This month, our Aurifil Artisans opened their studios and invited us in. The Make With Me challenge asked each Artisan to share their craft in motion, not just the finished result, but the process itself. The hands at work, the thread in use, the methods and little habits that make each maker’s practice uniquely their own. Whether captured in a short Reel or told through step-by-step images, this was an invitation to teach, to show, and to share.
It takes a certain kind of confidence to pull back the curtain on how you work. To show the in-between moments, the small decisions, the techniques built up quietly over years of making. But that willingness to share is exactly what makes this community what it is, and this month it was on full display. Every process laid out, every tip offered up, is something another maker somewhere will carry forward into their own work.
From the very first submission to the last, this showcase is full of warmth, skill, and creativity. We loved seeing how each Artisan interpreted the brief in their own way, and we hope you enjoy exploring it as much as we loved putting it together.
Sofia Natty
Back in August ’25 I posted a mock up of a quilt I designed and wondered if I would ever actually make it. So when Aurifil challenged the Artisans for a “Make With Me” I thought this picnic quilted blanket would be the perfect project to bring you along, from concept to final product.
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton 50wt 2310, 2692, 2437; Cotton 40wt 2024; Cotton 12wt 2026, 5015, 6737, 5005, 4655, 2515; 1140; Cotton 8wt 2250
Janice Reimer
Sometimes changing your perspective can make trying something new a little less daunting – like sewing inset circles. It’s really no different from sewing four quarter circles in a row.
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton 50wt 2479
Katie Zahm
For me, hand quilting is more than a finishing technique, it’s a meditation. I love that the stitches speak for themselves, adding texture and beauty you can truly see. It slows down my body and my mind, gets me away from my desk, and all I need are a few tools to go anywhere and stitch. Join me as I share my favorite hand quilting techniques using my go to Aurifil 8wt!
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton 8wt 2311
Vivian Doan
In celebration of Earth Day this year, I decided to make the Ruby Star Society reusable shopping tote bag, which is a free pattern on the Moda website. I chose a Sarah Watts fabric I have hoarded for a few years: Magic Tulips from #rubystarsociety. The pattern is really easy to make, only took me a couple of hours, and honestly, the trickiest part was the rolling of the edges. I wanted to hide the raw edge completely, and since I did not use a serger, the zigzag was a bit wonky, so turning it was somewhat challenging. Loving the fact that this pattern resembles the ubiquitous shoppers everyone has. Now I can make my own bespoke versions of those bags. You can fold it up and put it in your pocket! I am using my favourite shade of Aurifilt Thread 7002 Neon Pink from the Tula Pink series.
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton 50wt 7002
Karlie Hunter
About a year ago, I turned a thrifted jacket into a work of art with about 30 hours of hand embroidery across the back. This month, for my challenge, I decided to alter my original abstract design to fit a 6” hoop. Each section of color shows off a different embroidery stitch, and I’m obsessed with the texture they each add to the piece!
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton Floss 2214, 2860, 4129, 5006, 4093, 2890, 5009
Luci Camorani
I made the Happy Little House Purse by Square Stories Slowmade, to match the related pattern, The Cosy Cottage Tote, I’ve made for a swap. 80wt thread is great for Foundation Paper Piecing- this is my first time using it, and I’m a convert!
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton 80wt 2021; Cotton 50wt 2423
Amy Freyn
The April Aurifil Artisan Challenge was “Make with me Challenge” to share a technique in action. I have been trying to learn tambour embroidery and here I am using Aurifil 40(3) #2784 to practice some tambour embroidery, which is basically a chain stitch embroidery with a hook.
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton Forty3 2784
Jess Jones
For this challenge, I chose to make one of my fabric collage patterns, building it up layer by layer with raw-edge appliqué. I finished it with free motion embroidery using Aurifil 50wt thread — the perfect weight for this project and a fab range of colours that worked beautifully with my chosen fabrics. It’s also a great way to use up smaller pieces of fabric left over from previous projects.
Aurifil Thread used: Cotton 50wt 2000, 2220, 2277, 2240, 1243 ,2140, 4670, 4241, 4012
Mira Jones
This slow stitch scroll is an ongoing project on my YouTube channel where I’m exploring a different embroidery stitch – with a creative twist – in each new ‘Slow Stitch Sunday’ episode. Viewers are invited to stitch along, to take time out from their busy lives and to experience the calming powers of hand stitching whilst building up their embroidery skills.
Aurifil Thread used: Aurifil 8wt collections: Indelible & Evolve
Janine Heschl
This African penguin started as a trace of a photo, then became a pattern, then a pile of fabric pieces… and somehow ended up walking like it owns the place. Raw appliqué can look complex, but it’s really the greatest fun, and as the name suggests, it’s raw! No perfectly aligned stitches, frayed edges and endless opportunities – at least in my version. I know some work a lot neater, using fusible interface, etc., but this is all about letting go.
Aurifil Thread used: Color Builder – African Penguin
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!