making an underquilt from my old down bag

[Red Hat]

This is to those of you who have made UQs from old sleeping bags. What did you do to the down bag? I figure I'd cut off the hood and the zipper (after sewing seams to keep the down in place before cutting). Then I'd make a small cord baffle and run cording along each side and the foot. (the collar already has cording) Then pull it tight and hang it underneath my hammock. Would that work or do I need to do some cutting and dart mods to get it to fit? Also, my Backside down has nylon exterior, but do I need something more waterproof sewn to it? Thanks for any suggestions...

[fin]

That is almost exactly what I did, except I didn't run a cord the length of the bag, although I did sew a channel in preperation for it. I didn't do anything fancy like darting.

[E.A.Y.]

That is almost exactly what I did, except I didn't run a cord the length of the bag, although I did sew a channel in preperation for it. I didn't do anything fancy like darting.

what fishinfinn said!

I didn't do anything past cutting off the hood, the zipper, and the draft baffle that was next to the zipper. I put drawstring channels on each end and made ribbon loops at the corners.

Yer gonna get down fluff floating around, no matter how careful you are.

It worked OK but I found that this bag (which is about 20 years old - an old Gerry - is heavy enough that there was considerable extra sag. I ended up hanging a second lighter polypro quilt underneath. That extra quilt helped hold the saggy bag up against the hammock.
I didn't waterproof the outside or anything.

uhhh here's a link (I hope) to my report the first night I used this underquilt
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=6265

[slowhike]

Yer gonna get down fluff floating around, no matter how careful you are.

What I did to help w/ that was to shake as much down away from the edge I was getting ready to sew a new hem into before sewing.
After I finished sewing, I took it outside to cut the zipper off, shaking & slapping all the down out of the new cut edge.
Then I took it back inside to fold & sew the finished hemmed edge.

[Red Hat]

Thanks everyone! Now I have to just do it... I'll take photos and let you know how it turns out.