Some "down questions"

**Rosomaha** · 12-01-2009, 07:01

Hallo dear memebers!
Not long ago i bought second hand DIY down sleeping bag. It was so rear...made from cotton fabric, with a rectangular shape(i bought it becouse of its miserable cost and in need of down for experiments)
With a scissors and vacuum cleaner i became an owner of 10-13 oz. very good(in my opinion)down. Why very good? During bag cleaning i didn`t notise ani feathers, just down. I deside to make a down UQ(te-wa analoq) becouse of its simplisity(only buckles in length)
So i need some advices.
Should i wash the down(i cad buy specialised soap for dawn and wahs it in washing machine), and how?(It is stuffed in 2 clean non-permanent bags for vacuum cleaner), and how i have to dry it?
In what way should i stuff my down (any schemes or drowings, and links are welcome.
I am not sure that dawn is in perfect condition, how could i check it?
And of course any tips and trick about work with down.
Thanks a lot.

**TinaLouise** · 12-01-2009, 08:15

Congrats on your Down find!! About cleaning it, this is what I'd do so take with a grain of salt... Take a look at one or two of the individual down clusters. If it spreads out and sort of fluffs up and wants to float off, then I'd probably decide that it's clean enough and just use it as is and put it into your quilt that you're making. If it smells or looks like the down clusters are not fluffing out, I'd wash it. To wash it, I'd put it into a down proof bag (make one from the scraps of the quilt you're making) and fill up a large sink or the tub and do this by hand. I would not put this into a washing machine. To dry, hang outside for a while and then when almost dry, put into the dryer with a tennis ball. Only put into the dryer if the bag you made is positively sealed!!! You do NOT want loose down in the dryer. Another way to wash the down is to go ahead and make your quilt with it and then wash it in the bath tub. Another thing you can do is to try to measure the size of one of the down clusters. See how far it fluffs out, say quarter size or dime size. The larger it fluffs out to, the better quality the down is and the warmer it will keep you. Good luck with stuffing your quilt, I've STILL got loose down floating around my house!!!
TinaLouise

**MacEntyre** · 12-01-2009, 08:53

Great find! I wouldn't wash it unless it was obviously necessary.

...but I don't know much about goose feathers.

- MacEntyre

**KerMegan** · 12-01-2009, 09:24

Down is incredibly resilient- gets beat up and bounces back-so I would go with Tina's advice- if it is fluffy and has no obvious smell; make the quilt and use it a few times, then you can consider washing. Use a liner (or sheet) between you and the quilt and you might never need to wash it! when or if you ever put it in the dryer; use the lowest posssible heat setting- none if you have plenty of time, delicate (or local equivalent) if you only have a few hours. and a tennis ball (or washeable shoe) will help the tumbling action, which breaks up any clumps of down formed from getting wet. Keep us informed!KM

**Rosomaha** · 12-01-2009, 10:26

Thanks a lot for advices.
Inner fabric should be from colandered nylon.
Outer would be rip-stoped nylon(thin and waterproof).
Does silnylon(1.1oz) for outer would be better?

**TinaLouise** · 12-01-2009, 11:08

I've made my summer top quilt w/rip stop nylon (waterproof type) on the top and the bottom. What I found out while using this quilt is that it tended to feel very clammy next to my skin and I didn't like that. I've now stitched a length of thin silk to the under-side (side next to me) and that's taken care of the clammy feel. I do like the waterproof nylon on the outer side, there's been a couple of times when I was still in a tent that the tent leaked. My quilt stayed dry. I've not tried silnylon, can't comment on it. Oh, where I live is very humid, so I made my quilt to be more waterproof (reason why I used waterproof nylon on both sides) That does make the quilt harder to stuff into my backpack but not impossible.

**Rosomaha** · 12-03-2009, 06:09

Thanks a lot expecially to TinaLouise, i feel shy a little bit, friendly speaking.

My last decisions and conclusions
Outer-as silnylon costs as simple nylon i will use silnylon.
Insulation-dawn stuffed in 6-7 line buffels
Inner- i made PM for one member of my native forum trying to buy downproof pertex, but i think after dawn washing and drying i can stuff it total silnylon fabric without inner and outer.

Thanks a lot one more.