Can an underquilt be too wide?

[JDShearer]

I'm getting ready to make my first UQ (climashield) and I want to make it as wide as possible. Is there a point when the quilt will tend to sag and flop if it's too wide, allowing drafts? Are there any other potential problems? My thought right now would be to make it around 55" wide. I'm planning to put shock cord through all edges for cinching and hanging. Thoughts?

[dejoha]

A really wide underquilt becomes a pea-pod very easily. Honestly, I don't think width will be a problem. You can always attach stronger shock cords, or double them up, for extra stiffness, or even put mid-point attachments on the quilt to give it lift. If the quilt is really wide, you may have enough length to snap it together in the center, perhaps. Could be the beginning of a new innovation: a 3/4-length burrito quilt.

[gargoyle]

55 wide sounds good to me.
I have one close to that and it is nice for sealing your arms and shoulders. Compare it to my narrower model of diy quilt and it is worth the weight for those short or car camp trips. Gathering the ends is kinda lumpy due to all the material. But it works.

Wider and longer seemed to be the consensus for quilts at the recent Minnesota Hang...and thicker.

[millarky]

you can make it a bit of this shape () which will allow for easier end gathering

[oldgringo]

Paul Gibson mmakes one of his quilts, the New River, I believe, in an XL version. I don't know how wide it is, however.

[JDShearer]

I just looked at the Arrowhead Equipment site and he does indeed have a 58" wide quilt. If Paul's got one that big, I think that's good enough for me!

I do think I might dart the ends just a couple of inches to help with the gather and I do think the mid-point attachments are a good idea. This size quilt also looks like it will definitely require some "triangle thingies" as well.

Thanks for the input guys, you've put my reservations to rest! I'm hoping to get started on this thing next week, and when it's done, I'll put up some pics. Thanks!