Anyone ever try this?

[Mrprez]

http://purebound.com/homemade/sleepingbag/

I have one of these bags and it makes a good quilt, but I can't get into the thing and zip it up. So, was thinking about trying this.

[sclittlefield]

I have not, but it seems like a relatively easy way to lose some weight from a sleeping bag for hammock use. What could possibly go wrong?

[Mrprez]

I have not, but it seems like a relatively easy way to lose some weight from a sleeping bag for hammock use. What could possibly go wrong?

Yep, that's what I am trying to find out.

[Coffee]

The drawback is the reason we use top and bottom quilts. Your laying and compressing the insulation underneath you greatly reducing it's warmth. Plus the opening running down the center will be colder than a solid top. It is really easy to turn a sleeping bag into a quilt. I would consider making a normal quilt out of it first.

[slowhike]

Yeah, I think Coffee's right, you'd lose a lot of heat (& feel a lot of cold) through that loosely joined slit.
But that's how I've turned several sleeping bags into top quilts.

[Mrprez]

My goal would be to make into into a traditional quilt, not one that wraps around you like they are showing. Seems a little silly to do that, might as well keep it as a bag.

What about the process? Does it make sense how they describe it? Is it as simple as pinning 2 lines and cutting between them and then folding over and sewing?

[JerryW]

Is it as simple as pinning 2 lines and cutting between them and then folding over and sewing?

It is that easy. I had a synthetic sleeping bag that I made into a top quilt. I simply cut off the hood, cut out the zipper and sewed the cut edges together with some bias tape to pretty it up. I also added a triangle of reinforcement material where the footbox comes together underneath. Works great in the hammock.



Jerry

[sclittlefield]

I have made a couple underquilts from sleeping bags - I found it easier to sew the bag first, then cut beside your line. You can bind it however you want afterwards, but this way you won't have to fuss with layers of fabric and insulation moving around at all.

[Mrprez]

I have made a couple underquilts from sleeping bags - I found it easier to sew the bag first, then cut beside your line. You can bind it however you want afterwards, but this way you won't have to fuss with layers of fabric and insulation moving around at all.

Seems like with down, this would be the best way to minimize loose feathers. I took the bag out today and will probably start hacking it next week.

[southmark]

Hey John, I have an old Kelty down bag that I did exactly this too. Like you said though, I did not make it a wrap around but a true quilt. I sewed first on both ides of where I intended to cut and then cut between the seams. Minimized down going everywhere. I then finished the seams with binding tape. It trimmed 26 oz off a 3lb 5oz 15º bag.