Greetings, Aurifil thread lovers! As Master Educator and Aurifilosophy Program Coordinator, I’m delighted to welcome fellow Aurifilosopher Linda Sullivan of Colourwerx to today’s Thread Matters post. A fearless champion of color and creativity, Linda brings more than 25 years of experience to the quilting world as a quiltmaker, pattern designer, educator, and fabric designer. We were thrilled to have Linda join the Aurifil thread education team in 2025.
Known for her bold palettes, midcentury modern flair, and playful approach to appliqué, Linda’s designs are full of movement and personality. She has a special love for raw-edge machine appliqué, often layering decorative stitches and colorful threads to add texture, depth, and visual interest to her work.
In today’s Thread Matters feature, Linda invites you to graduate from the traditional zigzag stitch and explore a variety of stitches for machine appliqué. Highlighting the use of Aurifil Cotton 40wt and Cotton 12wt, she shares tips, inspiration, and a step-by-step tutorial— along with a free pattern— to help you confidently expand your stitching toolbox and let thread become an expressive design element. Many thanks to Linda for generously sharing her expertise and creativity with us.
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
I am super excited to start this new year as a freshly appointed Aurifilosopher and look forward to being part of this wonderfully talented team of Aurifil educators and community! I love Aurifil and have been using their threads in my quilting and machine appliqué for years and years. I stitch everything on my quilts by machine (even my binding) and am a lover of raw edge machine appliqué. I also often use a wide variety of Aurifil threads combined with decorative stitches to texturize, embellish and decorate my appliqué shapes. However, it wasn’t always that way…
Several years ago after preparing and cutting out the shapes for a new machine appliqué workshop sample, I sat down at my BERNINA 750QE and was preparing to stitch around the shapes using my go-to zigzag stitch. Something on my machine appeared to be ‘off’ and after flipping through the BERNINA manual looking for the possible answer, I landed on the Decorative Stitches chapter and realized I had several hundred decorative stitches on my machine that I had completely forgotten about or never knew existed. To date, I had only used the traditional but somewhat boring zigzag or blanket stitch to appliqué around shapes.
I pondered for a few moments, and thought “Could I use one of these around my shapes? Would the quilt police show up at my door?” And then decided what the heck! I grabbed a couple of my favorite colors in Aurifil Cotton 50wt and decided to experiment with a few basic flower shapes. With a few simple adjustments to stitch width and length, I quickly fell in love with how the decorative stitching combined with Aurifil thread added texture and dimension to the edges of my appliqué shapes. The shapes came alive!
I decided to use a different decorative stitch and thread color on each flower for the appliqué workshop sample and set off to spread the word to quilters across the globe that decorative stitching was way more fun and exciting than just stitching a zigzag or blanket stitch. This resulted in one of my best selling workshops to date called Appliqué Stitch Lab and the Mini Splendor pattern pictured below.
I love to teach the basics of beginning machine appliqué and help students perfect their own “unique appliqué stitch” but also love to teach them how to use a variety of fun, decorative stitches to texturize their appliqués! It is so much fun, and I always encourage quilters near and far to experiment with the decorative stitches on their machines. Want to give it a try? Well, here’s what you need to get started…
When I started using decorative stitching for my appliqué shapes, I experimented with lots of different threads, needle sizes, and notions but over the years with experimentation and experience, I recommend these four essential tools to start with—
MUST-HAVE SUPPLIES
• Open Toe Presser Foot: this presser foot is open in the middle and allows you to see exactly where the needle lands on the edge of your appliqué shape so no guessing.
• Size 90/14 Microtex Sharp Sewing Machine Needle: This needle has a super sharp point but a large enough eye to accept a wide variety of Aurifil thread weights from the super chunky Cotton 12wt to the finer Cotton 80wt without thread breakage or having to change needles.
• Tear Away Stitching Stabilizer: This is a tear away paper usually placed on the backside of the block background. Simply put, it does as the name implies: it stabilizes the appliqué stitching around the shape and stops it from being distorted or ‘cater-pillaring’;
• And of course, Aurifil threads: Gather a wide variety of gorgeous Aurifil threads to stitch with. I really love the Cotton 40wt (green spool) for appliqué stitching around shapes and find this weight to be the perfect addition to add an outline to many of my shapes. Cotton 40wt is definitely my go-to appliqué thread but Cotton 50wt (orange spool) also works quite nicely. I also use Cotton 28wt (gray spool) and the super chunky Cotton 12wt (red spool) for machine appliqué to achieve a more hand stitched folk-art look which creates a heavier presence on the edge of the appliqué shape. The below stitch out sample really exemplifies how thread weight can change the look of your appliqué shape.
EXPERIMENT
Lastly, my best tip and probably the most important is to take the time to really get to know your machine and experiment with different types of thread weights and decorative stitches. One afternoon, I just played with my stitch width and length dials while stitching out some of my favorite decorative stitches. The result was this handy stitch out sample that I can now refer to when looking for a favorite stitch or setting! I used my most favorite 40wt Aurifil color too— Mustard #5022!
Recently, I was inspired to work on a new workshop sample with some of the beautiful Aurifil Cotton 40wt threads I have, and of course had to add some fabulous decorative stitching. The pattern is attached below so you too can experiment with your Aurifil threads and decorative stitches.
Thoughts about the bobbin thread: You may be happy— and perhaps a bit surprised— to learn that I use Aurifil Cotton 50wt, Aluminum #2615, in the bobbin for all stitching, regardless of the top thread’s color or weight, stitch selection, or background fabric (unless it’s very dark). Cotton 50wt #2615 is also my go-to thread for piecing.
CREATE A TEST BLOCK
Once the Decorative Stitch Leaf Pattern is downloaded and applicable templates are printed or traced, it’s helpful to create a test block. This is something that I always recommend to my students. Taking a few moments to create a test block allows me to play with the various stitches and adjust stitch width and length, as well as experiment with thread weight and colors so I get the look I want.
I cut the white background square to 8-1/2” x 8-1/2” and fused a piece of fusible fleece batting to the wrong side of the fabric to act as a stabilizer. (Stitching stabilizer can be substituted for the fusible fleece). The purple corner triangles are actually fused into place! I cut one 6-1/2” x 6-1/2” square each of the purple fabric and an adhesive fusible web (my go-to brand is Heat ’n Bond Lite). I ironed the fusible web square to the wrong side of the purple 6-1/2” square and cut diagonally twice to create the four corner triangles. I peeled the release paper away and fused the purple triangles onto the four corners. Now the fun begins!
Once again, I grabbed my favorite Aurifil Cotton 40wt— Mustard #5022. This color just seems to go with everything, as evidenced by the small amount of thread I have left on the spool. I have used it a lot in my projects and will need to stock up on more very soon! I chose my BERNINA 750QE decorative stitch #414 and after a test or two on a scrap of fabric, I was ready to stitch.
Next, I prepared the leaf shapes using Chalk Basic Fabrics (Benartex) and fused them into the center of the white background. After choosing some matching Aurifil Cotton 40wt, I first stitched a small zigzag stitch around the bottom portion of the leaf stem with Medium Orchid #2479. After some testing on scrap fabrics, I selected BERNINA decorative stitch #1351 and two Cotton 40wt threads in Grass Green #1114 and Spring Green #1231 to stitch around the leaf.
Feeling pretty pleased with the result above, I thought it might be fun to expand on this ‘leaf idea’ and create a small wallhanging or table runner with four leaf blocks. Each leaf would represent a season (Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter) and use different colored threads and different decorative stitches that might be representative.
CREATE A FINISHED PIECE
First, I cut the (4) 8-1/2” x 8-1/2” background squares and as above, fused a piece of fusible fleece batting to the wrong side of each to act as a stitching stabilizer. Next I decided to play with an assortment of Cotton 12wt threads, and I straight stitched random lines across the background of each block. This is a super easy way to machine quilt the background of any block by simply first drawing a line that is randomly angled edge to edge across the block using a water soluble marker. I started with about 4 – 5 lines and straight stitched across these lines using two different colored Cotton 12wt threads, and then added a few more as needed.
Here are the block backgrounds. The chunky Cotton 12wt creates just the right amount of weight and texture for straight stitching to be seen, but won’t overpower any shapes that will be added later. I also love that this weight thread mimics the look of Perle cotton or Sashiko hand stitching, but is done much faster by machine. Check out the images below for the results and to see which 12wt colors I used to represent each season.
Next I fused the corner triangles into place. As a reminder, to create the corner triangles, I fused a 6-1/2” x 6-1/2” square of fusible web to the back side of a 6-1/2” x 6-1/2” square of fabric. I then cut the square diagonally in half twice to make 4 triangles. Because I was working with a stripe, I had to cut double the amount of the 6-1/2” squares and saved half for another project in order for all the stripes in the corners to be radiating outward, as you can see below.
Having loved the result of my test block above, I stitched down the raw inner edges of the triangles to create a twirling ribbon-like border with the exact same stitch #414 on my BERNINA 750QE and that go-to favorite, gorgeous Aurifil Cotton 40wt Mustard #5022.
Next, I was ready to create the leaf appliqués. I traced the pattern shapes onto the fusible web, creating two leaves in reverse. Once I had ironed the fusible web shapes to my fabrics and cut out the shapes, I assembled and pre-fused the shapes on an appliqué pressing sheet so I could perfectly overlap the shapes to create each leaf. Then each leaf was peeled off the pressing sheet as a complete unit and ironed to the background block.
The final and most fun part of the process was selecting a decorative stitch for each leaf and some beautiful Aurifil threads to match my fabrics. As a side note, I did test out and play with a number of decorative stitches on scrap fabrics and even mocked up a few leaves before I started the final stitching on my leaf blocks.
My results are shared below. I’ve noted which BERNINA 750QE stitch I used, but more importantly which gorgeous Aurifil Cotton 40wt colors I used. There were just a few times where I didn’t have the exact color I wanted in 40wt (green spool) so I substituted a Cotton 50wt (orange spool) thread instead.
My next step was to piece the four blocks together. I thought about a long wallhanging or table runner…
…but I settled in on a four patch formation as I liked the way the striped fabric created a secondary pattern in the middle and on the outer edges.
This was a super fun little project to create and depending upon your color choices and fabrics, it could be just one season represented or all four as you see. Regardless, I encourage you to grab some Aurifil Thread and begin to play with your decorative stitches. I think you’ll discover— as I did so many years ago— that the combination of beautiful Aurifil thread and a few decorative stitches will enhance and elevate even the simplest of appliqué shapes.
Enjoy the process and happy colouricious quilting always,
Linda
ABOUT LINDA
Linda Sullivan is a professional quiltmaker, pattern designer, quilting educator and fabric designer. With over 25 years experience, Linda— along with her husband and business partner, Carl— have touched almost every aspect of the quilting industry from designing and self publishing best selling quilt patterns, authoring books, designing numerous fabric collections, teaching nationally, and owning and operating their quilt shop, Linderella’s Quilt Works.
Linda is intensely passionate about bold bright colors, midcentury modern art and contemporary pattern design. Always searching for a twist on the traditional, her quilts are well known for their modern look, spontaneous movement, whimsical appliqué and fearless use of color. She especially loves raw edge machine appliqué, and loves to experiment with various decorative stitches and threads to embellish and texturize the shapes for added interest.
Today, she resides in Palm Springs, California and enjoys collaborating with her husband and fellow quilt designer, Carl in their design company – Colourwerx – designing fabric, quilt patterns and traveling across the country to teach and share their love of color, quilting and contemporary design.