The Aurifil Artisan Challenge for April is to share all about our favorite thread weight.
As a quilter, the most common thread weight that we use is 50 wt, and I love it and use it every day! But the less commonly known weight that I use all the time and LOVE is 80 weight.
What is 80 weight thread?
In the world of thread, higher numbers mean thinner thread. So 80 wt. is thinner than 50 wt. (which is the most common sewing thread).
You might think that thin thread would be weak, but Aurifil 80 wt. is thin and strong! That spool might look small, but there is a lot of thread on it. And who can resist those adorable wooden spools?
What do you use 80 weight thread for?
Aurifil 80 wt. is my absolute favorite thread to use when hand piecing. It easily glides through the fabric and just melts into the seam allowance, so my quilt blocks come out the size they are supposed to! And it’s strong enough for me not to worry about those stitches coming out in the future.
And trust me, after all the work of hand piecing a quilt, I need to trust my thread!
The quilt above, which was part of our first Hand Pieced Quilt Along, was entirely hand pieced with 80 wt. thread. The thread comes in over 80 colors, but I tend to stick to neutrals for piecing.
Last year’s Quilt Along was so much fun we are doing it again this year! This year’s quilt (above) is called Book Club, because we named each block after a favorite fictional character. We’ve got a big group of quilters hand piecing Book Club right now (and we would love it if you joined us!).
I used a Color Masters bundle from Art Gallery Fabrics for this year’s quilt and the combination of the extra soft AGF fabric and thin, 80 wt thread was a match made in heaven!
If you are curious about hand sewing, I’ve got several videos to teach you. It’s such a meditative activity and a perfect way to calm your mind with all the craziness that’s going on in our world today.
I’ll leave you now with a quick tutorial on how to do the basic hand sewing running stitch.
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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!