SB hood project ?'s

[BullFrog]

I recently converted a cheap summer bag into a TQ, and now I've got a hood just lying around just begging to get butchered. I want to stuff it with down and use it as a hood in cold weather.
Here's my plan: Open hood, rip out synthetic insulation, stuff with down, sew it up, sew channel in bottom for shock cord to cinch. The hood isn't baffled.

1. Does this seem reasonable for a relative newbie to thread injecting? I've never worked with down.
2. How much down is a good amount? I'm thinking 20 deg and up. 1-2 oz?
3. Seriously, I'm terrible at sewing.
4. On a related note, I added tie-outs to my tarp yesterday and the bottom threads are all loopy and ugly. What did I do wrong?

The DIY muse calls, but I'm too busy swearing at my projects to hear her

[Mancat]

any reason why you wouldn't just sew it up as is and have a synthetic hood?

[BullFrog]

The synthetic fill is really thin; I'm looking to use it in cold temps, and as is it'll probably only take me to the 50s.

[Aven]

I used mine to add a foot box to the mummy bag turned top quilt. Its much more comfortable now.

[Aardvark]

The loopy threads on the bottom side are a tensioning issue on your thread injector, I believe RamblinRev has a series of videos on Injector use, correct?

[gargoyle]

Hood- Down will work best if its baffled, w/o baffles the down will follow gravity.
Best to use as is IMO. Or use it as a pattern and build a new down hood from scratch.

Loopy threads- Rethread the machine completely, checking that everything is correct. Bobbin too. Make sure everything is free of fuzzies and threads.
Make sure the needle is good and the right size for the thread your using. Adjust tension as needed to get good stitch.

[hippofeet]

higher tension. Also, grab the thread above and below the tensioner, and push while moving up and down. You should feel the thread snug into the groove. I do that most times I change thread or wind a bobbin.

[JohnSawyer]

I have a similar hood from a kid's sleeping bag I'm modding into an UQ. The material ISN'T downproof... check that before you decide to fill it...

Loopy threads is normally too little top tension as mentioned above, OR the needle is too small... (or both!)

John