requires thinking about piecing in a different way than other quilt projects, and every quilter approaches it slightly differently. I believe that with a little patience and practice, quilters can pick it up and learn to love this technique. Need a tutorial (or refresher) on FPP? I’ve got you covered with a free Foundation Paper Piecing Tutorial/Mini Class (simply scroll to the bottom of this post.)
Aurifil thread was essential in bringing my paper-pieced blocks to life! Here are just a few of my Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) tips:
1. Choose the Right Thread: For Foundation Paper Piecing, I always use Aurifil 50wt thread. It’s thin yet strong, which helps reduce bulk in your seams—a must when working with overlapping sections in FPP. The quality and durability of Aurifil 50wt ensures my FPP seams stay secure, even after tugging to remove the paper.
2. Fresh Needles Are Key: Start with a sharp 80/12 Universal or Microtex needle to achieve crisp, clean stitches. Sewing through paper dulls needles quickly, so replace them after finishing your FPP blocks.
3. Adjust Your Stitch Length: Use a shorter stitch length, around 1.5, to secure seams and perforate the paper for easy removal later. For tiny sections, try reducing the stitch length to 1.3 for greater precision.
Quilting Starry Signs – My Step-by-Step Process
There are so many ways to quilt, but my favorite method is walking foot quilting. I wanted the quilt top design to shine as the main feature, with the quilting supporting it rather than distracting from it. Here’s how I approached the quilting process:
1. Choosing Thread Colors and Weights: I used complementary or matching thread colors in different areas of the quilt to help each element stand out while still blending harmoniously. I also mixed up thread weights throughout the quilts to give more emphasis to the elements (constellations, stars, moon) in the quilt.
2. Outlining the Elements: I quilted just outside each constellation, star, cloud, and the moon using Aurifil 40wt thread with a 3.5 stitch length. These outlines help define each element and make them pop against the background.
3. Quilting the Background: Next, I quilted straight horizontal lines 1” apart across the background, avoiding the outlined elements. I used the same weight and color of Aurifil thread as I did for the outlines.
4. Detailing the Constellations: For the smaller constellation shapes, I reduced my stitch length to 3.0 and switched to a thicker 28wt thread. I outlined each shape just inside the seams, which makes the shapes stand out even more and enhances the overall quilt top design.
5. Quilting the Clouds and Moon: Finally, I quilted inside each cloud and the moon, using matching thread colors (40wt for the clouds and 28wt for the moon). I echoed the outlines of the shapes, with quilting lines 1/2” apart for the clouds and 1/4” apart for the moon, adding beautiful quilted texture and definition.
6. Adding Subtle Detail to the Background: After completing the 1” spaced lines, I quilted additional straight lines between them, using a secondary color of thread. This subtle color change adds a nice touch of variation, giving the background some extra visual interest. When finished, the lines in the background were spaced 1/2” apart.
Here are some of the thread palettes I used when quilting my Starry Signs quilt:
For the dark version of my Starry Signs quilt, I selected Aurifil thread colors that complement a beautiful warm/cool palette of Grunge fabrics (by Moda Fabrics)
Background: Aurifil 40wt (colors: 2735 & 1200)
Outlining the Elements: Aurifil 40wt (color: 2735)
Constellation Lines, Center Stars, and Clouds: Aurifil 40wt (color: 4140)
Constellation Stars: Aurifil 28wt (colors: 2134, 1133, 2440)
Moon: Aurifil 28wt (color: 2134)
For the light version of my Starry Signs quilt, I selected a collection of fun rainbow palette of Aurifil thread colors that match Speckled fabrics (by Rashida Coleman Hale for Ruby Star Society)
Background: Aurifil 40wt (colors: 2309 & 5006)
Outlining the Elements: Aurifil 40wt (color: 2309)
Constellation Lines: Aurifil 40wt (color: 5008)
Center Stars and Clouds: Aurifil 40wt (color: 2309)
Constellation Stars: Aurifil 28wt (colors: 2535, 2530, 2225, 2235, 1133, 2134, 1231, 2884, 1148, 1320, 2725, 2540)
Moon: Aurifil 28wt (color: 2134)
The Sky’s the Limit with Lots of Quilt Options!
One of the joys of Starry Signs is the many ways you can arrange your 12 constellation blocks. Plus, bonus quilt patterns are included for optional corner clouds, as well as a moon and stars quilt pattern for the center of your quilt. This center pattern also works great as a stand-alone baby quilt!
Instructions are included for how to assemble the blocks and patterns into:
- 4 runners
- a variety of Throw quilt options OR
- Pick up the optional Add-On Block City Skyline, Mountain Range, or More Stars Pack and go big with twin and queen-sized quilts.
If you prefer, incorporate your blocks into other projects—abstract mini quilts, wall decor, placemats, table runners, bags… the options are endless!
Join the Piecing & Quilting Fun!
I had so much fun designing and making these Starry Signs quilts, but that’s just the beginning! I’ll be sewing along with quilters from all over the world throughout 2025. Jump in at any time, as this is a low-stress BOM sew along, and we’ll all work at our own pace as we make our own Starry Signs Quilts. All skill levels are welcome. This Block of the Month was designed for quilters who have some experience with Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) and are looking for a fun but challenging project. That said, beginners are totally welcome, as I’ll be sharing all of my tips and tricks.
Wherever you are with your FPP skills, by the end of 2025, your piecing skills and confidence will grow. I’ll be here to share tips and cheer you on every step of the way. We’ll go at our own pace, with no pressure to finish each block every month. But for those who want to stick to a schedule, we’ll keep each other accountable and have a finished quilt top by the end of the year.
I hope you’ll join the Starry Signs Block of the Month + Quilt Sew Along! Early Bird Registration is now open. If you register before December 23, 2024, you’ll save $10 on registration. Get all the details and register via the button below!
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