I would not be too quick to discourage using alternte fabrics for your quilt. If you blend the heavier fabrics with some lighter-weight ones, you may be very pleased with the results! I use cotton velvets, silks and pre-embroidered ultra suede fabrics on many of my pieces and they are not too heavy to work with or use. If you have access to scrap upholstery fabrics, you are SO lucky! I am VERY jealous! I was told, at JoAnn's in Round Rock, TX that they are ordered to THROW THEIR SAMPLES AWAY when they are rotated off the racks and I am heartbroken about that!
I do quilt the blocks and batt them individually before joining them and this helps on working with bulkier fabrics.
I also back with lighter weight fabrics such as polyester and taffeta, using low-loft batting in between front and back and I have not gotten any complaints to date.
Quilting does not have to be limited to cottons (though some of the "purists" out there would disagree!) and, I think the whole idea is to use fabrics you have available and a grand imagination! Do start with the pillow and, please let us see how you do! GOOD LUCK!!!
Back of quilt with Lone Star
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Front of quilt, velvet, silk, cotton, taffeta
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