At Aurifil, we’ve long admired the creative brilliance of Suzy Williams of Suzy Quilts. Her fresh, modern approach to quilting is equal parts inspiring and inviting, blending artistry with a deep love for handmade tradition. She is adored by followers worldwide, which comes as no surprise given her familiar charm that makes her feel like an old friend within moments of meeting.
Our collaboration began with something bold—Aurifil’s very first 8wt thread—something that marked an exciting new chapter for Aurifil and the beginning of a new journey together.
Now, we’re thrilled to continue this creative adventure with a full collection of 12 large spools of Aurifil’s 100% Cotton 50wt, perfectly curated to complement Suzy’s latest fabric release, Wildflower Wovens with Art Gallery Fabrics.
Like the fabric itself, the Wildflower thread collection is infused with the charm of nature’s untamed beauty—warm golden oranges, soft blues, and lush greens that echo a sun-drenched meadow in bloom. Designed to pair seamlessly with Suzy’s new yarn-dyed wovens, these threads are ready to bring extra depth, texture, and harmony to your next quilted masterpiece. Unsurprisingly, they also carry on with the color story established with Evolve and Pure Solids and will make a perfect partner for Slow Summer, shipping this month. (All AGF)
We couldn’t be more delighted to celebrate this next chapter with Suzy and all of you—our fellow makers, dreamers, and stitchers. Stay tuned as we dive deeper into the Wildflower collection and the endless creative possibilities it brings and huge thanks to Suzy for always being so willing to play along with us! (and don’t miss Suzy’s launch on her own blog right HERE)
Hi Suzy! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us. I know this isn’t your first appearance here on Auribuzz, but we’d love for you to tell us a bit about yourself for those readers who may be meeting you for the first time. How did you first come to this creative space?
I am SO excited about collaborating with Aurifil for a second time! Every time I get to sew with the Evolve 8wt collection I feel immense gratitude for the opportunity. Those 20 threads are a joy to hand-sew with! Now, with 50wt thread, I can share my love of machine sewing too!
But, if you would like to know how this sewing journey started, we would need to travel back to 2001. I learned to quilt when I was 15 from a friend’s mother. She had four daughters and none of them were interested in sewing, so when I timidly asked if I could come over and sew a little, she swooped in with all of the love and passion I have seen in hundreds of quilters since. (Quilters really are some of the best people in the world!)
She would write lesson plans for me and taught me so much about tools, techniques, and fabric that I quickly realized I never would have excelled so quickly without her! At the time there were no quilting blogs and YouTube was just a thought in some tech wizard’s mind. My quilty world was her and a teeny tiny fabric shop off the highway where I worked for four hours every Saturday.
My deep appreciation for what my sewing mentor did for me led to the launch of Suzy Quilts 14 years later. I wanted to build an online sewing community for quilters like me who did not have a personal sewing mentor. I even had the thought that maybe I could be that to some people, albeit from afar.
Suzy Quilts has changed over the years, but at its heart is a desire to create a safe space for people to learn, grow, and be inspired. Over 20 years later, Suzy Quilts is made up of a collective of creative contributors that have written over 700 tutorials, articles, and product reviews, a monthly digital mini magazine called The Cutting Table, five fabric collections with Art Gallery Fabrics, a sewing machine with BERNINA, and now two collections of thread with Aurifil.
We’re here today to talk about your second Aurifil collection, Wildflower. Your first, Evolve, was released last year as the grand introduction of Aurifil’s very first 8wt 2ply thread. How has it been working with these Aurifil threads over the past year?
I’m a longtime Aurifil aficionado, but it is extra special to work behind the scenes with the Aurifil team, in the States and Italy, to make something new. I know what it’s like to quilt on a tight budget, but I can say from experience that quality thread matters A LOT. I hope that when people sew with both of these collections they can rest assured that the process will be smooth and the final result will last for generations.
This new set features large spools of Aurifil 50wt thread. Why was it important to you to feature this versatile thread weight?
My quilting process always starts on the sewing machine piecing a quilt top with 50wt Aurifil thread. Although it’s not necessary to match thread to the fabric when piecing, it is a good idea to sew with thread that blends with the colors of a quilt.
This Wildflower collection is a lovely muted rainbow assortment and works seamlessly with all five of my fabric collections. Even if quilters sew with other fabrics, these colors are subtle enough that they have chameleon-like qualities and look good with many shades.
I also typically opt for 50wt thread when machine quilting. During that process, it is important to choose colors that coordinate with the fabric. Even though there are just 12 hues in the collection, I have no doubt that these threads will offer ample opportunities to play and bring beauty to the quilting process.
Can you share the inspiration behind the collection and what the name Wildflower means to you?
Through my many years of quilting and connecting with other quilters, I’ve become passionate about sewing with natural fibers as much as possible. This Wildflower collection is 100% cotton and the hues represent colors found in nature. It also coordinates with my latest fabric collection — Wildflower Wovens.
When you first sent this title through to me, we talked about the song Wildflower – both the Tom Petty original AND the Wailin’ Jennys cover. Did music factor into your title when creating your Art Gallery fabric line or was the similarity just a happy coincidence? (truly LOVE that song!)
I wish I could say those beautiful songs are the inspiration, but it’s actually my sister-in-law and her recent love of growing wildflowers. Every summer she tills up more of her yard and expands her wildflower field. She makes bouquets as a fun hobby, and when complimented brushes it off like it’s no big deal, but she’s incredibly creative in this way!
I see a lot of quilters do this — they amaze me with their creativity but don’t see their skill as amazing. I hope this collection of thread emboldens sewists to step into creative confidence in an exciting and empowering way.
If you could describe the Wildflower thread collection in three words, what would they be?
Can I pick just two words? Nature’s Rainbow
How did you approach selecting the hues for Wildflower to complement your fabric line?
I wanted each hue of the rainbow represented along with a couple of neutral shades.
Could you walk us through how you envision quilters using this thread collection with your Art Gallery fabrics?
Before I grew in my hand quilting confidence, I would machine quilt and then add some hand quilting touches. To be honest, I didn’t think my hand quilting was good enough to even hold the quilt sandwich together!
Now that there is a 50wt and an 8wt collection, I hope that sewists are inspired to mix the collections in a playful way.
Do you have a personal favorite color from the thread collection? If so, why does it resonate with you?
That is really tough, but if pressed, I’d say the dusty pink/purple hue that coordinates with my Signature Solid Thistle fabric. I love wearing that color and think it’s a really interesting shade that can take on the qualities of the colors surrounding it — making it perfect for machine quilting.
What tips do you have for quilters and sewists just starting to work with Aurifil 50wt?
Clean your machine every 3 bobbins. It’s important when sewing with a natural-fiber thread like Aurifil because lint can build up.
How does it feel to see your designs in both fabrics and threads, empowering makers to bring their own visions to life?
It’s a dream that I would sit and relish more if my three kids didn’t take up 90% of my time and headspace 😉
Do you have a dream collaboration or project that Wildflower has inspired you to pursue?
Great question! Over the last few years I’ve almost exclusively hand-quilted my quilts, but this new collection is inspiring me to get back to machine quilting and explore creative designs using these colors.
Where can we find you this year and what new things should we look forward to?
In addition to four new quilt patterns this year, we have SO MUCH beautiful content coming to The Cutting Table. I am so proud of our botanically-themed 2025 Block of the Month Quilt. All past and future content on The Cutting Table is available to subscribers, so it’s never too late to join.
In addition to the Wildflower Wovens collection, I also have a print collection called Slow Summer that is shipping to stores in late February. Of course, its color scheme pulls from the same hues as the Wildflower collection.
