Summer Solstice Mini Art Quilts | Featuring new to me Aurifloss

I shared with you not too long ago why I love Aurifil Threads and in that post I also mentioned that I was thrilled to be part of the
Aurifil family as an Aurifil Artisan. 

A perk of being an Aurifil Artisan is getting fun mail that has lots of goodies for me to test out!

And test out is exactly how I’ve decided to kick things off!

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I’m sure you’ve seen or heard of Aurifil Floss on Instagram
or on Facebook, I know I had, but I hadn’t actually seen it in person or even
tested it out.

And since I pledged to share all the
insights I garner from my experiments, I thought it fitting to give you a full
behind the scenes on my first test!

I’ve had these fun oval drunkard’s path set designed by Papper Sax Sten that I’ve been itching to dive into and give a whirl. So, I figured, why not
combine them and go for an all out play day!

Which is exactly what I did the other week!

Now, when I’m getting to know something new, I often do a
little test – typically in the form of either an improv block or a pin cushion,
cause, well, they’re fun and cute! Plus, it means I don’t have to commit a
bunch of materials and time if it doesn’t work out.

PIN NOW FOR LATER

Snapped right before heading out for my brother’s wedding!

After digging through my scraps, I found this fun floral and
linen leftover from my bag making days. This is still my go-to clutch whenever
I need some extra styling for a date night in the summer time! (or, as pictured above, for weddings!) But, I digress.
What I love about that floral is how happy it makes me.

And curves make me happy.

As does hand stitching.

So, this became the ultimate trifecta of happiness for me!

Now, let me start by saying, I’ve used a couple of different
thread weights in this project.

The first is 12wt – which I’m very familiar with having used it to stitch my original Pink Lemonade quilt.
Scrummalicious is what comes to mind when I think of that quilt and that
thread.

But what I had never tried was Aurifil Cotton Floss – AKA AuriFloss.

This is definitely thicker than the 12wt – by quite a bit. I
think most people separate the strands, but I decided to go full hog for a nice
and chunky finish! I love those bold stitches! And my trusty needles worked like a charm!
It does, however, put more pressure on your hand to pull those thicker strands
through the layers, and, with my tendinitis, I can see myself reserving these
stitches for accents and smaller projects.

But if you’re in the market for BIG – BOLD – STITCHES – then
Aurifloss is where it’s at!

Plus, I’m loving these wooden spools. Totally has nothing to
do with the project or outcome of your stitches, but they do make me smile and
add a nice stylish accent to my sewing room. Certainly not a con 😉

Since this was a play session, I wasn’t really paying
attention to dimensions. It was totally improv and I built it up as I went. I
intended to make this into a pin cushion. I was in a little bit of a conundrum
when I finished her up and realized she was kinda big. Which got me thinking –
is there such a thing as a maximum size for pin cushions? Or is having more
room for all pins you accumulate during your quilt project just perfect for
this larger size? I reached out to you on IG stories for some insight on this
dilemma and here’s where you landed – as long as it’s not an actual pillow
(although some of you do use your pillows as pin cushions!!(, all sizes are valid.
But while I was mulling my options, I realized I really liked the look of the
minis on their own. You know how much I love my modern minis! 

So, that’s how I left them. And decided to frame them up to
show off their cuteness.

Here’s a round up of all the materials and tools I used to
make this mini:

Floral fabric (no longer available)

Pink solid 9000-233 Figo Fabrics 

Orange solid 9000-381 Figo Fabrics 

Beige Linen 

Aurifloss #2325 

Aurifloss #2225 

12wt #2425

12wt #2325

50wt #2021 (for piecing) 

Needles (these work great for both thread
weights)

Oval Drunkard’s Path templates from Papper Sax Sten

Since my stash of minis is rapidly expanding, I figured it
was high time I start sharing them! If you’re in need of a fun mini art quilt for your
home you can find these beauties here and here in the shop.

Now, I’m curious to know – have you given Aurifloss a go? And if you have,
what’s your favourite way to use this chunky monkey?! Share in the comments
below!

Happy quilting!

xo

Shannon