Happy Holidays from Aurifil! We’re simply delighted that you’ve chosen to join us on this festive journey. We hope that each day brings a new bit of holiday joy and perhaps even a few thread weights and hues that spark some extra creativity.
Below, you’ll find three distinct sections: Projects, Education, & Recipes. We hope that you enjoy!
PROJECTS
Discover 10 delightful projects that span hand embroidery, cross stitch, piecing, quilting, and creative scrap-busting! Mostly bite-sized, each project is perfectly suited for holiday crafting— whether you’re making thoughtful gifts, festive decorations, or simply savoring the peaceful, joyful moments that come from creating by hand.
Il Borgo Stitchery
Capture the cozy charm of an Italian village in winter with our Il Borgo Illustration— a heartfelt tribute to the simple joys and timeless beauty of small-town life. Nestled among snow-dusted rooftops and glowing windows, this scene invites you to slow down, savor the season, and celebrate community.
Whether you bring it to life through embroidery, coloring, painting, or another creative medium, Il Borgo offers endless ways to express your artistry. Let its warmth and wonder inspire your holiday making, filling your home— and your heart— with the spirit of an Italian Christmas.
Holiday Quilted Stocking
Create something truly unique and special this Christmas with a handmade quilted stocking— an heirloom-quality project full of festive charm. This pattern will guide you step by step through quilting, construction, and finishing your festive project. Perfect for both beginners and experienced sewists, it offers clear instructions and helpful tips to make the process smooth and enjoyable. With bonus videos for both construction and quilting included, you’ll have visual guidance to ensure every stitch is perfect. Make a stocking that’s as personal and festive as the holiday season itself— a treasured decoration or gift that will be cherished year after year.
Thread Painted Tree
This thread-painted tree design is a festive, eye-catching addition to your holiday crafting— simple to personalize, yet beautifully detailed thanks to the rich texture of Aurifil threads. Primarily stitched with Aurifil Cotton 50wt and Cotton 40wt for smooth, precise thread painting, it can be enhanced with bold decorative touches using Cotton 28wt or Cotton 12wt for added dimension. Create an elegant stitched tree to mount on a paper greeting card, or use it as a charming embellishment on stockings, gift tags, table toppers, or any holiday accessory. Make your season more heartfelt and handmade with this timeless, stitchable tree— versatile, creative, and wonderfully unique.
Birds & Berries Greenery
This Birds & Berries embroidery design brings a festive touch to your holiday stitching, combining the elegance of Aurifil Cotton 80wt, Cotton 40wt, Cotton 12wt, and Cotton Floss for beautifully layered detail. With alternate thread options available, you can tailor the look to match your preferred style— fine, delicate lines or bold, decorative accents. Offered in two layouts, this charming motif can be finished in the round for display or stitched into a gift tag for heartfelt, handmade gifting. Versatile, seasonal, and joyfully crafted, it’s the perfect project to elevate your holiday makes.
Il Borgo Cross Stitch
Bring the warmth and charm of an Italian village to your holiday stitching with the Il Borgo Cross Stitch & Minis collection, designed to shine with Aurifil Cotton 12wt, Cotton 8wt, and Cotton Floss. These petite, detailed charts capture the magic of cobbled streets, festive windows, tiny ornaments, and seasonal motifs— perfect for creating decorations or heartfelt handmade gifts. Versatile and beginner-friendly, the designs can be finished as ornaments, gift tags, cards, mini hoops, or added to stockings and holiday table settings. Each chart is available in both full-color symbol and black-and-white layouts, making it easy to choose your preferred style and start stitching a touch of holiday borgo magic.
Holiday Big Bow!
Create your own festive Holiday Big Bow! with this fun and versatile project! This pattern guides you through each step, making it perfect for confident beginners as well as seasoned sewists looking to add a handmade flourish to their holiday décor. The Holiday Big Bow! sample was crafted by machine using Aurifil Cotton 50wt for smooth, precise stitching and finished with Cotton 28wt for machine quilting, giving it structure and dimension. Use it to adorn wreaths, gifts, mantelpieces, or front doors— an easy way to add a bold, joyful statement to your seasonal celebrations while showcasing the beauty of Aurifil threads.
Festive Embroidered Jumper
Give your favorite plain jumper a touch of handmade cheer with simple stitched lettering— an easy, creative way to make your outfit feel extra festive. Using Aurifil’s versatile Cotton 12wt or Cotton 8wt threads for bold, standout stitches (or Cotton Floss for a softer, classic embroidery look), this project is perfect for personalizing sweaters, sweatshirts, or even children’s holiday outfits. Quick to stitch and endlessly customizable, it’s a delightful way to infuse your wardrobe with warm, handmade holiday spirit.
Stitched Village House
Festive Fabric Scrap Garland
Celebrate the season with a cheerful, handmade Festive Fabric Scrap Garland— an easy and creative way to bring warmth and holiday charm to any space. Crafted from colorful fabric scraps, this garland is perfect for draping over mantels, staircases, windows, or as a playful accent on a tree. Quick to assemble and endlessly customizable, it’s a wonderful way to use leftover fabrics while adding a personal, festive touch to your home décor. Bright, joyful, and full of handmade character, this garland brings the spirit of the season to life with every stitch.
Patchwork Holiday Tree Skirt
Create your own festive Patchwork Holiday Tree Skirt from fabric scraps, selvedge strips, or treasures from your sewing stash. This pattern guides you step by step, making it perfect for both beginners and seasoned sewists eager to add a handmade touch to their holiday décor. Versatile and customizable, you can mix colors, patterns, and textures to reflect your personal style, creating a tree skirt that’s as unique and joyful as the season itself. A beautiful finishing touch for your tree, it brings warmth, charm, and a touch of patchwork magic to your holiday celebrations.
EDUCATION
Join Aurifil’s Master Educator Karen L. Miller for a tour of Aurifil’s Cotton thread weights. Each video will share key details on a featured thread weight with the goal of arming you with all the information to expand your thread palette and help cultivate your creative journey.
Introduction to Aurifil Thread
Aurifil 100% Cotton 8wt
Aurifil 100% Cotton 12wt
Aurifil 100% Cotton 28wt
Aurifil 100% Cotton 40wt
Aurifil 100% Cotton 50wt
Aurifil 100% Cotton 80wt
Aurifil 100% Cotton Floss
RECIPES
With Aurifil’s Italian heritage at heart, we’re excited to share some of our favorite holiday drinks and dishes straight from Italy. We’d love to hear which ones become your new seasonal favorites!
Cantucci
Cantucci are small, almond-flavored Italian cookies—often called biscotti outside Italy—traditionally made without yeast or fat and baked twice for a crisp, long-lasting bite. Originating in Tuscany and perfected in Renaissance-era Prato, they became a beloved regional specialty known for their simplicity and for pairing beautifully with Vin Santo, the sweet dessert wine. Though “cantucci” typically refers to the classic almond version and “cantuccini” to smaller or modern variations, both evoke the same warm tradition still enjoyed in Tuscan homes: dipping the cookie in wine, letting it soften, and savoring a taste of comfort and history.
Spaghetti alla Chitarra
In the rugged heart of Abruzzo, where the Apennines meet the Adriatic, pasta is not a product but a ritual made slowly by hand with flour, eggs, and patience. The region’s signature spaghetti alla chitarra takes its name from the wooden “guitar” whose taut strings slice dough into square-edged strands, though the pasta can also be cut by hand in the tradition passed down through generations. Typically served with rich tomato sauce and tiny polpettine made from leftover meat or bread crumbs, the dish embodies Abruzzese cooking—nothing fancy, nothing wasted, everything made with care. On winter Sundays, families still gather around wooden tables to roll dough, share stories, and wait for the sauce to simmer.
Lemon Punch
In the cliffside villages of the Amalfi Coast, lemons are life— their perfume drifts through narrow streets and stone terraces where families have cultivated the giant sfusato amalfitano for centuries. On cool winter evenings, locals make punch al limone, a warm digestivo of lemon peel, sugar, and alcohol that’s lighter than mulled wine and brighter than a liqueur, like liquid sunshine on a cold night. Still served in cafés and family kitchens during the holidays, it fills the room with the comforting scent of lemon and sugar.
Rosolio d’Arancia
In Sicily’s sun-soaked borghi, rosolio is the drink of hospitality—sweet, perfumed, and traditionally made in small batches from local fruits or flowers. Once known as il liquore delle dame for its elegant role in winter visits and festivities, it remains an old-fashioned staple of Sicilian culture. This orange version captures the island’s winter essence, combining the bright zest of Sicilian oranges slowly infused in alcohol with a simple syrup, with each village adding its own twist—vanilla, cinnamon, or a hint of lemon for balance.
Bicerin
The Bicerin is a cherished symbol of Turin and the wider Piedmont region— a layered drink of hot chocolate, espresso, and lightly whipped cream served in the small glass that gives it its name. Born in 18th-century Turin’s refined café culture and perfected around 1763 at the historic Caffè al Bicerin, it evolved from the earlier bavareisa into the harmonious, tri-layered beverage known today. Though deeply Turinese, the Bicerin has spread throughout Piedmont, with each locale adding subtle touches— regional chocolate, alpine cream— while honoring the drink’s essential three layers and its legacy of artistry, hospitality, and timeless charm.
Cera d’Ape Profumata
In the rural villages of central Italy, cera d’ape— pure beeswax— was once treasured as much as honey itself. Beekeeping was part of daily life, and after honey was harvested, the wax combs were melted down and reused for everything: waterproofing cloth, polishing furniture, making church candles, and most delicately, scenting the home. The tradition endures today with the same simple, sustainable recipe— an invitation to reuse, slow down, and bring the quiet beauty of nature indoors.
