Fabrics and batting for patchwork: To help you keep track of the huge selection, I will reveal here which fabric and which interfacing suit which patchwork project.
Patchwork is a heavenly and very traditional hobby. It is also wonderfully sustainable because you can use small and even tiny fabric scraps to create wonderful, individual projects. I love sewing very personal patchwork quilts for friends and family. A self-sewn baby blanket as a gift for a birth is also a beautiful idea.
But which fabric goes with which sewing idea? And which batting should one even use? My colleague Simone answers these and many other questions in this blog article. After this post, you will be wiser, I promise.
READING TIP: To get a general overview of fabrics and materials for sewing, feel free to also read my big help article: Which fabric for what?
What are patchwork fabrics?
Patchwork fabrics, also known as quilt fabrics, are firm, high-quality cotton fabrics. The yarns used for this are tightly twisted and have a high thread count when woven.
This means that the warp and weft threads are processed across a width. They are therefore not coarsely woven. This density ensures that these fabrics remain stable and firm even after washing.
Firm cotton and woven – that is already a good prerequisite for "patchworking." These fabrics are not always declared as "patchwork fabric" in stores. And that does not at all mean that they cannot be used as patchwork fabric.
What should I look out for when buying patchwork fabrics?
In any case, it is worth choosing high-quality patchwork fabrics. After all, you spend many hours on a project. Furthermore, these fabrics have to be able to withstand quite a bit.
It starts with the construction, with frequent ironing, sewing and ironing again and sewing again, cutting again, aligning and ironing again. Well – and the finished project will then potentially be used over several years.
What does patchwork mean?
Patchwork translates to "flick-work" (mending/patching). Originally, old things were turned into new ones. And not everyone has a cupboard full of collected fabric pieces that also happen to go well together. Be it in color or in terms of the fabric type.
Therefore, many fabric manufacturers have compiled a selection of their current collections and offer pre-cut fabric pieces.
This way, you don't need to buy a large quantity of every fabric, you save money, and you have all the fabrics from one series. If you look for this, you will come across terms like "Fat Quarter," "Charm Pack," or "Design Roll." Careful: addictive! 😉
What is a Fat Quarter?
Fat Quarter packs are fabric bundles that consist primarily of an entire fabric collection. These squares measure approximately 45 – 49 cm. They are therefore completely coordinated with one another.
What are Charm Packs?
Charm Packs also consist of squares. They are just much smaller and do not need to be cut any further if needed. Some designs also appear multiple times in this package. As a rule, these packs are stocked with 42 squares. You could get started right away. They measure 12.5 cm.
What are Design Rolls or Jelly Rolls?
Design Rolls, or sometimes called Jelly Rolls, are many fabric strips that are approx. 6 cm wide and 1.10 m long. Here, too, you will find all the patterns from one collection or even multiples.
These rolls often consist of 40 strips. These strips can also be used directly, e.g., for a lasagna quilt.
What are solids?
Every quilt and patchwork project also requires basic patchwork fabrics in solid colors. They are sometimes also called "solids." These plain or very subtly patterned fabrics bring "calm" to a patchwork project and determine the color direction in which a sewing idea develops.
These basics are available in an incredibly wide range of beautiful colors. Simone has them in top quality in her Etsy shop.
You can order the beautiful basics directly here*
These fabrics are suitable for patchwork
With the huge range of fabrics, it's not easy to keep track. That's why I'm giving you an overview of the most common fabrics for your patchwork ideas in this table.
| Cotton Poplin | First of all: Poplin does not necessarily have to be made of cotton. So make sure it is cotton poplin. The term poplin refers to the way the fabric was woven. It is a plain weave, dense, and with a fine warp. It is woven so that it has twice as many threads in the longitudinal direction as in the transverse (weft) direction. Notice anything? It gets very specific. But it is important to know that because of this manufacturing process, it is so durable and feels wonderfully smooth. That is why poplin is also popular for shirts and blouses. The term poplin is derived from French, by the way, and has something to do with some pope from ages ago. But let's leave it at that. Poplin is great! You can order cotton poplin here* |
| Cotton Twill | With twill (also called Twill), it's also about the weave. The way warp and weft threads are woven. With this fabric, the weft threads always run over at least two warp threads. A slightly offset structure is formed. It is therefore a robust and firm fabric. You find this weave in jeans. It looks slightly diagonally offset. |
| Cotton Batiste | Batiste is a very fine-threaded, woven, lightweight fabric. It has a silky feel and drapes fluidly. The weave is wonderfully smooth and dense. Very famous and always a hot topic is the cotton batiste from Liberty London. This has its own name and is called Tana Lawn. It is produced using a finishing process, such as mercerization. The fabric is airy, light, and yet very dense. It is reminiscent of real silk. Patchwork quilts made from these fabrics are particularly elegant. You can order cotton batiste here* |
| Linen | Of course, linen is also suitable for patchwork. But if you are an absolute beginner at patchwork, working with it is a bit more difficult. Linen can warp significantly. After every ironing or after every seam, your fabric piece has a different measurement again. Why this is so, I will explain here: Pure linen is a natural fiber from flax. You will find yarn thickenings in the warp and weft directions in this weave. Linen therefore has a little elasticity and does not stay in shape entirely. Well, and linen wrinkles, but that is sometimes intended. Wrinkle-look linen is often even desired. Did you know that linen is breathable and dirt-resistant? Linen in summer – a clear yes! You can order linen fabrics here* |
| Denim | Jeans, i.e., denim, is a blue cotton fabric. This fabric is a twill weave, very robust and firm. The way and what this fabric was originally manufactured for has a long history. I'll just say "gold prospectors in the Wild West." So that the gold nuggets wouldn't fall out of the trousers. ;-) To this day, jeans have a firm place in everyone's wardrobe. Wear marks in jeans persist, and after friction, the color fades. Jeans must be broken in so that they adapt to the body. Who might remember: lying in the bathtub with jeans on and letting them dry on the body? That is no longer necessary, because nowadays synthetic stretch yarns are added to the cotton yarns. Conclusion: Super for patchwork work. A bag or quilt made of collected jeans pieces looks incredibly stylish. You can order denim fabrics here* |
| Fine Corduroy | Cuddly soft longitudinal ribs are characteristic of corduroy. This is created by a special weave. It is usually made of a high cotton content and was formerly very well known for work clothing. How stylish are the carpenter's wide-wale corduroy trousers these days, right? The number of longitudinal ribs indicates what kind of corduroy fabric it is. Fine corduroy or baby cord has more than 40 ribs per 10 cm. It is totally soft, robust, and hard-wearing. You should always iron fine corduroy and all other corduroy types from the inside out (wrong side). The raised pile is otherwise flattened and then appears shiny or worn out. If you want to iron it from the right side, it is best to put a cotton cloth in between. You can order fine corduroy here* |
| Muslin / Double Gauze | Since muslin is a very loose and fine-threaded material, working with it in patchwork can be a bit more difficult. The threads of the muslin fabric are slightly twisted and therefore get their light and fluffy feel. After washing, muslin shrinks a bit. If you iron the fabric carefully, it can smooth out a little again. Double gauze is quite similar to muslin. The difference is that double gauze consists of two thin layers that are connected at points. This fabric is also super fluffy and yet opaque. It is perfect for dresses and blouses. But a patchwork quilt made of this material is also a dream. You can order muslin/double gauze here* |
These battings are suitable for patchwork and quilting
There are so many different types of batting and interfacings. Some are for ironing on one side, others even double-sided. There are thin, thick, and even thicker ones. Made of natural fibers or synthetic fibers – the selection is really very large.
What do I need to consider when choosing patchwork batting?
It always depends on what you want to make and for whom. A baby blanket for the floor should be filled with thick quilt batting. A cozy blanket for the shoulders to wrap around should, in turn, have a thinner filling. A table runner gets by with iron-on filling batting. The quilt seams then appear three-dimensional and the coffee cup won't tip over anyway.
What fibers can patchwork battings consist of?
So, you see: there is a huge amount of batting made from various fibers. Cotton, wool, bamboo, soy, and of course mixtures and synthetic fibers. You can get these by the meter and also in pieces.
You can get batting that is provided with markings for the quilting seams. Or also batting that shows you how far the quilt spacing may be, otherwise there is a danger that your batting could tear or sag.
Cotton or bamboo batting are more breathable, thinner, and adhere better to the fabric. However, this batting also shrinks, and the entire work can appear a bit wrinkled later on.
I could fill pages with this topic, you can believe me. But so that your brain doesn't overheat, I will introduce you to a few common types of batting.
You can also find out more about this in my post Non-woven fabrics, interfacings, and co.
| Type of batting | Properties, tips & notes |
| Thermolam | Thermolam® consists of very firm quilt batting. It is excellently suited for insulation. This batting is frequently used as interfacing for pot holders or pot trivets. It is also great as filling for jackets and vests. Because it is, as mentioned, insulating and yet breathable. Thermolam® feels a bit like craft felt. You can order Thermolam here* |
| Cotton batting | Cotton batting is not as voluminous and is suitable for quilting as well as an interlining for clothing and patchwork quilts. It is made of 100% cotton. Cotton battings are therefore more breathable, thinner, and adhere better to the fabric. They can shrink, and after the first wash, there is a risk that your project will look crinkled. However, this effect is sometimes even highly desirable, as it gives your patchwork quilts a fantastic "used look." You can order cotton batting here* |
| Polyester batting | This batting is made of synthetic fiber and is many times lighter than other natural fiber battings of the same thickness. Polyester batting is very stable, retains its shape, and is also very tear-resistant. This batting is perfectly suited for voluminous blankets. Many iron-on interlinings are made of polyester. They are great for sewing and reinforcing bags, placemats, or pencil cases. These are available in various thicknesses. You can order polyester batting here* |
| Wool batting | Wool batting is a pure natural product made from virgin wool. It is processed into fine, uniform sheets of wool. This wool is washed, carded, and then combed. It should not be washed constantly and must not be put in the dryer, as it will felt. This means that air-drying it can take a while. However, there are great alternatives: wool batting blends. These are made of a portion of cotton and a portion of polyester. You can order wool batting here* |
| Soy mix | Soy mix is a lightweight, needle-punched batting. It consists half of soy and half of cotton. It is very soft and supple. The fibers are ecological and antimicrobial. It is great for large-scale projects like blankets or jackets, as well as wall hangings. To avoid shrinkage later on, pre-washing is recommended. It should also not be wrung out. A gentle pressing is sufficient. You can order soy mix batting here* |
| Lyocell batting | Usually consists of a mix of Lyocell, cotton, and/or polyester. Lyocell, also known as Tencel, is a synthetic fiber of natural origin. It is made from wood residues, mostly eucalyptus, and is considered very sustainable. Lyocell has an antibacterial effect and ensures good moisture transport. The batting also provides these properties when you use it for your quilts and patchwork projects. You can order Lyocell batting here* |
| Extra-compact batting | You could also call this batting "beginner batting." It is needle-punched particularly densely. This makes working with it much easier than with a loose, fluffy batting. Nevertheless, the batting is nicely dense and can be used for warming quilts and baby blankets that are easy to wash and dry quickly. You can order extra-compact batting here* |
| Cotton blend | Combines the good properties of cotton with the durability and lightness of synthetic fibers. A particularly durable batting that is well-suited for blankets. You can order cotton blend batting here* |
I hope you were able to get a small glimpse into the colorful and fluffy world of patchwork fabrics and battings. Feel free to let me know in the comments if you have any questions on the topic.
Happy simple sewing, Sabine & Simone
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