A native of Georgetown County, Coachman was a quiltmaker whose work represented the best in the distinctive traditions of the South Carolina coast. Coachman grew up in a traditional quilt making community and learned most of her sewing skills from her mother. Her quilts are marked by an eclectic adaptation of different concepts of quilt patterning. Like most quilters in her region, she often used many small pieces of cloth, but improvised color combinations into patterns that she designed herself.
Describing herself as an "American quilter," she drew upon the string quilt concept of the African-American community and block pattern concepts of Euro-American design to create personal artistic statements that synthesized diverse traditional elements in her own personal style. She was recognized within her community as a fine quilt maker and constantly taught her skills to others near her home in Pawleys Island. Coachman received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 1989.