Talk me out of it

[Beeip]

I did a down underquilt as my first project, following Gidgetgirl's instructions, and nealt900's ingredients. It turned out great. I had some experience with a sewing machine up to this point.

Some things I would do differently? 1. Measure the down more carefully rather than count handfuls. 2. Use the baffle-material-over-vacuum to pickup down, and deposit using the extension (no link to this but I'm sure you have the idea). 3. After completing a topquilt with 15 and enjoying it, I would have sewed more than 9 baffles in the underquilt.

It's definitely achievable. Just take your time.

[zooshooter]

Functional, affordable, pretty... I can only budget for two of those I'm ok with my UQ looking like Frankenstein. But the excess material will be used to get the proper tension & such on my sewing machine.




It sounds like the messiest part, but somehow fun! All the detail work in the sewing is what has me nervous. Type of stitching pattern/proper hem sizes... Oy!

Honestly, don't do it. I made my first underquilt, down, and wish I had just purchased one. I had down in my apartment, literally, for a year afterwards.
What about a commercially available down underquilt makes you think it won't be affordable? Down, by the ounce, is very cost prohibitive for a 20F UQ vs what you'd be able to buy from a vendor. The quality from the vendors more than makes up for the price difference. I promise.

[Likeapuma]

What about a commercially available down underquilt makes you think it won't be affordable? Down, by the ounce, is very cost prohibitive for a 20F UQ vs what you'd be able to buy from a vendor.

My reasons: I need a larger UQ than commercially available. With materials, I can make an UQ at least $100 cheaper (not even including the increased price for a custom UW).

Besides those two major points, it'd be a fun project to keep me occupied until the weather matches my gear's ratings lol.

Taking all the advice into consideration, I'll try a few smaller projects first (like the sack ideas), & see how I do.

[hangNyak]

You've used a sewing machine before, so you know what's involved. Like others have advised, pick a few easy projects first as a warm-up. Hammocks, peak bags, stuff sacks all made from the same or very similar materials that you would use for the quilt. Then, absolutely go for the quilt if you feel comfortable. Remember, gear making doesn't have to look pretty; it has to be serviceable & functional.

Excellent points from the master of DIY. I started with RL organizers, then a tarp, a hammock and finally a topquilt. I couldn't imagine if I had started with a quilt. That could have been a mess! Only after practicing a few sewing skills, was I able to even think about it. And, like you said, it isn't the prettiest stitching, but it sure works like a champ!

[peterhase]

I've always bought gear, but I'd love to have the skills to make my own. If you've got the time and enthusiasm, I say got for it. There might be a steep learning curve involved, but once you get good at it, there are no limits to what you can make. And it's not just about making gear from scratch either. I'm sure you'll learn to repair and enhance brand-name gear too. Good luck!

[Ramblinrev]

IMO do not try to learn the ropes on the pricey material you will use for your final project. I don't think there are mqny house holds around that do not have worn out sheets, pillowcases, shirts of other fabrics you can glom for free to regain the skills of using the machine. You don't need the same fabric for learning straight seams (_very_ important in quilts) and the tensions aren't that hard to master on the fly. Just understand that any mess on the bottom of the fabric comes from problems with the top thread tension. You can learn the appropriate seams on a worn out bed sheet as well as you can on the pricey ripstop you are going to use. Once you have Franensteined the sheet, if you feel comfortable tackling the quilt go ahead. Striped threadbare sheets or plaid shirts make execllent "follow the straight line" templates for practice and the are FREE. Yea. Free is always good.

[slugbait]

Whether you need one or not, you could make a small down pillow as a first project. This would give you a feel for sewing a slippery, light fabric and for stuffing down. Don't be afraid of the down stuffing process- yes, it's messy and time consuming but also gratifying to see your item take shape. I use the "put on slippery nylon wind jacket and pants, place all needed items in the bathtub and close the curtain, and stuff away" method.Minimal cleanup if you remove towels and rugs from the room first and close the door.

[booone0]

No experience with down. Lots of experience with DIY disasters. My advice: do it, BUT:

1. Lots of practice first. Set aside two days to just play with the sewing machine, doing a bunch of projects with very cheap fabric. Walmart clearance, old bedsheets, etc. Practice cutting then sewing a long, like 70-90", straight seam. Try to get it as straight as possible. When you're done, see how straight it is and where you went wrong.

2: break the project up into a few days. Lay it out and cut everything,, maybe pin it too, on one day. Another day to double check your dimensions and sew. Then stuff it. Do t try to squeeze it into too little time, rush, and mess it up.

This does require work and attention to detail, but its not rocket science!

[XTrekker]

Would recommend against an UQ for your first project. Maybe you 8th+ project.

[Likeapuma]

Good news: I won't be attempting this alone!

I originally posted on social media about possible classes to brush up on my skills/learn something new... Then a friend offered to help me along the way! Figure a few afternoons of beverages (as if I needed anything else to mess up my straight lines), & hopefully that'll be it!