DIY UQ Finishing

Last night I finished up the body of my 3/4(ish) UQ project. Finished size is 45" wide and 58" long with ~1" baffles and 6 oz of down. This is my first real DIY project and I am super proud of it thus far...even if I wouldn't ever let anyone look to close at any of the stitching. :D

My next step is to work on the hanging hardware and I have been planning to do a Crowsnest-style grossgrain channel all the way around the quilt. I bought the cord and grossgrain from Quest Outfitters a while back. I got the 1" grossgrain which seemed like the right choice at the time, BUT I did a mod on old sleeping bag and cut the hood off and converted it to a quilt. At the top, where I removed the hood, I used some of the grossgrain and ran a cord through it so I can tighten it down around my neck and shoulders. The problem seems to be that the grossgrain is too stiff making it really hard to tighten up the cord inside. The ribbon fights to hold it's shape and doesn't want to gather very well when I tighten up the cordlock.

I'm a little afraid to start the effort to put this same ribbon around the quilt if I am going to be ripping it out at the end because it doesn't work.

Any advice? Is there a way to "soften" it up? Does it start to "work in" over time? Would it be better if I ordered some 1.5 inch grossgrain from Quest? Or should I go buy some of the lesser quality/strength stuff from the local JoAnns?

I've found that the size of the channel has a lot to do with how easily it cinches. I took a child's sleeping bag and put 3" channels on it (the channels are out of a 7" strip of 1.9 ripstop folded over) It cinches beautifully. I've also tried to retrofit a rolled hem (channel maybe 5/8" wide) with shock cord, with poor results.

You could go with 2" or even 3" satin ribbon, which would be softer, and wider, or just cut yourself a strip of the same fabric the UQ is made of, and make your channels out of that.

I use the ribbon from JoAnne's, and haven't had any problems with it.

Hope that helps!
Acer

I just used some strips of ripstop for my channels. Bunches great but doesn't look quite as slick as the grosgrain. You can wash a strip of the grosgrain and see if it softens after. At least you would get an indication of future use.