Have you ever seen someone wearing a quilted coat but were too afraid to tackle one yourself? Join Teresa Coates, a nationally known sewing educator, accomplished quilt maker, and pattern designer as she will teach us her "From Quilt to Coat" workshop.
This workshop will turn a quilt, quilted fabric, or even that vintage tablecloth hiding in your closet, into a one-of-a-kind coat you’ll actually want to wear. Using her Elemental Coat pattern as the foundation, she will walk us step by step through the process of transforming textiles into garments, with plenty of tips along the way.
You’ll learn how to:
Work confidently with pre-quilted fabrics and vintage linens
Customize your coat with piecing, repurposed textiles, and design variations
Adjust length, sleeves, and neckline to suit your style
Gain practical garment-sewing insights from a quilter-turned-pattern-designer
By the end, you’ll have the skills (and courage!) to cut into that quilt and stitch it into a wearable piece of art that’s uniquely yours. This all day workshop will have students leave with a completed coat.
Each workshop will have its students view a one-hour Zoom session on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 7:00pm to prepare the students and answer questions so they can be ready to cut and sew their coats in class. Zoom connection information will be sent to attendees closer to the presentation.
In addition to the supply list, Teresa has the following suggestions: A twin or larger quilt gives more flexibility in layout. A throw-size quilt is not recommended. Workshop attendees may also quilt 3 yards of regular fabric or 2 yards of wideback fabric.
No kit is needed, but each attendee must order Teresa's "Essential Coat" pattern (available on her website, crinkledreams.com) for $24.99.
Teresa has had great reviews for this class. As one attendee said, “She was fabulous! I finished my first coat in class. It’s made from a quilt that my great-grandmother pieced and my grandmother had quilted; my own wearable hug. I’m relatively new to garment sewing, and I love the Elemental Coat pattern!”
Download the supply list
*Please note that the workshop will now be located at the same place as our regular guild meetings: Grace United Methodist Church, 244 E. Center Ave., Lake Bluff, IL 60044