Te Wa underquilt modifications

[Tucson Tom]

I am getting ready to do some sewing tomorrow. I have a Te Wa 3/4 length underquilt and have spent a couple of cold nights with a gap under me between my rump and the quilt. I figured out how to fiddle with the suspension using a couple of Nit Ize S-clips I was carrying, but it wasn't an ideal solution.

As you may (or may not) know, the Te-Wa quilts ship with shock cord attached to the corners. This means that the force applied by the shock cord tends to stretch the quilt out lengthwise, but does little to pull it up.

What I plan to do tomorrow is to sew two thin tubes along the edge hems that will allow a shock cord to be threaded through the tubes. This ought to be a 1 hour sewing project (i.e. it will take 2-3 hours). With the cord threaded through, I will be able to easily slide the quilt fore and aft and I am hoping to get a snugger upward pull.

But, I am interested in hearing any thoughts, comments, opinions.

[dman]

That's interesting that youre having issues with drafts, I have the breeze and the anti freeze and have yet to experience draft issues. Have you had someone lay in your hammock while you set up the proper tension on the quilt suspension? What hammock are you using?

[Tucson Tom]

Hi dman, thaks for the reply.

I have the "flurry" (I sleep cold when other people are sweating). But I don't think the specific model would make a difference.

Your advice is good, I'll get one of my sons to lay in the hammock while I check for gaps. (or vice versa).

Also I have reread the hammock basics and realize that I have been rigging my hang too level -- that may make a difference, nothing like getting back to basics.
But I have the sewing machine out and think I will add the channels regardless. It will add virtually no weight and give me a second option for rigging.

[Tucson Tom]

OK, spent much of the day sewing and experimenting. The goal of course being a warm nights sleep.

I added the tubes (channels) along the side of the underquilt so I can thread some shock cord through there and rig the Te Wa underquilt like other models that have channels. The main virtue I can see in this is the ability to slide the hammock fore and aft easily. But it is not clear I will ever use this, and this may have just been a waste of time. Options are good though, especially when I try sewing up a longer hammock.

I made a number of changes in how I am able to rig this, as follows:

1) I will be sure to always use my 100 inch ridgeline and have the support lines at 30 degrees, ensuring the proper amount of sag. (My hammock is the usual 10 feet = 120 inches).

2) I cut the shock cord that shipped with the underquilt and added a couple of cord-locks so I now have separate right and left cords at head and toe that can be independently adjusted (the quilt ships with a single cord at head and another at toe). This gives me 4 independent tension adjustments that are easy to access from in the hammock.

3) I was going to sew up one of those triangle "thingies" to use at the foot end (where I have trouble eliminating a gap), but I thought of a better way that allows moves the "pull point" for the toe end of the quit along the ridgeline. I just take a piece of parachute cord, tie loops at each end, clip one end in along with the ridgeline, then clip the other to the ridgeline with an S-biner and clip the quilt cords to that. Simple to make and easy to adjust (as compared to a triangle thingie which is sewn to a specific size).

Now with the pull position for the toe end of the quilt adjustable along the ridgeline, I am able to find a position (about 20 inches along the ridgeline) that gives me the amount of upward pull I need to snug up the quilt.

Luckily I have a nice test hang in my garage and can fiddle with this easily. All these words may be clear as mud, but perhaps somebody will find this helpful.