4 WonderFil Specialty Threads make this Studio Bird mini quilt fly high by Nancy Devine May 8, 2017 written by Nancy Devine May 8, 2017 965 During a recent re-organization of my sewing studio, I found a number of things I considered too special to throw away. The box contained orphan blocks, the one or two English Paper Pieced (EPP) elements that didn’t quite work, and many other things saved for “someday”. I found my box of “special bits” at around the same time I received a sample pack of WonderFil Specialty Threads. What else could I do but make a little mini quilt for my studio? Assortment of WonderFil threads The thread package contained WonderFil’s InvisaFil (for English Paper Piecing and other fine work), Efina, fine cotton thread that’s a dream to use on appliqueing cotton fabrics, and a brand new star in the WonderFil’s constellation of fabulous embellishing threads called Ellana. It’s a fine wool thread specifically developed for projects involving wool applique. This brand new thread is going to play a big role in my little mini quilt, Studio Bird. Ellana is a 2-ply thread blend: 50% Merino Wool (for a soft, luxurious feel) and 50% acrylic for strength. Here’s the fun bit, it’s not fuzzy. InvisaFil, cottonized soft polyester, 100wt – 2 ply Efina, 60wt 2ply 100% Egyptian Cotton, made from 100% Giza 88, the highest caliber extra long staple Egyptian Cotton. Fibers spun with Giza 88 are prized for their extreme softness, strength and unparalleled luster. The lovely spools of Ellana Thread, 12wt 2 ply, 50/50 Merino Wool/Acrylic Blend. To die for… I avoid working with wools because of the fuzz factor. Ellana is engineered with a tight twist that doesn’t allow for fuzz. That twist is also important because it allows your whip stitches to sink into the appliqued wool pieces if you want them to. It’s also a good choice for embroidering details onto wool applique pieces. Throughout the project, I used this thread doubled. I was really happy with how it performed. I found some of WonderFil’s Dazzle thread in my studio re-organization. Dazzle is like perle cotton with a metallic pop, so it’s going to be part of this new quilt too. WonderFil threads embellish this quilted mini wall hanging To make your own special mini quilt, look for the following items. materials EPP pieces wool felt bits scrap of ric rack strips of neutral fabrics, about 2½” long cotton quilt batting quilter’s muslin quilting spray contrasting basting thread safety pins hand quilting and sewing needles beads WonderFil Specialty Threads will make your project shine. So gather up your collection of bits and pieces, and come on back tomorrow when we get to terms with the fun of quilting leftovers. 4 stunning threads, pins, and beads to use in the Studio Bird mini quilt This is part 1 of 5 in this series. Go to part 2: Neutral backgrounds make your scrappy quilt design stand out Print this page or save as a PDF 0qs154mini quiltwonderfil dazzlewonderfil efinawonderfil ellanawonderfil invisafilwonderfil threads FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditWhatsappTelegramEmail Nancy Devine Nancy Devine is a self-confessed craft-crazed blogger. She is a regular contributor to A Needle Pulling Thread Magazine, one of the administrators for The Craft Café, a Facebook page devoted to the international sharing of the creative life, and a curator of an impressive collection of fabrics, notions and seam rippers. In her spare time, she wrangles dust bunnies and writes a blog called Nancy Dee Needleworks. Understandably, her house is a mess. previous post How to use precut and prefused applique shapes for your quilting projects next post Neutral backgrounds make your scrappy quilt design stand out YOU MAY ALSO LIKE... Why DecoBob isn’t your average bobbin thread Use Silco thread to add more punch to... When your quilting calls for threads to be... 1 foolproof method for perfect, smooth and clean... Why WonderFil Tutti thread is so good for... How Accent, Mirage and Spagetti threads highlight appliqued... 1 easy way to add a quilt binding,... Using combinations of 100wt, 80wt, 50wt, 12wt threads... Why using Invisafil thread is best for adding... Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.