View Full Version : DIY Down Quilt Pics, Article Suggestions Needed
I finished my DIY down quilt.:D . It is definitly the hardest thing I made so far, but not so hard that I think someone new to sewing can't make. I only been sewing for the last year, with projects actually turning out the last 6 months.
Below are some pics. I hung it on the hammock today, but forgot to take any pics of it. It is really warm. It came out to 3.5" of loft and 23oz. It is only 72" long (don't ask), I still need to add 6" of length to it. I cut out the materials and figured that with down would add about 2.5 oz.
I used Mom90 and nanoseeum from thru-hiker, and 750 fill down from featherind.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/DownQuiltFinishedTopView.jpg
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/DownQuiltFinishedBottomView.jpg
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/DownQuiltFInishedFootBoxView.jpg
My questions are this for everyone. There is not any good directions out there that I could find. Some come close, but are hard to follow. I want to put together a really easy to follow article for this site. I took plenty of pics as I was going. I am also going to make another one soon and can add pics of that one.
Things in the article so far:
Planning
Where to order materials
My take on length needed
Calculating shell material sizes with seams
Calculating baffle material size for a given loft
Calculating overstuff
Calculating amount of down needed
Baffle length
Construction
Measuring and cutting
Sewing baffles
Sewing edge seams
Stuffing down
Finished edge seams to hold in down
Adding drawstrings
Adding omni tape for foot box
I am sure I am missing something. Please post anything you would like to see added. Others here that I made a one, feel free to add your suggestions.
I am sure my construction methods are not the easiest for everyone. But they made sense to me.
Looking forward to seeing the directions. I will be making my quilt in a couple months.
headchange4u
04-21-2007, 14:31
Looks great HE. I can't wait to start on mine.
Just Jeff
04-21-2007, 14:45
Looks great. Do you know html? This kind of article with pics might turn out better using html than by posting it in the message board format. We can still host html pages here on HF. Up to you.
Great idea for the article, though.
stoikurt
04-21-2007, 17:47
Looks good. One of these is in my future DIY list.
Jeff my html is iffy at best. It has been 8 or 9 years since I messed with it. If you or someone else is willing I can type it up in word with places to add jpeg pics and they could convert it into html. I want to make it as useful as possible, so I am up for it with some help.
An update on the time frame. It is probibly going to take me over a week to get this up. My school work just increased, and I am taking off next weekend for a 3 day canoe trip. Plus I want to get my next quilt done for my trip next weekend.
packstrapped
04-22-2007, 06:58
Hammock Engineer,
The quilt looks great. I have been gathering information form several sources and home to make one of my own in early summer. There is one area I am hoping you can provide some advice on in your article. Dividing the down eqally between the chambers sound like an oppertunity for me to end up with 25% of my down floating throughout my house. It seems that "by weight" would be the way to go - but I have never worked with down before. Any tips would be greatly appreciated and my help maintain domestic harmony if I can reduce the amount of down "drifiting" around the house.
Maybe I'll run into you one of these days at Shawnee or one of the other "close to" Cincy trials.
I'd also like to give a general thanks to all who have shared DIY info on this forum - has saved me countless hours of trial and error.
stoikurt
04-22-2007, 07:30
Welcome packstrapped. Looks like you and HE are in the same place. I'm sure he would be glad to get with sometime to help or just compare and talk DIY.
Just Jeff
04-22-2007, 09:07
HE - I'd be happy to help with the html. Coding it should be pretty easy after you type it up.
Packstrapped - by weight is the easiest way, IMO. You can weigh a container of down, then subtract what you need for your next chamber from the total. Vacuum out the down until you hit your target weight. Here (http://www.tothewoods.net/StuffingDown.html)'s how I vacuum the down.
Thanks everyone for the kind words.
Hammock Engineer,
The quilt looks great. I have been gathering information form several sources and home to make one of my own in early summer. There is one area I am hoping you can provide some advice on in your article. Dividing the down eqally between the chambers sound like an oppertunity for me to end up with 25% of my down floating throughout my house. It seems that "by weight" would be the way to go - but I have never worked with down before. Any tips would be greatly appreciated and my help maintain domestic harmony if I can reduce the amount of down "drifiting" around the house.
Maybe I'll run into you one of these days at Shawnee or one of the other "close to" Cincy trials.
I'd also like to give a general thanks to all who have shared DIY info on this forum - has saved me countless hours of trial and error.
Welcome. Glad to see another one here from Cincy. I'll be up for some hikes or day trips, or just talking shop sometime. I leave for my thru in June, but I'm semi-free before then.
I actually just put the entire box of down on my scale, zero-ed it, and then subtracted down like Jeff said. I re-zeroed my scale each time to help make sure it was as accurate as I could get.
I just used my hand. I really did not loose that much. A handful of down was usually under .1oz. More if I compressed it. Each baffle only has around 1.5oz. I went slow and only lost a little this way. I think total loss was .01oz (give or take). Some would stick to my hand, but that was not a big deal.
One big piece of advice is to use a lint roller to clean you and everything else off. Worked wonders.
HE - I'd be happy to help with the html. Coding it should be pretty easy after you type it up.
Packstrapped - by weight is the easiest way, IMO. You can weigh a container of down, then subtract what you need for your next chamber from the total. Vacuum out the down until you hit your target weight. Here (http://www.tothewoods.net/StuffingDown.html)'s how I vacuum the down.
Thanks Jeff. It is going to take me awhile, but I'll get it to you.
packstrapped
04-23-2007, 12:01
Thanks for kind welcome - and the lint roller tip, sure to be a big help. I hope to get started on it in May.
nobanjo15
04-24-2007, 05:26
Hi Guys
My first post here, so I'll take the chance to say thanks to everyone for all the posts that I have been reading. Lots of information coupled with help and generousity of spirit.
Here is my '2 cents': my Grandmother would use talcum powder on her hands and arms to stop the down sticking.
Hi Guys
My first post here, so I'll take the chance to say thanks to everyone for all the posts that I have been reading. Lots of information coupled with help and generousity of spirit.
Here is my '2 cents': my Grandmother would use talcum powder on her hands and arms to stop the down sticking.
Thanks, I'll have to try that.
I finally finished quilt 2. Just in time for this weekend's trip. Just a warning, head holes are a pain. Below are some pics.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/Quilt2FinishedTopView.jpg
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/Quilt2FinishedTopView2.jpg
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/Quilt2FinishedBottomView.jpg
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/Quilt2FinishedWearingView.jpg
NCPatrick
04-25-2007, 13:25
Very nice, and very RED.
Bird Dog
04-25-2007, 13:28
HE - Maybe I missed sumin in an earlier post. But, are those both constructed as top quilts, or are you gonna use one as a bottom quilt? If so, which is which? What was the problem with the head hole? BD
headchange4u
04-25-2007, 13:33
Looks great HE. Me likey red :). I knew that head hole was going to be a pain in the arse. What's the weight on the new quilt?
Thanks for the kind words. Worn as a poucho it was really warm.
BD, I made both to work as top and bottom quilts. The Red one has 2.5" loft and the grey has 3.5"
May plan is as follows:
Temps above 50: Red quilt bottom, summer top quilt
Temps 30-50: Red quilt top, nest on bottom, hammock sock
Temps below 30: Red quilt top, grey quilt bottom, ccp when needed, hammock sock
That will probibly change to grey and red quilt any temps below 40 or 50 after some testing. I don't like to be cold.
Looks great HE. Me likey red :). I knew that head hole was going to be a pain in the arse. What's the weight on the new quilt?
The weight is 20.7oz. All I need to add is 2 more cord locks, I ran out. I went with red for a happy color. Everything else I have is grey or green with a white tarp.
The head hole just took a lot of little steps, plus I had to completly redo it. But that's the way it goes.
NCPatrick
04-25-2007, 13:38
Aside from the head-hole, was the second quilt easier to make than the first, or was there no difference?
headchange4u
04-25-2007, 13:38
Be sure to let us know how you handled the head hole when you do your article. :)
Bird Dog
04-25-2007, 13:38
Thanks for sharing. Im looking at making a few quilts over the summer/fall. I cant wait to see your directions. Looks like a great finished product. BD
I was planning on making a quilt with a head hole, so I am waiting to see the write up.
The second quilt was way easier. I had a couple, why didn't I do it that way in the first place moments. Construction wise it is basically a big rectangle, with baffles sewn in, and a roll seam on the edges.
I'll add my way of doing the head hole in the article. Hopefully someone else will come up with a better way when they do theirs.
I will start on the directions on Monday. Jeff is going to help with the html (thanks again). Hopefully we will have something up in the next week or so.
stoikurt
04-25-2007, 16:13
Very nice job. I'm looking forward to the article.
headchange4u
04-28-2007, 17:26
I got to see HE's red quilt today in the flesh when we met so I could pick up my down. It was really nice. Great workmanship. I had been thinking about using downproof DWR ripstop to make my quilt because of the cost of Momentum90, but after seeing and feeling the fabric I have decide that it's the way to go. Feels really nice. Thanks for the sample HE.
I also got to see my first Gearskin in the flesh today. I like it a lot.
I got to see HE's red quilt today in the flesh when we met so I could pick up my down. It was really nice. Great workmanship. I had been thinking about using downproof DWR ripstop to make my quilt because of the cost of Momentum90, but after seeing and feeling the fabric I have decide that it's the way to go. Feels really nice. Thanks for the sample HE.
I also got to see my first Gearskin in the flesh today. I like it a lot.
Thanks for the kind words.
Last night was my first using these. I used the red one inside and the grey outside. I definitly was very toasty. I ended up hanging the underquilt a little lower to let some air in and cool me off.
I am really happy with the way the down and mom90 worked out. I did not see any down, feathers, or anything in the hammock or on me in the morning. I also think this material is more durable than I first thought. My webbing still has some stretch left to it. I ended up rubbing on the ground a little a couple times and did not notice any wear signs on the quilt.
I decided to name this for obvious reasons and I like the place my Red River Gorge Quilt. I think I am starting to have DIY issues when I am naming things.:eek:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/RRGQuilt1.jpg
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/RRGQuiltandBugBivyMarkII.jpg
slowhike
04-29-2007, 22:07
HE... in the 1st picture, it looks like the ridge line is tied permanently to the hammock support on one end but tied separately to the tree on the other end.
but in the 2nd pic, it seems to be attached to the hammock supports on both ends. is that an optical illusion???
It looks as though it is tied to the ring buckles. I think that is a good place to tie it.
HE... in the 1st picture, it looks like the ridge line is tied permanently to the hammock support on one end but tied separately to the tree on the other end.
but in the 2nd pic, it seems to be attached to the hammock supports on both ends. is that an optical illusion???
It's an optical thingy. All I did was remove the bugnetting. It must be the angle I was at.
he, that looks awsome. nice to see a different color, i like:)). and your new bug netting, niiiice, :D
I am almost done with writing the direction for my RRG quilt up. I should have it done sometime tonight.
I would like a couple of volunteers to read over it and give me some feedback before the final version gets put up. I would like to get someone who has not sewn a quilt yet to make sure I explained everything clearly, and someone who has sewn one that may have a better way explaining it.
PM me your email address and I will email out the MS Word version of it. The file is going to be 8-10 megs in size, so make sure your internet connection and email can handle it.
Thanks.
headchange4u
05-24-2007, 16:13
You can send a copy to me if you like. You should still have my email, right?
RRG quilt, huh? I like the name. :D
I thought you would like that name.
I'm going to stop with you then. That gives me 4 people. I don't want too many people finding my same mistakes.
Bird Dog
05-26-2007, 09:15
PM sent. BD
trail_geek
12-28-2008, 03:31
Hi all,
Just wondering if we ever got to a final version of these instructions?
I have some down on the way from the US and about to order momentum90 from Thru-hiker. There are a few (lots) of plans out there but this one looks really nice.
Cheers
Mark
I am almost done with writing the direction for my RRG quilt up. I should have it done sometime tonight.
I would like a couple of volunteers to read over it and give me some feedback before the final version gets put up. I would like to get someone who has not sewn a quilt yet to make sure I explained everything clearly, and someone who has sewn one that may have a better way explaining it.
PM me your email address and I will email out the MS Word version of it. The file is going to be 8-10 megs in size, so make sure your internet connection and email can handle it.
Thanks.
tight-wad
12-28-2008, 08:44
http://www.tothewoods.net/RedRiverGorgeQuilt/RedRiverGorgeQuilt.html
I've made 2 of these, the 2nd with Stoikurt's head hole addendum.
And, the next time I make another quilt, I'll use these instructions again, and again, and again....