Costco Differential Cut 3/4 UQ with Faux Baffles

[leiavoia]

Thanks! I asked about the final verdict because I didn't know if you had any non-posted ideas in the last year. As for the weight, it's for backpacking, so I think I'll go the time-consuming route. I'm excited about this! Do y'all know of similar threads for a top quilt or what the final verdict there is?

Ben

For top quilts, there is no verdict other than that 70" is a tad too short. There are many ways to deal with it, but no one way to rule them all. Lots of the threads on this forum discussing the options.

[bmorri3]

For top quilts, there is no verdict other than that 70" is a tad too short. There are many ways to deal with it, but no one way to rule them all. Lots of the threads on this forum discussing the options.

Thanks. I've seen some on cutting off a row off of the side and adding it to the top. I think I'll do that in addition to ripping seams, stuffing more down in, and faux baffles. Hoping to have enough left over to make a down vest, booties or two, and a hat or two. Now I am wondering if I should get 5 quilts instead of 4...

[leiavoia]

Thanks. I've seen some on cutting off a row off of the side and adding it to the top. I think I'll do that in addition to ripping seams, stuffing more down in, and faux baffles. Hoping to have enough left over to make a down vest, booties or two, and a hat or two. Now I am wondering if I should get 5 quilts instead of 4...

If you're going to that level of labor, you should really consider just getting the raw fabric and sewing a quilt of your own design from scratch. Costco blankets are not made of outdoor fabric and readily absorb moisture. That's a critical issue for a top quilt which will accumulate condensation from your breath overnight.

... Or just buy one from any of the local vendors. Underquilts are fiddly creatures, but top quilts just work no matter where you get them from.

[bmorri3]

If you're going to that level of labor, you should really consider just getting the raw fabric and sewing a quilt of your own design from scratch. Costco blankets are not made of outdoor fabric and readily absorb moisture. That's a critical issue for a top quilt which will accumulate condensation from your breath overnight.

... Or just buy one from any of the local vendors. Underquilts are fiddly creatures, but top quilts just work no matter where you get them from.

Would it be worth buying them for the down? $40 per pound of down (I read 8 oz. per blanket) is pretty cheap, no?

[GadgetUK437]

it's more like 6oz of 700 fill down (some are filled a bit more).
You can get 700 fill on AliExpress for $40/pound.
(but I guess you do get a few metres of downproof polyester too)

[KnottyWood]

it's more like 6oz of 700 fill down (some are filled a bit more).
You can get 700 fill on AliExpress for $40/pound.
(but I guess you do get a few metres of downproof polyester too)

Hi Gadget, have a couple questions about creating the faux baffles and the quilt. On one of your projects you made 3/4" baffles. I'm not sure how to ask the question, how much heat are you losing or gaining according to your baffle height? Would 1in baffles be CONSIDERABLY more heat retention than 3/4? I plan on making one quilt out of two throws,so doubling the down but still using the 60in side as the width which means I need to be closer to 3/4" baffles to keep the 44 width after sewing. I would really like this quilt to be a 20ish degree setup but not sure if baffles will get me there!

[GadgetUK437]

Each 3/4" faux baffle will steal 2" from the width.
Let me break that down, look at this illustration,

The red line on the bottom is the inner layer, the baffles are formed by stealing some of the inner layer to make the baffle. As you can see, the baffle is the two sides brought together and stitched. This means that the amount lost from the inner layer is double the depth of the baffle, plus some for the seam allowance.
In the case of a 3/4" baffle, that is 2 x (3/4" + 1/4" seam) = 2"
So, if you use the 60" side, it has 11 seams (12 chambers), therefore you would lose 11 x 2" = 22" from the width, leaving you with 60 - 22 = 38".

If you must use the 60" side to get a final width of 44", that only gives you 16" to play with. Divide that by 11 seams and you get 1 7/16" to use for each seam, which would only be enough to make 1/2" baffles (once you take off the seam allowance)... barely worth the effort.

Even if you did a full cannibalisation and rebuild, the 12 - 13oz of (questionably) 700 fill down would not really be enough to fill a full length 20F UQ.
Another thing, 20F quilt needs 2.5" baffles, really. If you made faux baffles that big, there would be none left for the width!!

[Tikker]

this is why I think the gemini style leiavoia came up with ended up so popular. if you're planning on cannibalizing a 2nd throw, you end up further ahead just stacking them. yes you end up carrying around the weight of the 2nd shell, and it likely doesn't pack down quite as small, it's SOOOO much less effort and is likely more effective at keeping you warm

[KnottyWood]

Hey guys thanks for the replies. I ended up going with 1/2 baffles just to try to mitigate as much of the sewn through heat loss as I could. I also added an extra amount of material to the end of quilt so my final dimensions are 80 in x 47 in. My first trip in the woods finished around 36° and the quilt did fine. This is my first underquilt ever so if I'm missing something from cottage vendor quilt I wouldn't know it. I think I could take it to freezing temps with my base layer and be ok, more testing will be done! I will try to get pictures up soon.

[OldNWay]

Thank You for sharing all your ideas, I'm about to sew the faux Baffles into a TQ and was wondering how you finish the ends of the quit off after all the baffles are sewn
Thanks
Bill