I’m thrilled to be an Aurifil Artisan this year! As part of the program, Aurifil sends you an assortment of threads in all the various weights that they make. If you are anything like me, Aurifil 50 wt. is your tried and true. But, if you just stick with what you know, you are missing out!
There is a fabulous mix of 50 wt., 40 wt., 28 wt., 12 wt, and 80 wt. And even some Aurifloss! It will be my first time using Aurifloss, which is a 6-strand embroidery floss. And each of the thread weights comes in 270 colors!
While Aurifil 50 wt. 2311 (muslin) and 2600 (gray) are my everyday go-tos, I fell in love with Aurifl 80 wt. when I did the Hand Pieced Quilt Along. 80 wt. is very thin, but still very strong. It just melts into those seams, and it takes up virtually no space, keeping your seam allowance very accurate.
When you want your stitches to show, you should head for the lower numbers: 40 wt., 28 wt, and 12 wt. When I worked on Sew Illustrated, we used 40 wt a lot–it’s just perfect for making those illustration lines pop. We even used 28 wt. for even more definition.
One weight that I had not really played around with is the 12 wt. It’s quite thick and really gives definition to your stitches. Honestly, I usually want my stitches to melt into the background, not stand out!
But, I was up for a challenge. I admire the work of Cassandra Beaver. She does amazing whole cloth quilts using many different colors of threads, all overlapping, kind of like a plaid.
I decided to do my own, toned down version of that on a throw pillow. When using the heavier weight threads, you need to use a larger needle (which confusingly means a higher number). I used a 90/14, because it was what I had, but I’m going to pick up a pack of larger needles for future projects.
I used two colors, Aurifil 2600 (gray) and 2920 (gold/yellow) on a dark gray Essex yarn dyed linen. The stitching is just an improv series of lines. I stitched lines the width of my walking foot, and then went back and stitched between those lines. Some are a bit wobbly, but I like the imperfect look. I backed it with some blue ticking that has been in the stash forever!
A few months back, I stitched up as similar style pillow with 28 wt. thread. I love how they look together! They are such quick projects–both stitched up in an evening.
I’m looking forward to exploring more Aurifil products–I’ve got one in mind for Aurifloss that will be perfect for vacation stitching!
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I’m Kristin, a passionate quilter, sometimes knitter, everyday cook, and cozy home creator. Simple Handmade Everyday is my place to share my love for living a creative, intentional life. Grab a cup of tea and have a look around!