We’ve found that some of the most amazing moments in life are found when the biggest leaps are taken. What better leap to take this year than to book an Arctic Retreat with Daisy Aschehoug of Warm Folk, featuring special guest Jo Avery. The retreat takes place November 8–13, 2026, in Longyearbyen— the largest settlement on Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, and one of the most remote and remarkable places on earth. Think polar landscapes, the possibility of Northern Lights overhead, and a small, warm group of makers gathered around fabric and thread at the top of the world.
This isn’t Daisy’s first time bringing creatives to Svalbard, and it’s easy to understand why she keeps returning. There’s something about the scale of that landscape that has a way of slowing things down and space for a whole new level of creativity. This year she’s invited Jo Avery, Aurifil Designer, celebrated textile artist, and embroidery educator beloved for her exquisitely crafted works of art, to join her as guest workshop instructor. Together they’ll lead students through curved piecing and appliqué and embroidery workshops, with plenty of unscheduled time woven in for exploring, resting, and simply soaking it all in.
Aurifil thread will be part of the retreat experience, because when you’re making something meaningful in a place this extraordinary, what’s in your needle matters. We sat down with Daisy and Jo ahead of November to hear how this collaboration came together, what students can expect, and what it is about Svalbard that keeps calling them back.
How did the two of you first meet, and what was it about each other’s work that made you think yes, this is someone I want to create with?
Jo: We first met at a huge conference centre beside Oslo airport as we were both teaching at a big quilting event there. This was home turf for Daisy but I didn’t really know anyone so I was really pleased that Daisy and I hit it off right away and pretty much hung out together for the whole weekend. I have such happy memories of that event mainly because Daisy and I laughed so much and became such firm friends. I was already a fan of Daisy’s quilts, I love her big bold graphic style and the way she mixes in some patterned fabric yet still achieves such a modern vibe. We had our first books out around the same time by the same publisher and I had been so impressed with the cleverness of Daisy’s designs. We are both big fans of curves but whereas mine are very organic Daisy is able to create these intricate interlocking patterns with templates that would be beyond me and so I really admire her skills.
Daisy: Jo was the keynote speaker at the Norwegian annual quilt show a few years ago, and I was thrilled to get to hang out with her during her stay. All of her quips and humor had me laughing through the weekend. But there were also some serious moments where Jo generously shared the wisdom and experience she’s accumulated while running a creative business for so many years. She’s just the complete package – wildly talented in both art and business. As for why I want to create with her… Despite a long admiration for the organic and the whimsical, I’ve become somewhat rigid in my use of bold geometry. My fingers are crossed that I can pick up some of Jo’s wonderful illustrative skills.
When you think about spending a week together in Svalbard with a group of makers, what excites you most? Is it the creative collaboration, the setting, the community, something else entirely, or all of the above?
Jo: I think it’s definitely the setting for me. I’m pretty much coming out of teaching retirement to do this one as I have stopped hosting in person retreats and teaching for groups now and instead only teach online via videos. I’m such a home bird and don’t really travel much so it had to be something really special to tempt me out! When Daisy first asked me to teach at this retreat I wasn’t impressed. I had a very romantic idea about Svalbard from reading Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights book (where it’s full of talking armoured bears!) but the thought of going to the arctic in winter sounded crazy to me! But then I saw the stunning photos of Daisy’s first retreat there and I did a complete 180! I have been to Shetland at midsummer where it never really gets dark at night so I like the idea of doing the opposite and being in the arctic in winter where it never really gets light. I think it is going to be such an adventure!
Daisy: I think there is always magic in shared experiences. Week-long retreats offer an opportunity to build connections with both people and places that aren’t possible in a single day. There are really big things on the agenda – workshops and a lecture and a tour – but there are endless small moments in between all of these things where relationships are built and ideas are shared. The cumulative effect of all of those little moments are what make me so happy to be hosting people.
Daisy, you’ve hosted in Svalbard before— are there any moments or experiences from a previous retreat that have stayed with you? What keeps drawing you back to this particular place?
Daisy: When I heard about Svalbard, I immediately thought that it would be such a great adventure to get a group of people there to sew. Seeing how much people enjoyed the first year made me tentatively host a second year. Now that we’re in the third year, I’m finding that the novelty hasn’t worn off – it’s still pretty remarkable to go as far north as you can fly on a commercial airline. And it’s still amazing to combine quilting with glaciers, northern lights, and a landscape unlike anywhere else.
Jo, you’ll be leading the appliqué and embroidery workshop during the retreat. Can you give us a peek behind the curtain? What will students be making, and what should they expect from your time together?
Jo: Over the last few years I’ve been developing a style that combines organic needle turn appliqué with embroidery embellishment without the need for patterns. This has now evolved into something I am calling Stitch Wanderings. I made my first stitch wandering panels into a fabric book last year and recently I completed this year’s 100 Day Project using Mini Stitch Wanderings as my subject. The idea is to stitch simple needle turn applique shapes and then combine these with hand stitched embellishment using simple embroidery stitches. The additional hand stitching creates a narrative layer through pattern and symbols which combines with the shapes underneath to sometimes surprising effect.
For the Svalbard retreat I have been working on some specific designs using motifs like polar bears and owls and layering these on to a mountainous landscape with the aurora dancing in the sky. There will also be other motif options to try out such as abstract flower and leaf shapes taken from Scandinavian folk art. The panels we create in the class can be turned into a range of different projects such as pouches, mini quilts or the boxy tote bag shown here. I hope the resulting item will also be a stitched reminder of our time together on Svalbard.
Daisy, you’re teaching curved piecing, a technique that can feel a little daunting for some! What can students expect from your workshop, and do they need any prior experience to feel at home?
Daisy: Curves have been my main passion for more than a decade, but I haven’t forgotten what it was like to sew my very first curve. With that in mind, I break down each step for students so there’s no mystery as they move through the steps of a project. For this Svalbard workshop, they don’t need any prior experience – with quilting or even with sewing. I bring several Singer Featherweight sewing machines with us, and I take care of all the machines’ needs while we’re there. Each participant also gets a kit of pre cut fabrics (not just yardage – the curves are already cut), so it’s a lot of fun to jump right into the piecing.
There’s something specific about teaching in a destination setting— away from home, away from the everyday. What does that context do for you as an instructor, and for the students you’re working with? And within that, what is it about small group teaching in particular that appeals to you both?
Jo: Because I don’t do very much of this type of teaching any more I think this workshop will be extra special. I’m anticipating a really wholesome cosy vibe as we settle down to stitch together while the inhospitable arctic winter is just beyond the wall. Knowing that must really heighten all your senses and make the experience extra memorable. Hand stitching gives the space for conversation and with a small group that means we have the chance to get to know each other, tell our own stories and bond together. I think it’s going to be so magical!
Daisy: I think being outside of one’s comfort zone breaks down some of the walls we have about learning. When you’re in a destination setting, it’s a little easier to get past the mantra of “I could never do that” and into the space of “I think I’ll give that a try.” As an instructor, it’s very special to get to see that transition and share in the joy that someone experiences when they successfully do a thing they weren’t sure they could do.
Teaching is a fundamentally different practice from making alone in your studio. What drew each of you into it and do you find that working with other creatives in an educational setting feeds back into your own work?
Jo: I started teaching full time when I opened my studio in Edinburgh 15 years ago. At that time this was a business venture that I needed to succeed for financial reasons more than a vocational calling. But I soon realised that I was actually good at teaching and came to love how fulfilling it felt when you were able to guide someone towards a new passion. I’m still so proud to have introduced so many people to new skills and helped them achieve their creative best, and even more proud of those students and all they have gone on to do with those skills. Many of these students are now simply my friends (one of whom, Pam, is coming on the Svalbard retreat!).
But teaching does take a lot out of you and I found the less I did the harder and more exhausting it became (I feel like you have to stay match fit to be at your best for this job!). But because I now teach online with The Thread House Academy I still get to interact with my students, only now it’s through a screen. The Academy students share their progress in our community and in our live Zoom sessions and I still get that buzz of pride from seeing them so happy with their work and I still get to benefit from their clever ideas which are often much better than mine!
Daisy: Initially, teaching was very much a means to an end for the business. But, I’ve had several surprising moments over the years when I’ve realized how teaching has been responsible for big pivots in my design aesthetic. I’m never short on inspiration in my solo art practice, but there have been moments when I needed to come up with what to teach next. Or moments when I had leftover teaching samples that needed modifications to be exciting to me again. Those modifications, or those new things I had to come up with, have unlocked creative paths that wouldn’t have been accessible without the teaching component. So teaching really has been something where I both give and receive, creatively.
You’re both avid Aurifil users, and Aurifil thread will be part of the retreat experience. What is it about our thread that keeps you coming back? What does it do for your work that other threads simply don’t?
Jo: For me it’s a combination of the quality and the variety. No other thread brand can come close to matching that offering. You simply can’t find a better thread for machine piecing than Aurifil 50wt and my favourite thread for quilting on my long arm is Aurifil 40/3. I use 80wt exclusively for all my needle turn appliqué, it’s the perfect thread for this and so helpful when teaching this technique as even the clumsiest beginner stitches appear to just melt away. And then there is the amazing choice for embroidery and embellishment! For years my favourite has been Wool 12wt but recently I’ve become more and more enamored with the new Cotton 8wt, and I still love Cotton 12wt for hand quilting too. It’s amazing to have all this choice!
Daisy: The biggest reason Aurifil is my favorite is largely because – I’m not exaggerating – it was the only thread that worked on my longarm. I tried several different manufacturers’ threads. I was so close to giving up and selling my long arm when a friend recommended the 40/3. I used it and the difference in my machine’s performance was incredible. I’ll never use anything else on it again. I’m also a fan of dense hand quilting with thick thread, and the 8wt is fantastic. It’s big and visible from a distance, but it also travels through my quilts without the resistance of some of the other brands that I’ve tried. Somehow, I’ve always pieced with Aurifil 50wt, so I can’t offer much comparison there. Every machine I’ve had – from the featherweights to my Industrial Juki – love the 50wt, so I haven’t had a reason to use anything else.
If you each had to name a favorite Aurifil thread weight and share one tip for getting the most out of it, what would you say?
Jo: Ooh that is such a tough one! As stated above I love so many of the threads, but I think I would have to choose Cotton 80wt for my desert Island thread as my needle turn appliqué just wouldn’t be anywhere near as good without it. My tip would be to make sure you are using the correct sized needle eye for this thread. This is something we always consider with machine needles but I feel we don’t think about it enough with hand sewing needles, prioritising being able to thread them easily instead. If you use too large an eye with this thread it will cause friction and your thread will break. I recommend a number 10 eye for 80wt and my preferred needle type is straw/milliner. If that seems too small for you to thread then make sure you obtain a good needle threader or better glasses!
Daisy: I think my favorite is the Cotton 8wt. I got tired of traveling with balls and skeins of perle that would become tangled, and I was over the moon when Aurifil released the 8wt spools. I had never paid much attention to the tip about which end of the thread you should put through the needle until I found that I loved using tiny sharps needles with big thread. I’m not like Jo – I push the boundary on needle sizes because I like to make the smallest stitches possible with my big thread.. Now I’ve realized that if I have a couple of failed attempts threading my needle, I’m almost guaranteed success on the next try when I turn my thread around and use the other end. Whether it’s science or Murphy’s law, it works for me.
For someone sitting on the fence about joining you in Svalbard this November— what’s the one thing you’d most want them to know?
Jo: I just want them to know this will be a once in a lifetime magical adventure that will give them beautiful memories that will last forever.
Daisy: There’s no better bragging rights than saying you’ve been to what is, indisputably, the world’s northernmost sewing retreat.
It is always such a treat to chat with these two! HUGE thanks to both Daisy and Jo for joining us. Don’t forget, if you’re curious about the retreat, you’ll find all the details via Daisy’s website… simply click the button below!