Fabric Suggestions for 118 Tibetan Panel Coat

September 14, 2018

The 118 Tibetan Panel Coat is a festive, full-length vest, or sleeveless coat, still worn by Tibetans today on special occasions. Its simple rectangular components make it perfect for pieced or handwoven fabrics, or exciting combinations of color and texture. You can make this as exciting/loud or conservative as you want.  Fabrics can, and should, be combined to make a unique and beautiful garment.  Our pattern includes instructions for traditional stamped design and bound edge, as well as notes for handweavers who want to use their own fabric to make this beautiful garment.

Suggested fabrics: Choose assorted combinations of prints and solids in similar weights. Light to medium-weight cotton, blends, corduroy, wool; decorative fabrics such as brocade, velvet, embroidered heirlooms; handwoven wool.

PLEASE NOTE: Fabrics used as examples in blog may go out of stock from store.  If link is invalid for specific product, there may be another fabric from the supplier that you can substitute.  These suggestions are based on fabrics that are in stock at the time the blog post is written!

 Hart's Fabrics has a good selection of woven Ikat fabrics to choose from, and a combination of ikat fabrics would be beautiful (we have one sample made of ikats and it's my favorite).

From Stonemountain and Daughter we found this lovely ribbon & wool fabric.  In combination with other solid colors this would be really beautiful!

Or this fantastic brocade from Michael Levine's.  Again, with solids, and a bit of pop of a color or two, this would be impressive and dramatic!

 Michael Levine's also has a good selection of velveteen and velvet.  Here is a chocolate velveteen we like and could see as luxurious panels in this coat.

From Fabric Depot we found a yarn-dye woven striped cotton fabric, and this would be nice combined with similar colors for a muted palate vest.  

I will end with a note from a customer (we have this in our "tips" with the pattern description). Sh says that fabric choice is very important: "I made mine with silks and brocades, and wound up with a very dramatic garment that I hardly wear even though I love it. My next version will be made with more casual fabrics." Also, she suggests arranging the cut-out pattern pieces in assembly order on the floor (e.g. lay the side front next to the front), to make sure that you will sew them together in the right order.

Whatever you make, I hope you enjoy it and let us know how it turns out!

Leave a comment

Also in News