As the pace of summer softens, so does our stitching. This August, our Artisans set aside their machines for a month of Slow Stitch Summer. A challenge dedicated to the quiet, meditative pleasure of making something entirely by hand.
The brief invited our Artisans to slow down and savour the process: hand quilting, hand embroidery, hand piecing, appliqué, or any hand technique they love, using whichever Aurifil thread weight felt right in the hand. Without the hum of the machine, every stitch became a deliberate one, and the results are full of texture, patience, and the particular warmth that only handwork carries. From delicate embroidery to slow-built quilts, our Artisans have shown just how much beauty comes from taking your time.
To every Artisan who took part this month, thank you for sharing your work, your patience, and the threads that make the process so worthwhile. You’ve reminded us that sometimes the very best part of making is the making itself.
Katie Zahm
My August challenge: a finished Hand Quilting Sampler (HQS) stitched with a full range of Aurifil threads, from floss to 40, 12, and 8 weight in a variety of colors. Cotton 12wt and 8wt are my favorites for those bold big stitches. It doubles as a personal reference guide for every hand quilting project to come. Email me (hi@zahm.co) if you’d like to know about the workshop.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 8wt, 12wt, 40wt, 50wt and Cotton Floss in: 2930, 2445, 2345, 2566, 2847, 4644, 2850, 4648
Sofia Natty
Hand stitching is my happy place, and stacking blocks my favorite childhood game. No machine noise, just the sound of thread on fabric and my thoughts roaming free. 100% hand stitched using English Paper Piecing, hand appliquéd onto a Peltex-covered base.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 80wt 2375 and 2123
Samanta Vargas de la Llata Ibarra
For Slow Stitch Summer, I decided to take my time while hand-sewing all the bows in my latest lingerie set.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 50wt 2715
Andrea Sauer
For me, summertime is always hand-sewing time. So the motto of the Aurifil Artisan August Challenge, “Slow Stitch Summer,” was a perfect fit. I sewed the 3D EPP pattern “Dotti’s Castle” by Cake and Ale. For 3D-englishpaperpiecing, I prefer to use Aurifil Cotton 50wt thread. The thread is so fine that, when combined with the flat back stitch, the stitches are invisible, and it’s strong enough to hold the individual pieces securely in place. For the outer seams, I use monofilament thread for a clean finish.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 50wt 2545, 2830, 2450, 1148 & Monofilament
Amy Freyn
For the Aurifil Artisan August slow stitch summer challenge (which is about slowing down and savoring the process), I am working on an English paper pieced quilt that is made up of all animal fabrics. I love sitting outside and stitching the pieces together. To be finished: one day.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 80wt 2605
Maude MacDonald
I made my own retro embroidered crewel using Aurifil Cotton Floss and Cotton 8wt thread
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton Floss 5106, 2150, 2692, 2435, 2135; 8wt 2930
Tracy Aplin
Free style piecing with what I had on holiday. All ready for a workshop with Jen Kingwell. Had my new Neon Tula Pink Cotton 12wt at the ready to start quilting. Over the summer been slowly quilting away on this now little dolly quilt.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 50wt for the piecing & Cotton 12wt for the quilting.
Ilaria Harris
A celebration of the meditative side of creating something entirely by hand. I hand-painted and embroidered this Cherub using a myriad of colours Aurifil 100% cotton thread made in 🇮🇹. I self-drafted the linen top, and to sew it with my sewing machine, I used Aurifil cotton 40wt, perfect for topstitch and bobbin.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 28wt 5015, 2265, 2230, 2240, 2816, 1248, 2830, 1114, 2975, 2350, 2355, 6732, 2024
Suzanne Campion
A week away in Northumberland and the Scottish Borders allowed much-needed slow stitch time away from design deadlines. After a recent trip to Lucy Boston’s house in Heminford Grey, I had been itching to have time to try a new design with Liberty Tana Lawn fabrics that I had purchased at Festival of Quilts. The 3/4″ squares and octagons are a new shape for me, and I just love how the slow stitching melted away all the day-to-day life stresses. Tana Lawn and 80wt are the perfect EPP love match!
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 80wt 2270, 2600
Jess Wheelahan
I had the fortune of visiting India’s ‘Pink city’. In my downtime during travel (12 hour flights!) and by the pool I worked on this ‘kinda kawandi scarf using Cotton 12wt aurifil cottons. To celebrate Jaipur, I have used pink scraps including little pieces of block prints. I was able to visit the nearby Anokhi museum of block printing, which is a textile tradition of the area! I came prepared, armed with my colour swatch book inspired by Catherine Hill’s time in Morocco. I’d like to create something in response to my week in Jaipur using Aurifil colours. Watch this space!
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 12wt
Wendy Greaves
There is something almost primal in asking the viewer to follow where I tread: to look, slow down, remain alert to what lies beyond, and discover a renewed intimacy with place. My stitching is deeply instinctive, conjuring texture, atmosphere and nuance. Through layers of monoprint, I establish a tactile ground from which further exploration can unfold through hand stitch.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 80wt 2610, 2630, 6725; Cotton 50wt 4663, 2846; Cotton 40wt 2309; Cotton 8wt 2600, 8wt 2847, 8wt 1236; Cotton Floss 3770, 2770, 2930, 2620
Julia Crook
Using the theme of ‘Slow Stitch Summer ’, I kept things simple with thread and hand stitching to transform a plain fabric into a pleated and textured surface. For the stitching, I used the thinnest weight thread from Aurifil, W80 in a natural colour on a fine weave fabric. The thread worked well and blended into the fabric weave as I had hoped, but was still strong enough to hold the pleated structure. The finished fabric creates structured freeform shapes that can be used for wearables and interiors.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 80wt 2000
Jess Wheelahan
Still working away on hand quilting this one with a deadline looming!
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 12wt in all the bright co-ordinating tones.
Lileny Salazar Ulloa
A hand-embroidered thistle using long- and short-stitch, blended with Aurifil 50wt cotton thread to achieve the fine color transitions this piece needed.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 50wt 2110, 2843, 2886, 1231, 2890, 2892, 4026, 2510, 2520, 2540 and 2545
Claire Voelkel-Sedlmeir
One spool of thread, 27 days of slow stitched summer memories. Our Aurifil Artisan challenge for August was “Slow Stitch Summer”. Since slow is the only way I stitch, this was not a change for me- the only things different were the summer stitching locations. So I cut a scroll of old bed linen, took it along on summer adventures, and filled it with drawings and memories from the whole family in this gorgeous 8-weight cotton thread in wine (5003). I began on the aeroplane and ended once our vacation wound down and my thread spool gave out (27 days later). It’s been a lovely summer.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 8wt 5003
Belle Brunner
This month’s Aurifil challenge was all about slow hand stitching. I’ve only done hand embroidery once in a hoop back in 2021 to learn a few basic stitches. I really just stitched what felt right to me over the outlined pattern since I’m new at this. My sunflowers got pretty big this August, so I thought this was the perfect embroidery project to work on a little each night. I really enjoyed working with Aurifil Cotton 12wt threads which I keep in the small case. Keep trying something new quilty friends. Pattern from @super_creative_embroidery
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 12wt 8530, 8965, 2435, 2566, 1135, 1231, 8520
Emily Ullo Steigler
For Slow Stitch Summer, I combined two time-consuming techniques – cyanotype on fabric and slow big stitching. The cyanotype created the base canvas, and I then stitched into and around it to create a magical motif across the back of this denim jacket.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton Floss 2309, 2710, 2715, 2740, 6720
Vicki Reid
Slow summer stitching seemed like the perfect time to upcycle this plain white shirt into something truly personal and unique. Starting with tie-dye and then adding in a jellyfish embroidery to really make a statement. I really enjoyed using multiple thread weights in this project to add colour, texture and detail, as well as a few beads from my craft stash.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton Floss 1100, 2515, 1320, 2886, 2235, 2435; 50WT 2000; Wool 12wt 8530 and 8823
Janine Heschl
August is usually my slowest month of the year, with heat, kids at home and this year, a new job leaving little time in the studio. So for the Slow Stitching challenge, I created a quick Inktense sketch of a quirky pigeon shaking things up quite literally, adding black and white Aurifil 50wt thread for the movement effects. The pigeon came everywhere with me, getting a few stitches on the train, at the hairdresser and even during our Playmobil flea market. It became the perfect stop-and-go project for those tiny windows of creative time when life simply doesn’t leave room for more.
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 50wt 2024, 2692
Kira Greene
Slow stitching is about the only pace my life currently allows for and it also happens to be exactly what I need. The meditative rhythm of hand stitching can’t be matched for melting the day’s stress away. And that is just one of the many reasons why needle-turn has my heart!
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 80wt 1158; Cotton 50wt 5008, 2245, 2311
Chloe Cuff
This was an experimental mini quilt through and through. New hand piecing technique, new thread weight, new ways of thinking about color – everything felt new and fresh and challenging. But I figured this colorful puzzle out and now have a new favorite thread for English paper piecing!
Aurifil Thread Used: Cotton 80wt 2610, 1231, 2520
Linzi Conway
Created on 100% Thomas Ferguson Irish linen, this original piece celebrates the character and beauty of The Black Arch through layers of linen and thread. I began with a gentle paint wash to establish the soft coastal colours before gradually building the landscape using shades of linen with Aurifil thread and free-motion embroidery.
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton 40wt and Cotton 50wt 2326, 2888, 1147, 2880, 1231
Tamara Darragh
The August Slow Stitch Challenge project brought together two things I love – hand stitching and storytelling. I created a hand-drawn and embroidered quilt label for two different versions of my newly released Mary Golden Quilt pattern. I adore finding vintage quilts with labels. Knowing who had the quilt in their hands, creating it with needle, thread, fabric and love changes the way I feel about it. Suddenly, I can connect through space and time with the person on the other side of all those stitches. This is definitely why I find labelling my own quilts so special. It’s not really for me, it’s for whoever loves her next. I slow stitched these labels with Aurifil Floss and 8 weight threads and shared my process in a new tutorial on my Remi Vail Studio Blog (linked below).
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton Floss 2255, 2720, 2450, 2134, 2890, 5009, 2888, 2437, 2886, 2372, 2130, 2850; Cotton 8wt: 2395, 2443, 2566, 2215, 2930
Mira Jones
Slow stitching fabric beads is such an enjoyable way to use precious fabric scraps and to have something to sew while travelling – or if you just want to steal a few quiet moments on a break at work. Summer, for me, is for slowing down and for taking a breather from larger sewing projects throughout the year, and I enjoyed the change of pace of stitching something so small. I’ll probably be stringing these up to make a necklace with them.
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton 12wt: 2140, 2240, 2540, 4241, 5006, 5013
Jessica Jones
For the Slow Stitch Summer challenge, I created a Wild Dog Rose inspired by the beauty of an English countryside summer and the delicate blooms found in our hedgerows. I used Aurifil Floss, 8wt and 12wt for the embroidery and hand quilting, with 50wt for piecing. The finished piece was turned into a simple, rustic wall hanging, celebrating the joy of slow, mindful making.
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton Floss 2515, 2905, 2886, 2912, 5011, 2000: Cotton 8wt 2566, 2445, 2120, 2000; Cotton 50wt 2000
Sarah Ruth Morris
I only quilt by hand now, so there wasn’t any question as to hand quilting my next art quilt. This project is only about half way through, but I’m excited to share with the other Artisans my final hand quilting work. Do you think this project needs more hand quilting?
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton 8wt: 2535, 2311, 2420, 2205, 2445, 5002, 1133, 2510
Hope Talbot Waller
This 60x68cm piece was inspired by time spent continuously cruising the UK canal network, in particular the approach to Birmingham during golden hour. I found this challenge to be SO much fun. It was so different to my usual pedal-down approach on the machine, and it was such a pleasure to try out a range of Aurifil threads – I loved selecting colours from the Indelible 8wt collection and my Artisan Welcome Pack, as well as trying out the wools for the first time! I’ve been keeping a sketchbook this summer, and I really enjoyed translating some of the mark-making and use of blocks of colour into my textile work. Working by hand felt so special, and I loved the ability to layer and change things as I sewed. It was my first time making a stretched piece (on a handmade frame!), too, which is something I’ll definitely be doing again.
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton 8wt 2850, 4241, 4129, 5003, 2445, 1125, 2530, 2720, 6731; Cotton Floss in 2912; Cotton 80wt 2155, and 12wt Wool 212, 3535, 8220
Janice Reimer
I turned one of my quilt patterns into a cross stitch pattern, and it was the perfect way to sew during the hot summer months. The Cotton 8wt thread was beautiful to work with.
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton 8wt 2215, 2840, 5003, 4129, 2930, 2000
Sashanna Hart
In July of 2024 our family went to a quilt exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art and I saw a quilt that took my breath away, a quilt that I knew I had to make. Yesterday I finished my interpretation of this 19th century princess feather quilt after two years of painstaking needle-turn applique. I am in love with it! Finishing this quilt top is one of the most satisfying things I have achieved in my whole quilting journey. It started with a dream, and ended by turning me into a different sort of maker.
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton 80wt 2405, 5012
Isabel Wilder
I had this idea of using 80 wt thread for hand embroidery. It was all an experiment, with just a vision in my head. I’m glad I gave it a try because I love the delicate effect this thread creates. To be honest, I had never used this weight of thread before receiving it in my welcome package. After making my sampler of stitches in June, I knew I was going to return to it for a project, so here it is: very delicate leaves and a stem on a black wool-blend background. I loved the process so much. I listened to classical music as I stitched and felt that the delicate stitches matched the soothing music perfectly. It also gave me time to slow down and reflect on so many things.
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton 80wt 2600
Barbie Mitchel
For this month’s Slow Stitch Summer challenge, I took time to slow down and savour the meditative process of making my upcoming 2027 Patchwork Calendar Quilt, ‘All the Stars’. Living off-grid, handwork is my ultimate happy place, so every detail of this project was created completely by hand: from hand-pieced Y-seams and EPP stars to needle turn appliqué. To bring it all together, I paired my favourite Aurifil weights: 50wt for hand piecing and EPP, 80wt for needle turn appliqué (my all time favourite technique and thread weight), and 12wt for bold, hand-quilted finishes.
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton 80wt needle turn, 50wt hand piecing and EPP & Cotto 12wt big stitch hand quilting
Shelley Colton
Petunia in Bloom is my take on the Petunia EPP block by Giucy Giuce, created for the Aurifil Artisan Slow Stitch Summer challenge. Pieced from a vibrant mix of Ruby Star Society scraps and a few special additions, it was slowly hand stitched throughout a record-breaking UK summer using Aurifil 80wt #2155. The fine thread was an absolute joy to work with, creating beautifully discreet stitches that let the bold pinks, oranges and carefully fussy-cut details take centre stage.
Aurifil Threads Used: Cotton 80wt 2155
We encourage you to click through and take a closer look at each Artisan’s brilliant take on this challenge, from inspired unboxings to first makes that highlight the possibilities of thread and fabric. And of course, a huge THANK YOU to our 2026 Aurifil Artisan team. Your creativity, curiosity, and enthusiasm shine through already, and we’re so grateful to have you on this journey with us!