Welcome to Thread Matters – The Aurifilosopher Series! I’m Karen L. Miller, Master Educator for Aurifil and Aurifilosophy Program Director.
If your shop, group or guild is looking for insightful, inspiring and educational information on thread —think weights, ply, needles, and tension— consider booking a virtual or in-person program with one of our certified Aurifilosophers. Learn more about Aurifilosophy and find your favorite Aurifilosopher here.
Happy Stitching!
Karen L. Miller ~ Redbird Quilt Co.
In my travels, I’m often asked How do you use all of those weights of Aurifil?. With that, in this post, I’ll share a closer look at Aurifil’s Cotton 2ply threads— highlighting each weight from ultra-fine Cotton 80wt to bold Cotton 8wt— and how I love to use them in both hand and machine creations.
Before we jump into that, let’s review some basics:
🔍 Aurifil Cotton 2ply Thread Basics
Aurifil is made from 100% extra-long staple Egyptian cotton, sourced from the Mako region of Egypt— renowned for producing some of the finest cotton in the world. After spinning, the thread is processed and finished in Italy through Aurifil’s meticulous 15-step production process. The result is a premium, low-lint thread with a smooth, consistent finish that glides effortlessly through both hand and machine stitching.
Each weight of Aurifil is distinguished by its spool color:
- Cotton 80wt (ultra-fine) – cherry wooden spool (available in small spools)
- Cotton 50wt (fine) – orange spool (available in small, large, and cone sizes)
- Cotton 40wt (medium) – green spool (available in small, large, and cone sizes)
- Cotton 28wt (bold) – gray spool (available in small, large, and cone sizes)
- Cotton 12wt (heavy) – red spool (available in small, large, and cone sizes)
- Cotton 8wt (heaviest) – white wooden spool (available in small spools)
In addition to the Cotton 2ply threads, Aurifil also offers:
- Cotton Floss, 6strand divisible – pine wooden spool
- Cotton Forty3 (40wt 3ply longarm thread) – yellow cone
- Nylon Monofilament – white spool
- Wool 12wt (wool/acrylic blend) – red spool
That’s 10 beautiful thread options from Aurifil!
Want to try a variety? Grab one of our Aurifilosophy Thread Exemplar collections, featuring 7 of the 10 available Aurifil threads.
🧵 Karen’s Favorite Uses of the Seven Cotton 2ply Threads
NOTE: While I enjoy using all Aurifil thread weights for their unique strengths and techniques, my first love was using them to embellish my quilts with free motion quilting. Experimenting with each weight on my home machine deepened my understanding of their versatility and opened up endless creative possibilities.
Cotton 80wt: Needle Turn Hand Appliqué & Raw Edge Machine Appliqué
Invisible stitching magic!
✅ By hand: Use short thread lengths and a size 9 or 10 straw needle. Take short stitches ending with a gentle tug. The strength of this fine weight 2 ply thread is gained through applying multiple stitches, not just one.
✅ By machine: Use 50wt in the bobbin, a 70/10 Microtex needle, and stitch along the raw edge with a walking foot or darning foot.
Cotton 50wt: Machine Piecing & Bobbin Thread
With Traditional or Foundation Paper Piecing you’ll achieve flat, precise seams and long-lasting bobbins.
✅ Use a Microtex 70/10 needle or larger. No tension adjustments needed.
Cotton 40wt: Hand Binding & Garment Sewing
Slightly stronger than 50wt—great for durability and detail.
✅ By hand: Use short thread lengths and a size 10 or 11 straw needle.
✅ By machine: Use 50wt in the bobbin and a size 80/12 Microtex needle.
Cotton 28wt: Free Motion Quilting & Fiber Art Embellishments
Lustrous, bold stitches with great definition.
✅ Use a 90/14 topstitch needle, reduce top tension slightly, and pair with 50wt in the bobbin.
Cotton 12wt: Machine Topstitching & Wool Appliqué
My go-to for dramatic, visible stitching— by hand or machine.
✅ By machine: Use a 90/14–100/16 topstitch needle, longer stitch length, lower top tension, and 40wt or 50wt in the bobbin. Stitch slowly!
✅ By hand: Use short lengths with a size 10 or 11 straw needle. Great for bold decorative accents.
Cotton 8wt: Hand Embroidery
A high-quality alternative to perle cotton.
✅ Use a size 5 crewel/embroidery needle or size 24/26 tapestry needle. Keep thread lengths short to reduce wear and preserve sheen. Enjoy the vibrant 8wt color range!
IN SUMMARY: Whether you’re piecing, quilting, binding, embellishing, or hand stitching, there’s an Aurifil thread weight perfectly suited for the technique and creative vision. I hope this post encourages you to explore the possibilities, experiment with each weight, and discover new ways to elevate your projects with Aurifil’s beautiful, high-quality threads. Until next time—stitch joyfully and keep threading your story, one stitch at a time.
Such fun seeing all the different looks of what different weights of beautiful Aurifil threads can do and look like. Thank you this is inspirating me to go and try new exciting ways to embellish my quilting!
I’ve heard you shouldn’t use cotton but polyester for making a bag. Is Aurifil 40 wt not strong enough?