About the color and size markings of Aurifil sewing threads
80wt - Wood spool
Aurifil's 100% cotton 80wt sewing thread is one of the newest threads from Aurifil. It was introduced in 2016 and is available in 88 vibrant and brilliant colors in fine cherry wood sides. This thin thread is perfect for many different techniques.
Applications:
- English paper piecing
- hand application
- machine embroidery
- machine application
- free quilting
- free couch
Sewing needle recommendations:
- 70/10 or 80/12 Microtex/Sharp or Embroidery Needle (80wt sewing thread on the lower half)
- #10 hand sewing needle
Tips:
- When hand sewing, use short thread (12-18 inches) to avoid thread breakage and tangling.
50wt - orange polish
Aurifil's 50wt sewing thread is the most versatile and most popular of Aurifil's cotton threads. It is strong but thin and produces a remarkably flat and sharp seam. It is a wonderful thread especially for quilting, delicate quilting and top quilting and English paper quilting, but also for other things.
Applications:
- needle turn application
- English paper piecing
- bobbin and machine thread
- machine application (straight, zigzag, blind pleating, quilting)
- machine embroidery
- dense machine spraying
- more invisible machine and long arm quilting
- overall clothing and micro quilting
- dense background patterns
Sewing needle recommendations:
- 80/12 Microtex/Sharp, general, quilting or denim needles (50wt sewing thread on lower half)
- 4.0 long arm machine needle (50wt on lower bobbin)
40wt - Green bobbin
Due to its thickness and weight, this sewing thread is well suited for sewing bags, toys, dolls, clothes and visible patchwork patterns. It is also great for single, double and triple band quilting.
Applications:
- single, double and triple band quilting
- lower and upper bobbin thread
- machine application
- machine embroidery
- edge-to-edge
- pantographs
- extra long arm quilting
Sewing needle recommendations:
- 80/12 Microtex/sharp, general purpose or denim needle (40wt or 50wt sewing thread on the lower half)
- 90/14 or 75/11 quilting needle (40wt or 50wt sewing thread in the lower bobbin)
- 3.5 or 4.0 long arm quilting needle (50wt sewing thread in the lower half)
12 wt - Red spool
This is the heaviest category of yarns and is perfect for hand appliqué, hand embroidery, hand patchwork, cross stitch and more.
Usage:
- hand application
- hand embroidery
- hand quilting
- cross stitch
- decorating and lacing
- machine application
- quilting
- buttonhole stitch
- machine embroidery
- mechanical engineering
- sashiko
- art embroidery
- lower loop bite block
- long stem quilting
Sewing needle recommendations:
- 100/16 or 90/14 topstitching needle (40wt sewing thread on the lower half)
- 4.5 long arm needle (28wt sewing thread on the lower bobbin)
Tips:
- When using 12wt sewing thread on a sewing machine, we recommend a much thinner thread for the lower half, for example 40wt.
- When using 12wt sewing thread on a long arm machine, go slow and use a longer stitch and silicone insert if needed.