I hate it when people tell about their fabulous thrift store finds. As reported earlier, my quest for a cheap camping chair cover culminated in an XL poly filled vest ($6) that worked. The down one I already had fits even better cos it snaps all the way down at the back. Both were men's XL. (The down was a Lands End that was on sale a few years ago for, IIRC, $10.)
I also found two women's Small vests: one 70 % down (30% feathers) and one very soft poly filled one. I sleep with two (4.5 and 6.5 lbs) chihuahuas so I hand stitched the vest armholes closed and they are cocoons for the wee ones. They love to snuggle in them so I just keep them on my bed all the time. Price was $3.48 each plus 7% tax, so that's less than $4 each.
And now for the pièce de resistance: I scored a woman's size small (alas I'm a woman's 1X) 80% down/20% feather, full-length (especially since I'm 5') winter coat. Make is akdmks embroidered on the front. The fold-in/removable hood was missing but it was only thin nylon.
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I removed the sleeves and opened them out. I stitched them together to make a flat piece, which I turned upside down and attached to the bottom hem (between the small side zippers that allowed coat wearer to take long strides and will allow me to ventilate) to make a foot box.
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I'm claustrophobic (had to give my son a beautiful Big Agnes 3-wire Bivy that had a huge netted canopy but the one time I used it I had to sleep outside) so I needed it to be roomy and short enough for me to pull out my feet - I wear down booties. I clipped some black cord along the top edge so you can see the shape of the wide foot box
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I sewed everything by hand - partly because it was easier modifying a finished garment and because I like doing something with my hands when I watch TV.
And here's the best part of this treasure trove:
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