h_ngm_n DIY PrimaLoft Under Quilt

[h_ngm_n]

Hey Folks.

I'm pretty much finished with the Primaloft Gold under quilt with 1.1 oz calendered ripstop nylon (black/grey) for shell. All fabrics from ripstopbytheroll.com and accessories from Dutch and local. Finished product is a double layer of Primaloft Gold 60"x48". The size was more a function of the PL dimensions as it was 60ish" wide.

I followed the instructions for the Apex under quilt construction that has been around for awhile. I didn't do any darting, but I did do differential (not sure if that is the right term) cutting for the inner and outer shell material. The outer shell is bigger.

Since it is PL is spec'd for quilt loops I need that, but I opted (mainly for a cleaner look) to not quilt through the shell, but made a grid using noseum w/ noseum tabs sticking out past the PL to get sewing into the shell perimeter. This served the purpose of securing the PL, but also gives the PL the ability to shift slightly between the shell and hopefully further reduce possible compression. I really have no clue, just thought I'd try it. It seems to work just fine although only testing and time will tell.

Here are the pics:

IMG_20150110_180544_420.jpg (PL cut with lines for noseum layout and quilting) IMG_20150110_180610_023.jpg (outer tab of noseum) IMG_20150110_180621_350.jpg (quilting..just used double line of guttermans) IMG_20150110_190516_986.jpg (more quilting and tabs) IMG_20150110_224825_771.jpg (finished quilting of noseum grid) IMG_20150111_202458_491.jpg (shell pinned up and ready to sew) IMG_20150111_222952_234.jpg (finished product - outer side) IMG_20150111_223036_824.jpg (finished product - inner side)

I still need to get the grosgrain for the channels. Hopefully get that today and install the shock cord etc.

It was fun. Not to bad given I've never done anything like this before. Worst part for me is just cutting the fabric and trying to ensure everything is square. Wish I had a bigger table . The sewing wasn't bad although I did have two instances where the shell material on the bottom crept up and got sewn in which I had to pull the stitching and resew.

Anyway hope this helps someone and critics are encouraged.

I'll be using it this weekend at the meet-n-greet with the fledgling Central Virginia Hangers group and will post on how it functions.

h_ngm_n

[h_ngm_n]

I just had one of those...man I wish I had thought of that...moments about how I quilted the noseum/PL together. If I decided to go this route again I will use this instead of needle and thread:

http://www.storesupply.com/pc-14432-...uns-94400.aspx

It's a tag gun used to get the annoying plastic fastener thingy through clothes to hold the tag on. Man...this thing would have saved me a ton of time and probably done a really good job of securing everything. You can get those plastic fasteners in a variety of lengths too. I would have probably gone w/ a 1" even though the PL was 1.2". Sigh..next time.

[h_ngm_n]

Does anyone know of a "venting" option for when you are rolling or stuffing gear that allows the air trapped between the shell to escape quickly? I noticed when playing around w/ rolling up the UQ that the end I'm rolling to puffs up alot and makes it difficult to get a clean roll for packing. A couple of vents along the edge would prevent this. Don't know if this could potentially allow for cold spots etc, just thought I'd ask.

[kduvey]

I don't see why you couldn't add a couple vents in one side, given that your using primaloft. If it was down obviously you wouldn't be able to do that. I imagine a small hole or two would have little to no effect on the thermal efficiency. Maybe put them on the inner side so your body would seal the hole while your sleeping anyways. Id just sew a small button hole or two and cut out the slit just as you would for a button hole. Or you could try a small metal grommet.

But really this probably means the fabric may not be ideal for this application, it may not be breathable enough..

quick tip for cutting - it makes it sooo much easier to tape the fabric down taught to a hard floor with painters tape. Measure, mark, and just slide cut with scissors. Give it a shot next time.

Looks good!

[h_ngm_n]

Thanks kduvey. What you describe is exactly what I was thinking. Aside from doing it, I was curious if maybe there were "venting" grommets (best I can describe) that I could purchase to achieve this effect. Kind of like the plastic button you put on the TQ you just constructed except the center hole would have noseum like material. I can make this using standard grommets, just need to find plastic.

10-4 on the cutting tip. Unfortunately, my wife has recently reclaimed her dining room (aka my thread injector room) so finding floor space big enough to lay out the entire fabric piece is in short supply. I've seen where people fold the fabric to accommodate smaller spaces, I'm just leery of doing this as I'd probably end up with a huge ripstop snowflake instead of the intended piece!

I used the material called for when using primaloft (downproof). Air does escape, especially when I lean my chest against the ballooned area, I'd just prefer it escape more quickly as I'm rolling it. That way my folding stays in place better and I won't have to readjust. I'm probably just being picky.

Thanks for the encouragement and advice.

[CoreyR]

Looks nice man, I am looking forward to getting a look at it in person this saturday!

[h_ngm_n]

Cool deal Corey. I'm planning on trying to get out there as early as I can so I can have assistance getting it all setup and functional as I really have know idea what I'm doing. Really looking forward to it!!!

[h_ngm_n]

I just got the finished product weighed on some mail scales here at the office. Grand total including suspension is 27oz or 1lb 11oz. Came out heavier than I thought it would. I'm going to be using it this weekend so I'll take some pictures of it in action. Hopefully it will keep me warm. Supposed to get down to 35F Saturday night. I'm sure it will get that low, as long as I don't have an openings at the foot and head.

[psyculman]

I just had one of those...man I wish I had thought of that...moments about how I quilted the noseum/PL together. If I decided to go this route again I will use this instead of needle and thread:

http://www.storesupply.com/pc-14432-...uns-94400.aspx

It's a tag gun used to get the annoying plastic fastener thingy through clothes to hold the tag on. Man...this thing would have saved me a ton of time and probably done a really good job of securing everything. You can get those plastic fasteners in a variety of lengths too. I would have probably gone w/ a 1" even though the PL was 1.2". Sigh..next time.

So perfect, thanks for the idea!!!

[h_ngm_n]

Glad u can use it. Would have saved me an hour or more easy.