It’s time…you’re ready to tackle a quilted jacket, but feeling a bit unsure about which materials to choose! Should you use a pre-quilted fabric, or pre-loved blanket…or maybe create your own quilted yardage? There are lots of great options, which we will explore together in this guide to the best quilted fabrics for coats and other garments.
First - a little lesson in the vocabulary of quilting
Likely when you recall the image of a “quilt”, you see a big blanket laying on a bed, thick and fluffy, made from intricately-pieced materials. And while this certainly is correct, it can be helpful to understand just what “quilting” means, and how the vocabulary of different parts of the process differs.
In and of itself, quilting refers to a piece where different fabrics (and sometimes battings) are layered, and secured together to create a lofty, warm, thick material. It is not referring to the act of putting smaller pieces together; but rather, a moniker to indicate the layering. Historically, of course, this was done with a needle and thread - but in the modern day, there are a great many options. you’ll also see “quilted” synthetic materials which have been heat-treated to secure the layers together instead, often in lines which mimic traditional quilting.
In our opening example, the more-correct term to use for the blanket you pictured would be a pieced quilt. This is what you may tend to imagine when you picture a “traditional” quilt - many small bits sewn together to create interesting “blocks” or motifs, which come together into the larger quilt top, which is then quilted to the other layers. By contrast, wholecloth quilts are also possible, which simply means a single piece of fabric is used as the visible layer on the top of the blanket with no smaller bits at all. There’s also the option for appliques to be added to a quilt on top of a wholecloth, or pieced top.
Finally, you may have heard the term batting used before - this is the fluffy material that goes inside the quilt to give it warmth and loft. We’ll chat a bit about it later in this post!
Quilted Yardage: the easiest option for beginners
While creating a quilted jacket is a pretty beginner-friendly project anyway, quilted fabric yardage can take much of the guesswork out of it. No wondering if a blanket will be big enough, if material layering will work out well, or learning how to quilt - just purchase your yardage, and go.
And, today’s fabric market boasts all sorts of options you can enjoy, from “typical” fabrics like plain-weave printed cottons and polyesters, to fancy velvets and more. Just observe the drape of your chosen quilted fabric closely - anything that is too stiff, such as those intended for upholstery, can be a bit uncomfortable to wear and move in.
Upcycled Blankets: a sustainable, simple option
Upcycling blankets can make for a great intermediate option in terms of difficulty: they are pre-quilted, a little more eco-friendly, and still easy to work with. Just make sure to look for one that is in good shape, and would be comfortable to wear as a garment. If there is widespread damage or thinning fabric, you’ll need to be careful considering how to cut around it or repair it.
Unsure if your blanket will be big enough to match the yardage needed? We’ve shared a handy trick in our free Upcycle Guide for estimating yardage on-the-go! Just remember that extra material will be needed if you are trying to line up certain features on your jacket panels.
Thinking about using a vintage or heirloom quilt for your sewing project? Here’s some things to consider before cutting up these precious textiles. In addition, we’ve shared some helpful tips for working with vintage quilts, to honor their legacy and keep them looking good for a long time to come.
Quilt Your Own Fabric: unlock limitless creative possibilities
While it requires a bit more time, planning, and skill, piecing and/or quilting your own panels for a quilted jacket can be remarkably rewarding, allowing you to make a jacket that matches your vision exactly! We provide some helpful tips for doing this in the Loft Quilted Jacket pattern and this guide on quilting your own fabric, but here’s some of our top tips for your quilted garment project.
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Always buy more thread than you think you will need, and pre-wind more bobbins than you expect. Quilting “eats” through thread really quickly, and there’s few things worse than running out mid-project!
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Anticipate about 10% shrinkage when quilting your materials. The loft of batting will cause many quilted panels to finish smaller than when they started, so plan on this ahead of time. Along the same vein…
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Don’t cut your jacket pieces exactly prior to quilting - it’s best to cut a bigger fabric panel, quilt it, and then cut your piece out exactly, so that it doesn’t become too small.
Want some inspiration for your quilting? Come take a look at some of the different types of quilting you can do!
As far as materials for your quilting, it’s best not to use anything too thick, as the layers can add up quickly. Quilting cotton, flannel, and linen are really popular options for both the top and back, though options like seersucker, poplin, and more can be used as well.
What about the batting?
For batting, there’s a wide range of options available. Purpose-made batting is generally made from polyester, cotton, wool, or bamboo. Each has a much different drape and feel, and will come with different quilting and washing requirements, so make sure to take a look at your batting’s packaging for additional information on these.
One thing to make special note of is the quilting distance indicated - this will be presented as a maximum possible distance between quilting lines on the packaging. Why does this matter, you ask? The answer lies in the structure of the batting itself.
When batting is made, as fluffy fibers combed out into a thin layer, it will be secured together with what is called scrim, which secures the shape loosely. This is done in different ways for different types - for instance cotton often has small threads as scrim, while wool is needle-felted in incremental spots and polyester is heat-treated to sort of melt the fibers together. While the scrim provides loose structure, it’s not enough to hold it together through wear and washing on its own. To keep it from falling apart and balling up inside of a quilt or garment, a very loose, fluffy batting will require very dense quilting, whereas a batting with more scrim will be more stable, and ok to quilt more loosely. It’s important to follow this carefully, to keep your finished item in good shape. (This is also good to keep in mind when purchasing batting for Leaf Blankets - it may be good to measure your chosen leaf veins for the furthest gap they have, and choose a batting accordingly.)
Wondering what we mean by "dense" vs "loose" quilting? In this example, the Loft Quilted Jacket on the left features material that has been densely quilted, with lines very close together. On the right, instead, the quilting lines are further apart following the design of the vintage quilt it was made from.
However, purpose-made batting is not your only option for the middle layer of your quilt! Many quilting traditions, such as kantha in the Bengali region of South Asia, have always been made simply from multiple layers of fabric. In modern day quilting, these alternatives are still quite popular.
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Flannel makes a good filler layer for just a little loft, good warmth, and all-natural fibers
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Fleece is an option to provide some loft, similar to regular batting, while remaining a little easier to work with.
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Upcycled blankets of many sorts work great as well - for instance, fleece can be harvested from blankets, or you can consider wool blankets, camp blankets, and more. Even old, ratty quilts that have lived their useful life can be repurposed inside a new quilt.
Finally, you may opt to skip a middle-layer all together, and just quilt your top fabric to your backing of choice. People tend to prefer something with a little loft for this, to still give the quilt some dimensionality, such as flannel, fleece, or cotton gauze for an extra-breathable option.
We hope this has given you some inspiration for your next project, whether it comes from a linen closet, op shop, or fabric store shelf. Have any more questions or ideas? Come ask them in our creative communities! You can join us in the T+T Treehouse, as an option away from mainstream social media, or on your favourite platforms as @twigandtale or in our Twig + Tale Chat group on Facebook.
Here's some additional quilt-curious content you may enjoy:
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Want a pattern that guides you every step of the way? Check out the Loft Quilted Jacket here!
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Making your own quilted fabrics can be such a treat - it’s why we’ve provided an overview of different quilting types as well as a look at how to quilt your own materials
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Wondering about using vintage quilts for coats? Explore the ethics here, and find some practical tips for working with vintage quilts
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If you’re as history-curious as we are, come take a look at the history of quilted clothing around the world
- Take your quilt project to the next level with different piecing methods, such as foundation paper piecing or crumb quilting
- Add quilt-inspired details to a variety of clothing + accessory projects with this scrappy sewing guide
Featuring photos by Fanny Storlund, Mieke Oostveen, Lynnette Hulse, Jessica Van Slooten, Erica Wright, Marisa Murphy, and Jennifer Poe
