For August, we invited our Artisans to reimagine the humble postcard – not with pen and paper, but with fabric and thread and create a stitched message, mini quilted design, or embroidered scene inspired by a hometown, favorite travel memory, or meaningful moment. A summer celebration of creativity, connection, and storytelling, stitched in true Artisan style.
This is the very first time we’ve challenged our makers to create fabric postcards, and the response has been nothing short of extraordinary. Our Artisans poured their stories into every stitch. Some went bold and graphic, others soft and sentimental. But all captured a sense of place, memory, or emotion, made tangible through thread. It’s a beautiful reminder of how textile art can bridge time, space, and community.
As a final flourish, each participating Artisan will be paired with a fellow maker for a special postcard swap, sending their stitched creation out into the world and receiving a surprise in return. To all of our August participants: thank you for your creativity, your courage to try something new, and for stitching such rich stories into these tiny masterpieces. We’re blown away by your innovation and can’t wait to see how this challenge inspires others to create their own fabric messages from the heart.
Amy Freyn
For the “Reimagine the Postcard” challenge, I decided to make a quilted postcard of Quito, Ecuador (the place I live and love). The word Quito is quilted with 28wt Aurifil thread and made to look like dripping painted graffiti.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 28wt 1135 and Cotton 50wt 2026
Jessica Jones
A Postcard of Somerset Summers: Woven from vintage textiles and guided by the pages of a well-loved family butterfly book, this piece captures the fleeting magic of butterflies in flight. The 3D details and soft blue tones echo my memories of Somerset summers — warm evenings, still air, and time immersed in nature.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 50wt 2605, 2830, 2775, 4241, 4655, 4653, 3770, 4667, 4670; Cotton 40wt 2600; Cotton Floss 2886
Sofia Natty
I hopped back home to Lisbon after 20 months in NYC and landed straight into a pile of bunny hugs. This quilted postcard is a love note to that moment — and to all the Trees who stood beside me on my immigration journey to the U.S. [Inspired by the book “Bunny and Tree” by Balint Zsako, with the author’s blessing].
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 50wt 5006, 2912, 1147, 2775, 2240, 2520, 2479, 2123; Cotton 28wt 2120; Monofilament in clear
Amanda Loewen
It’s strawberry season for this month’s “summer vibes” postcard challenge. For this micro-quilt project I used a mix of 40 and 28wt threads to quilt a grid background – reminding me of a picnic tablecloth. I made freehand strawberry shapes with scrap fabrics and raw-edge appliquéd them using free-motion quilting. French knot floss “seeds” give the strawberries the perfect bit of texture. The postcard is finished with a 40wt overcast stitch twice around to give the edging weight.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 50wt 2309, 2884; Cotton 40wt 2530, 2588, 2810; Cotton 28wt 2145; Cotton Floss 2440
Claire Houghton
A Postcard from Cornwall. Inspired by the beautiful coastline of Cornwall, I machine embroidered this postcard in free motion. I used the white and grey thread in a sweeping motion to add movement to the sky, while a combination of blues and turquoise gives depth to the sea. The shells are just perfect for wrapping in a pop of turquoise. A fun project!
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 50wt 2021, 2600, 2785, 4093, 2830, 1147
Sarah Bookwalter
Say hello or goodbye to the tiniest, coziest house on the block—an expression of the true sentiment of a postcard—Hurry Home. Using 28wt Iris (2560) to quilt and complement the cozy house.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 28wt 2560
Sarah Morris
I really wanted to create a postcard from where I am — Houston, TX, walking beside these nasty river rats (nutria) every single day! I see a lot of funny and odd things as an Appalachian, but nutria has got to be the weirdest. I used 50wt to top-stitch the appliqué, and then came through with my favorite 8wt! ❤️
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 8wt 4644, Cotton 50wt 2000
Vivian Doan
For this challenge, I dug up a WIP I had started and thought it was perfect as a postcard! The panel is from Rise and Shine by @missmelodymiller for @rubystarsociety, and I used the part with the Sun rising over a beautiful little flowery meadow. I decided to use foam stabilizer instead of batting to create a puffy texture and used the outlines of the images as the quilting lines. I really love fabrics with large prints like this one, as they are gorgeous when quilted along the image lines. I then decided to use a lush satin stitch for the edges.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 50wt 2405 and 2870
Belle Brunner
Belle had fun with tiny Dresden blades and 28wt thread to make a Quarter Dresden Block postcard during the hot August summer here in rural Arkansas.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 28wt 2930, 2309, 2350
Amari Thomsen
I turned fabric trash into happy mail with this quilted postcard made from fabric selvedges. This project is beginner-friendly, budget-friendly, and SO fun to send (or keep!).
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 40wt 2510
Julia Crook
For this month’s reimagining the postcard challenge, I was inspired by the view from the coast where I live. I decided on a simple design with a natural colour palette. I used cream calico on natural linen fabric; these were cut and hand embellished with couched Cotton Floss thread in 2311. I love the raised texture that the couching gives, catching the light to give lots of extra detail.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 80wt 2000, Cotton Floss 2311
Susanne Kuprella
We spent our summer vacation in the Czech Republic, surrounded by beautiful nature and wonderful castles. It rained most of the time, but every now and then, there was light at the end of the tunnel, like the bright sky at the gate here. I tried to sketch the architecture with thin black yarn, i.e. only one thread, and to emphasize the view with strong colors in 6 threads.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton Floss 2692, 2910, 6010, 5023, 2886 and Cotton 28wt 2630, 6724
Karlie Hunter
For my August Artisan postcard challenge, I drew inspiration from Iowa’s gently rolling hills, RAGBRAI (the bike path), and the Indianola Balloon Classic (hot air balloon) to create this embroidered postcard. The bright greens and clear blue sky perfectly reflect summers in Iowa, and I am so proud to share a glimpse of beauty from this place I call home!
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton Floss 2692, 2805, 2520, 2000, 2545, 2372, 2888, 2890; Cotton 8wt 1231
Tamara Darragh
The wild and familiar call of a loon across a still Minnesota lake has always felt like home to me. This memory inspired my reimagined postcard for the August Aurifil Artisan Challenge, stitched as a story in fabric and thread. I’ve shared the full process on my blog if you’d like to create your own postcard-sized quilted memory.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton Floss 2888, 5016, 5014, 4241; Cotton 8wt 1231, 2930; Cotton 12wt 5006, 5022; Wool 12wt 8264, 8328; Cotton 50wt 2026; Monofilament Clear
HollyAnne Knight
Inspired by the Pride flags of Regent Street near Liberty London, my Artisan Postcard Challenge is an ode to my recent experience returning to the UK and teaching at The Festival of Quilts . It was a dream trip, and I loved the opportunity to connect with so many amazing Rockstars (including Rebecca and Clare who made the lil’ fabric stamps as part of Sarah Ashford’s stamp swap!) 🥰
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 50wt 3660 and 2692
Katie Zahm
I breathe fresh life into quilt-making with my fabric collage technique, Stash Stories. In this feature, I’ve transformed summer memories into a mini quilted postcard using scraps, Elmer’s glue, and playful matchstick quilting to craft a tactile story that blends spontaneity with artistry. This method celebrates creative freedom and elevates quilting beyond perfection—making it accessible, personal, and full of charm.
Aurifil Threads used: Cotton 8wt, 12wt, 50wt 2311 and Cotton 12wt 4173
Janine Heschl
I created the postcard by tracing the outlines of the colloseum with an Aqua Trickmarker onto a cotton mix fabric, stitched along the lines with my Singer 107W102 and added some colour and depth with ink. I used @aurifilthread 80wt and 50wt, and backed the postcard with medium-weight felt to give it stability.
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton 80wt and Cotton 50wt
Sashanna Hart
For the postcard challenge I was inspired to create a moth on a starry background. My sister is going through a very difficult period in her life right now, and the hope of the moth, who spends his life in the dark, yet always seeking the light, inspired me to create this postcard for her. The fabrics were all taken from my scrap bins, and are all pieces from treasured, favorite fabrics from other projects. I included a little bias tape hanging loop so that my sister can hang it somewhere she will see it and be reminded of hope.
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton 50wt 2314; Cotton 28wt 2410, 5220, 2770
Yasmeen Kreebani Branton
I love buying flowers for people, and for this challenge, I thought what better than sending someone a long-lasting flower in fabric and thread! I worked on this project in a very fluid, instinctual way, letting the threads, colours, and fabric define the design. I used different weights and types of thread for the embroidery to add interest and play around with texture and light.
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton Floss 2730, 2568, 5003, 4030, 4644, 6729; Wool 12wt 8205, 8240, 8950; Cotton 12wt 5016, 2890; Cotton 28wt 2145
We encourage you to click through and take a closer look at each Artisan’s brilliant take on this challenge. A huge THANK YOU to our 2025 Aurifil Artisan team. Your creativity, curiosity, and enthusiasm shine through already, and we’re so grateful to have you on this journey with us!