What Should My First Quilt Be? A Beginner’s Guide to Quilts

So, you’re ready to buy a quilt—but before you dive in, it helps to understand what goes into one. Think of a quilt like a sandwich: there’s the outer shell (your “bread”), the interior batting (your “filling”), and the stitching that holds it all together. Each component can be made from a wide range of materials, and the choices you make will affect everything from warmth and breathability to durability and sustainability.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the key components of a quilt—what they’re made of, how they perform, and what to consider when choosing the right combination. We’ll also share our preferences here at Peplos Linen, based on years of research, testing, and textile experience.

Let’s start with the shell, or outer layer—the part you’ll interact with most. Shell fabrics can include cotton, linen, polyester, bamboo, wool, silk, or Lyocell. Each has its own strengths and trade-offs, which we’ve outlined in the table below.

Quilt Shell Fabrics: A Breakdown

Read our blog post to learn more about fabric GSM

Now let’s get into the meat and potatoes of quilt construction—the interior, where warmth lives and transparency often disappears. Many brands gloss over this part, but at Peplos Linen, we believe the inside matters just as much as the shell.

You’ll often hear the terms batting and fill used to describe what’s inside a quilt. While they’re sometimes used interchangeably, they’re not the same.

•    Batting is a single, sheet-like layer of fiber that stays in place when quilted—think of it like a slice of cheese in a sandwich.

•   Fill, on the other hand, is loose and mobile—more like alfalfa sprouts. It shifts unless contained by stitched channels or baffles.

The type of interior you choose affects not only warmth and loft, but also how the quilt is stitched and finished. We’ll dive into stitching styles later, but first, here’s a reference table outlining common batting and fill options, along with their pros and cons

Quilt Fill/Batting Material Breakdown

Once you’ve chosen your interior—batting or fill—the stitching method becomes more than decorative. It’s structural. It determines how the quilt breathes, how it ages, and how well it holds its shape over time.

There are two primary stitching styles, each matched to the type of interior:

•   Box Stitching

Used with loose fill, this method creates stitched compartments (boxes or channels) that keep the fill from shifting. Think of it as architectural containment—each stitch line is a wall that holds the fluff in place. Without it, the fill would migrate, clump, or settle unevenly.

•   Hand-Tucked Stitching

Ideal for batting, this technique secures all three layers—top fabric, batting, and backing—without compressing the loft. Hand-tucked stitches are often spaced and subtle, allowing the batting to maintain its integrity while anchoring the quilt’s structure. It’s a quieter kind of craftsmanship, often seen in heirloom-quality pieces.

Now something that comes up often when describing the fill of a quilt is the GSM. GSM stands for grams per meter square and refers to the weight of the material for one meter square. Below is a table with common GSM weights for each material fill.

GSM Across Common Materials

At Peplos Linen, we use only 100% cotton batting—never blends, never synthetics. It’s a choice rooted in sustainability, breathability, and the ideal warmth.

Cotton offers the ideal balance of loft and integrity.

•   Loft refers to the height and softness of the batting—its ability to rise, breathe, and insulate without bulk.

•   High-loft cotton creates a plush, cloud-like feel.

•   Low-loft delivers a sleeker silhouette with gentle warmth.

We choose mid-loft cotton batting for its versatility across seasons, its breathable comfort, and its heirloom-worthy texture after washing as it softens with time.

Below is a reference table showing ideal GSM ranges by season, so you can choose the weight that suits your climate and comfort.

Cotton Batting GSM by Season

At Peplos Linen, every quilt begins with purpose. We pair breathable linen shells with a 250 GSM layer of 100% cotton batting to achieve the perfect balance of loft, warmth, and natural texture. Our hand-tucked stitching preserves a minimalist silhouette, allowing the materials to speak for themselves. Recognized as a leader in luxury linen quilts, we elevate sustainable bedding through honest craftsmanship and quiet design.

In a future post, we’ll look at the fabric itself and discuss how GSM shapes the feel, weight, and performance of your quilt’s outer layer.