quilt width

[goodcaver]

Hi all:

Wow, I am spending way too much time thinking about all the new gear I want to make.

So, if I were to make a top quilt, hypothetically, after I've finished my hammock and all that, how wide should it be? I think I read in another thread that it should be about 10 inches longer than I am tall... Does that sound right?

Thanks
NLT

[Schneiderlein]

8-10" longer than you are tall is about right.

I made my last quilt 50" wide and like the extra width. If you want to save weight and you never intend to use the quilt on the ground, you can probably get away with 42" width.

[Preacha Man]

Mine is 42" wide, but it would never work on the ground. I make most of them at least 48"-52". It all depends on chest size and so forth. I would suggest that you get a piece of material, and see what would be the best width for you, that is the cool thing about making your own gear, it can fit you right .

Dwight

[slowhike]

if you try to save weight by making it to narrow, you may have "draft" problems.
i wish i had made my ray way quilt a little wider. i have to be really careful to keep it tucked in on the sides, especially when it's really cold<g>.
making a top quilt to narrow isn't a good way to save weight IMHO.

[Coffee]

48" wide works for me. If I am careful and it is not too cold, I can pull it off on the ground. But I usually wake up a couple times with it half off me.

In the hammock I like it where I can tuck the edges to where they are almost underneath me. That way I get a good overlap between my top and underquilt.

Any extra width that is on top should all a little warmth.

[Schneiderlein]

I did what Preacha Man suggests and made a test piece before making my first quilt. I thought 46" width is plenty even for ground sleeping. Of course, I tested wearing a T-shirt and running shorts. Well, I found out that when you wear five layers of clothing, all of a sudden you need a wider quilt. If you test, test with all your clothing and see if you can still tuck the quilt in under you.

I think I'm done making down quilts for a while with summer almost here, but the winter top quilt I will make one day will probably be 55" at the shoulders and then taper down at the foot end.

[goodcaver]

So when I'm tapering the quilt, or trimming off the edges of a roll of insulation, can I take that extra insulation I cut off and add it on to the length of the quilt? I mean, can the insulation sit side by side in sort of strips or chunks if it's quilted through with just tack stitches? Or will that create cold spots?

And I'll have to measure my chest width to see what I'll need, but I bet it's not as much as y'all fellas.

[Coffee]

You could, but it might turn out to more work than what it is worth. Sounds easier to get longer insulation to start with. The trimmed pieces would make great booties, gloves, or hat.

Be careful with how much tapering you do. I made a summer quilt out of a cheap sleeping bag tapering the foot end. I ended up making the taper too much and it is a little tight around the feet.

[headchange4u]

My quilt is about 50" wide. Seems perfect for me.

[Doctari]

From the RayWay instructions: "Start with your height & add 10" for the foot pocket coverage & seam allowances." Mine will start out at about 77"

Seems that would be for cutting the materials pre assembly, your finished quilt will be a bit shorter depending on how much of a seam allowance you use.

As to width: add 12" (6" per side) to the distance from floor to floor @ shoulder level as if you were laying on your side on the floor. I suspect you will need a friend to help with that. Mine will start out at about 66" but I think I need to re measure that.

I figure that Ray started the "use a quilt for camping" thing, so probably knows what he are talking about.