Sleeping bag to top quilt conversion result

**jackleberry** · 12-10-2010, 05:53

I started with an old Gerry 0-degree rip-stop nylon and down mummy sleeping bag. First I cut off the hood and then removed about 7 inches of material from each side along the zipper line. I sewed up the foot-box area up to about knee-level and, finally, finished the edges with grosgrain. The result is about 1.5lbs lighter (now 3.1lbs). I'm pleased with the result, but it certainly was a lot of trouble. I'm not sure it was easier than making a TQ from scratch. I was hoping to have enough down left over to make an UQ, but it doesn't quite look like it. Anyway. it's cozy. How bad for your lungs could it be inhale 1/2 lb of down...

I was hoping to finish my longer 12' hammock tonight, but I've spent the last hour trying to sew 12 inches... Either this Coats and Clark thread sucks, this Brother LS-2125i sucks, I suck, or some combination of the above.

**Lepmeister** · 12-10-2010, 06:20

Well done.. was thinking about murdering a bag of my own this weekend! Yours look to be a sweet job.

**Javaman** · 12-10-2010, 06:38

Wow, looks very nice!

**bigbamaguy** · 12-10-2010, 07:48

Good looking TQ you made there.............chalk up your issues to early morning work and good luck in the finishing process.

**canoebie** · 12-10-2010, 08:38

Originally Posted by jackleberry

Either this Coats and Clark thread sucks, this Brother LS-2125i sucks, I suck, or some combination of the above.

My wife, the expert in our house, tells me to never use Coats and Clark, rather use Gutterman. Might make a difference.

WV · 12-10-2010, 08:43

Looks very nice - neater than my chop job.

One thing you might want to try is hemming the cut edge of the hood you removed and pinning it (facing backwards) with two safety pins at the center of the top edge of your quilt. When you pull the quilt up to your chin, put your head through the hole formed by the hood and the quilt edge. In warm weather the hood can bunch up behind your neck like a pillow, and when it's cold, flip it up and fasten it as a hood. You may need to experiment with the spacing of the pins on the hood and the quilt edges. The larger the hole, the easier it is to get into and out of, but the smaller the hole, the easier to fasten the hood under your chin. For a starting point, my hood is fastened like this: distance between pins on the quilt edge = 10", and distance between the pins on the hood edge = 18". The total cut edge of my hood was about 30" so there's about 6" left on each end with which to fasten the hood. YMMV. Once you find a spacing you like, replace the pins with stitching.

**KerMegan** · 12-10-2010, 08:50

and as a part time photo enthusiast, is your quilt orange? or were you shooting under incandescent light?
KM (who remembers when you had to have different film for daylight and indoors..)

ps, most digital cameras have a 'white balance' on the menu somewhere..just in case.

**jackleberry** · 12-10-2010, 12:05

Originally Posted by KerMegan

and as a part time photo enthusiast, is your quilt orange? or were you shooting under incandescent light?
KM (who remembers when you had to have different film for daylight and indoors..)

ps, most digital cameras have a 'white balance' on the menu somewhere..just in case.

Ha! The white balance is a little off, but the quilt is indeed orange. Not quite blaze orange, but still pretty oranage. I think it has faded over the years, being an old bag.

**kc7fys** · 12-10-2010, 12:43

Yes, we have black lung silicosis with miners, and we have, for hammockers, budgerigar dander pneumonicosis. Beware!
Excellent TQ. I plan to convert a Kelty bag soon--from The Clymb on sale.
Jonathan