Quilt Decisions and Sleepings Bag Modifications

**jhunt87** · 12-01-2009, 14:04

Ok, so a couple of questions here, and they have to do with me being short, so maybe the other short people on here can help me out

To start things off I guess I should say I've never made any of my own gear before and I'm not super familiar with the way quilts and sleeping bags are constructed/ stitched.

I am thinking about ordering the kit from thru-hiker and I know its at least made for people who are 5'10" maybe taller. I am 5'6" and 150lbs.

When making quilts and whatnot, how close to you make them to your height? I guess I'm getting at is what dimensions you would build a quilt to for a person my size?

If there is extra material because I am short, and there is "extra down" because I would be spreading it over a smaller area, and I order an extra 3oz of down (that's a lot of ifs), how much loft could I pull off?

This may not qualify as "homemade gear" but, has anyone ever modified a sleeping bag to fit a different height. I was thinking I could open up my sleeping bag and possibly make it shorter and take the down out of the section I removed and distribute it throughout the rest of the sleeping bag. Effectively making my sleeping bag a little lighter and warmer.

Would this just be more trouble than its worth?

Thanks

**KerMegan** · 12-02-2009, 08:53

Short answer- yes.
longer answer- there is a leaning curve to working with down, and technical fabrics; and gear construction considerations are different than apparel techniques-
I made a quilt that was 5 feet long- I'm 5'6" and I really have to curl up to get enough coverage for neck and feet. somehow I get much taller/longer when I lay down- must be gravity...pulling sideways- yeah- that must be it.
Hope this helps somewhat, KM