View Full Version : Homemade underquilt
Guero Mochilero
03-10-2009, 13:15
I have had an HH hammock for about 5 years now. I do most of my backbacking in the Sierras and right away I needed insulation. I started by using pads but really didn't like those. Half the time they would slide out from underneath me and I would get condensation on their surface. An under quilt seemed like the best solution and now 5 years later I am convinced it is the best way to go by far. I got my idea to make an under quilt from some guy named bluecanoe on the Thruhiker.com website. What makes this under quilt best is that is shaped exactly like the bottom my hammock with me lying in it. In fact that is how it was made. I lay in the hammock while my friend shaped the pattern underneath. Now every commercial under quilt I've seen so far are basically rectangles held in place with some sort of shock cord system that pulls it tight to the bottom. A lot of people complain about voids and cold spots and I can see how that is a problem. The real trick in making the under quilt is by cutting what they call darts into the pattern to allow it to take the shape of the hammock bottom. I have no voids. My under quilt has 11 darts cut out. My friend is a grader for the clothing industry and he has made a computer generated pattern that prints out onto pattern paper with a giant printer he has in his office. So I really had an advantage in making the quilt. Hammocks are the best. I get a better nights sleep then in my bed. Who would have ever thought that. Backpacking and a good nights sleep can go together
I've added pictures. You can see from the first 2 pictures how this quilt holds it shape without shock cords or cinching up anything. The next pictures show how it fits on the hammock with . pillows in it. It fits better with a body in there. the last 3 photos I have tried to show the darts. They are the stitch lines that aren't parallel to the baffle stitch lines. Not easy to make but I did it and I never sewed anything before.
headchange4u
03-10-2009, 13:22
You gonna tell us something like that and not include any pictures?:p
You using synthetic insulation or down?
Guero Mochilero
03-10-2009, 14:35
I'll try and set it up and take some pictures in the next few days. It is filled with down and weighs 21ozs
I'm anxious to see your design, too.
Raven-US
03-10-2009, 18:01
I'm anxious to see your design, too.
Ditto! I'm on the verge of buying materials for my next UQ (and one for my buddy)... please share! :)
gunn parker
03-10-2009, 19:19
I have had similar thought about under quilts my self. I have been planning to cut another set of darts at each end of the under quilt to more follow the shape of the hammock.
Something like this image below.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=14&pictureid=432
Guero Mochilero
03-10-2009, 20:50
That's the right idea but I have 11 darts in mine. We stared with an old sheet the approximate size we needed, then with someone lying in the hammock, preferably it's owner, rolled and tucked it until it took the right shape. We made the pattern based on my HH Ultralight Explorer with all of 6'2" 215 lbs of me in it. We made another one using the same pattern for my friends Ultralight Asym. He is 5' 9 and weighs 165 lbs and it works fine for his as well. Oh man nothing like an under quilt under you and and a top quilt on top of you swinging in a hammock like your in your Momma's arms or something.
Baby!
Guero Mochilero
03-10-2009, 21:04
Another reason to make an under quilt this way is that there is no extra wasted material. This quilt is made with 1.7 nylon and a mixture of 600 and 800 weight down. I am starting to make another and this time I will use Momentum 0.9 ripstop nylon and 800 fill down. I'm sure I can get this thing down to around 15-16 ozs. Commercial makers can't touch this quilt with it's fit and it's weight. They would have to charge 3-400 bucks for the thing. And oh yeah it keeps you really warm.
Todd
Mustardman
03-10-2009, 21:10
That UQ is a thing of beauty...
How much time did it take you to make? And will you make one for me? :D
That is a warm looking rig! Be proud and hang toasty!!!!!
gunn parker
03-10-2009, 22:35
On another note too. The more darts and the better it fits, the less material you would use and hence the quilt will be lighter :) always a good thing.
warbonnetguy
03-11-2009, 00:06
so how bout a sketch of the pattern, hard to tell exactly by looking at the quilt itself where the cuts are and how deep they go.
Rushthezeppelin
03-11-2009, 01:25
It seems you might do better with that thing reversed. It seems that the lofted side is differential cut while the side you have on the outside would remain flat. Seems like you might be squishing your down a bit.
psyculman
03-11-2009, 04:39
Any chance of getting a diagram with measurements for this beautiful item posted on HF ? (pretty please?)
Ramblinrev
03-11-2009, 06:40
Darts don't use less fabric from the beginning. You end up with less fabric to carry, but in terms of purchasing the fabric the darts don't impact what you need. I like the pattern. I recently wnet to the super shelter for my HH so I am not tackling any more UQ for a while until I get used to the SS system and find out what it can do. I have a couple of Pre-prez KAQ that I made myself and have been using those with reasonable success.
I assume the baffles are not sewn trough. So did you make the two layers the with the same pattern. I ask because it looks like you have differential baffles. I also don't like taking a rectangle and sinching the ends with a draw cord. It means you are carrying extra material and compressing the down. I have wanted to do exactly what you did but my head starts to spin when I think about it too much. Really nice job
gunn parker
03-11-2009, 08:25
Darts don't use less fabric from the beginning. You end up with less fabric to carry, but in terms of purchasing the fabric the darts don't impact what you need.
Yes of cause. You walk in and buy your 60 inch x 120 inch of whatever and it weighs x amount.
But then you cut away what you do not want and end up with a lighter and smaller package to pack.
Guero Mochilero
03-11-2009, 11:44
Yes I made both layers out of the same pattern but we increased the outside layer to be 2-1/2" bigger all the way around to create a differential that was equal to the size of the baffles.
Guero Mochilero
03-11-2009, 11:49
I did create a differential between the two layers. I had just taken the quilt out of it's storage sack when I took that picture, the down hadn't settled down yet.
boarstone
03-11-2009, 18:16
Okay...now I'm not a "down" gal, I like the synthetic, so I made one to go under my current "thetravelhammock" comapny. Only I stitched the quilt to the sides of it only and run cordw/cord-locs on it on the ends. I can pull the ends up around the hammock. Hammock is green with a band of tan on the edges. So from the green-to-green I sewed the quilt on. From the tan color band on the opposite side of the hammock stuff pocket, I sewed on the bug net out of semi-sheer fabric. Use ridge line to hold netting off user.
boarstone
03-11-2009, 18:20
Forgot to add...reason I sewed the quilt on is because I do not see me in weather where I won't need under layers. I hammock here in the Northeast, spring to fall and it's always bugs and damp weather.
man those blackflies and mosquitoes will kill you up there! If the slippery bog bridges and rock climbs dont... Gotta love Maine..
So will there ever be a pattern released?
TinaLouise
04-16-2009, 10:11
ok, so the first step here is to find an old sheet, set up hammock in backyard, get someone to help, and try to form the sheet to the underside of my hammock. Piece of cake..... yea, I'll let you know...
I've just ordered some supplies from owf (including some hot pink silnylon) and insulation. I'm gonna try making my uq this way instead of w/down. I made my upper quilts w/down and lets just say that I haven't truely recovered from that experience (down still floating around the house!)
oh, and don't laugh about the hot pink color.... I'm the only female camping with a group of boy scouts and that color keeps the scouts from wanting to "borrow" my stuff. They're learning to pack their own stuff because I threaten them that if they come unprepared for a trip that I can always let them borrow my stuff.
I would like to hear more from the original poster here on how he made his quilt, and about all those darts.
ceiliazul
05-14-2009, 10:07
Several requests and no pattern yet. OP said it's already digital too, so easy to post. Maybe he fancies selling these?
SmokeHouse
05-14-2009, 10:20
That is an Awesome UQ. You have inspired me into making my own. Where did you buy the DOWN for your UQ?
ceiliazul
05-14-2009, 10:25
Buy down from Thru-hiker (http://thru-hiker.com/materials/insulation.php) or Speer (http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/Supplies.htm)
That is a very nice UQ. Makes me want to make one.
I Would also love to see a pattern.
Just had a thought... Since it was made for a HH and you are not using shock cord to suppend the UQ. How are you getting in/out of the hammock w/o disturbing the hang of the UQ?
TinaLouise
05-14-2009, 14:28
I finished both my uq's, I made a very light weight summer and a heavy weight winter. Used synthetic insulation from www.owfinc.com and hot pink silnylon. Very bright. The winter one is useable for when I've got the truck near-by, it weights a ton and does not compress well at all. So I called outdoor wilderness fabrics and ordered more silnyon. This time in camo colors. I ordered 100% goose down from www.feathertex.com (you've got to call them and order from the bulk page) They said this down was rated at 750 and for the price, I can deal with a few more ounces per pound. I've been giving a lot of thought to how to make this uq. Things like how to run the baffles, how to make them off set a little. How to make one side a little bigger than the other side. And that really big question, how to get darts into this thing and still somehow sew the baffles on straight!!! I did decide to make the side you see when it's hanging on the hammock, camo colored waterproof silnylon. The inside silnylon is breathable, non coated and silver colored (that's all they had) Can't see it anyways when it's on the hammock. Right now, I'm headed to take some tylenol for my head; must be burning up my brain cells trying to figure out how to make this thing!!!! Sure would have been nice if the original poster could have posted more about those darts (and pictures are worth tons of $$) Thank you's to the guy that posted that picture of how he put darts into his quilt.