One of the first questions I get about quilted coats is:
what fabric should I use?
And honestly—it’s a fair question.
There are so many options, and it can feel like you need to get everything exactly right before you even begin:
- What weight should I use?
- Do I need to make a full quilt top first?
- Will this be too bulky?
- How do I make it look cohesive?
It’s a lot.
But the good news is—you don’t need to figure everything out all at once.
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🧠 It’s Not About the “Perfect” Fabric
Instead of trying to find the perfect fabric combination, it’s more helpful to think in terms of a few simple decisions.
Once you understand those, everything starts to feel much more manageable.
🧩 The Three Fabric Decisions That Matter Most
🧩 1. Your Base Fabric
This is the fabric you’ll be quilting with—your outer layer.
There are more options here than most people expect, and you don’t have to limit yourself to just one type.
Some common choices include:
- Quilting cotton
- Linen or linen blends
- Lightweight canvas
- Flannel
- Other woven fabrics
- Double gauze
- Chambray
Each of these will give you a slightly different feel.
The key thing to think about is:
👉 structure vs softness
- Quilting cotton → structured, stable, very beginner-friendly
- Linen → softer, more relaxed, a bit more drape
- Canvas → more structured, holds its shape well
- Flannel → soft, slightly heavier, adds warmth
- Double gauze → very soft and airy, less structured
- Chambray → lightweight, soft, with gentle structure
There’s no single “correct” choice here—it really depends on how you want your finished coat to feel when you wear it.
If you’re unsure, quilting cotton is still the easiest place to start, but it’s not your only option.
🪶 2. Your Batting
Batting is what gives your coat its warmth and texture.
This is where a lot of people worry about bulk—but you have more control here than you think.
Think in terms of:
- Low loft batting → lighter, less bulky, great for layering pieces
- Higher loft batting → more warmth and puff, more visual texture
If you’re planning to wear your coat indoors or as a layering piece,
👉 low loft is often the sweet spot.
🧩 3. Outer vs Lining Fabric
This is where you get to add a lot of personality.
For the outer fabric, you might choose something that feels a bit more neutral or wearable day-to-day.
But for the lining?
👉 I always encourage my students to use this as a chance to go bold.
This is where you can:
- Choose a print you absolutely love
- Add colour that might feel like “too much” on the outside
- Create a little surprise when the coat opens
And you don’t have to stop there.
You can also:
- Use a different fabric for the sleeve lining
- Add contrast in your pocket linings
- Mix in small moments of colour or print throughout
Those little details are what make the coat feel really personal.
🎨 Colour & Cohesion
If you’ve ever felt stuck here, you’re not alone.
It’s easy to overcomplicate colour choices, but a few simple approaches work really well:
- Limited palette → choose 2–4 colours and repeat them
- Scrappy but controlled → mix prints, but keep a common tone
- Soft blend → everything sits close in value for a subtle look
If you’re already thinking about how this coat fits into your wardrobe, you’re on the right track.
If you’re planning to make the Etched Diamond Quilt x Hovea Coat Pattern Extension, a helpful starting point is to work with five fabrics for the exterior:
- Four fabrics for the patchwork detail
- One fabric as your background
This gives you enough variety to create interest, while still keeping everything cohesive.
From there, you can build in even more personality with:
- A coordinating (or contrasting) fabric for the bias binding
- And something completely different for the lining
Those layers are where everything really comes together—and where you can make the coat feel entirely your own.
✂️ A Few Practical Things to Keep in Mind
These are the small details that make a big difference:
- Bulk at seams – Quilted fabric layers quickly—keep that in mind when choosing heavier fabrics.
- Quilting density – Tighter quilting = more structure, less puff. Wider spacing = softer, more relaxed.
- Prewashing – I personally prefer to prewash my fabrics so everything behaves consistently later on.
💡 A Little Reassurance Before You Start
You don’t need to get every decision perfect before you begin.
In fact, a lot of clarity comes once you start working with the fabric.
If you’re feeling unsure, choose something simple and treat it as a learning piece.
That’s often where the best coats come from.
💬 Still Not Sure What to Choose?
If you’re feeling stuck on fabric choices, you’re not alone—this is one of the most common places people pause before starting.
Sometimes it just helps to talk it through.
If you’d like a second set of eyes, I offer a 30-minute fabric and colour consultation where we can look at your options together and map out a direction that feels right for you.
👉 Book a fabric & colour consultation
And if you’re more of a “figure it out as you go” kind of maker, that’s completely okay too.
You don’t need to have everything perfectly decided before you begin—clarity often comes once you start working with the fabric in front of you.
🧥 If You’re Ready to Start…
If you already know you want to make a quilted jacket and just need the pattern to get started, you can find the Etched Diamond Quilt x Hovea Coat Pattern Extension here:
👉 Get the quilted coat pattern extension
And if you’d like a more guided approach, inside my quilted coat course, I walk through fabric selection, prep, and construction step by step.
👉 Watch the free welcome video / explore the course
✨ Final Thought
The best fabric choice is the one that gets you started.
It doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be yours.
Have fun!
xo
Shannon
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