I've been thinking about making a 50F Summer Quilt and have been bouncing around in the pages on the this site, thru-hiker.com and Ray Jardines site looking for ideas. I don't think it is worth it to get the kit from Ray as you pay an extra $25 for instructions over getting fabric from thru-hiker.

I figure for my first bag, I will get 2nd's nylon so that if I screw up I'm not out too much. I thought a summer bag would be the best start as well since I would be working with less insulation.

My questions are:
1. Are there any patterns out there that I can follow? I am 6'4" - 180 lbs. I'm figuring 80" long, 54" wide at the top and 38" wide at the bottom. Should it be just a straight taper from top to bottom or do you start the taper a couple feet from the top?

2. Should I do a zipper at the bottom or should I just sew it? Pros and Cons of each?

3. Recommendations on insulation type and thickness? I'd like to stay as light as I can, but I want to be reasonable. I'd like to be able to use it down to 45-50F.

Realistically I'm not going to get this done for my trip this summer, so I resorted to purchasing a 45F sleeping bag from REI for $45 that comes in at 20 oz.

Lafuma Extreme 600

I figure I can remove the zipper from this and maybe a few more mods and get it down close to 1 lb. I thought it was a pretty good deal. Who knows if it really is a 45F bag, but there's only one way to find out. This will help me get an idea for loft and what I need for that temperature range for when I make my own.

if cost is an issue get climashield green 3oz and 1.1 2nds from OWFINC.com The insulation is much wider so the width can become the lenght of your quilt meaning you only need 2 yds not 2.5. If you cut it right those 2 yds may make 2 bags depending on the size you use. The 3oz is a bit heavier but should be a good deal cheaper.

If you can find a reason to buy 20yds of ripstop (1.1 breathable, sil or 1.9 can all be mixed (maybe even the 4oz rip)) you can get your entire order at wholesale.

-Tim

1. Your dimensions of 80" long, 54" wide at the top and 38" wide at the bottom, basically give your pattern. Cut out or fold a piece of sheet to see if it's right for you.

I looked at that sleeping bag and had the same thought, cut it down a little and get a sub 1 lb quilt. It may not be all that warm, but OK for warm temps.

Since you're going to have a light quilt from the cheapo sleeping bag, why not make a warmer quilt using something like thru-hiker.com climashield?

Tim's right, that http://www.owfinc.com/Fabrics/insulation.asp
climashield is 102" WIDE!!! Neat!

I just built a test run quilt out of 2nds lw ripstop from walmart and some regular 3/8 polyester batt and velcro from joanns. Less than $20.

I am 6'-3". I built it tapered top and bottom flat sides, 7' long with velcro at the foot/bottom, and a drawstring foot box. If you had a regular foot box you could make it shorter. Actually with a drawstring type I think I would like mine more like 1' longer than me.

I wanted to be able to open it all the way, thus the velcro and drawstring.

Its probably good for 60dF.

It works great, but the footbox being a drawstring type and tapered at the foot is slightly too tight. It would be better with a flared foot area where your feet end up.

If the bottom is open, IE tube, no problem. Of course if its open like a blanket it does not matter either.

If you want, I can post a pic or two.

You can often get the EN 13537 European Standard Ratings for sleeping bags, even if the American retailers only furnish "American" values.

Do a google search for "EN 13537 name/model of sleeping bag",

For example "EN 13537 Lafuma Extreme 600".

This returns, in different languages, information like

Komfort 16C
Limit 13C
Extreme 2C

Meaning that the limit of comfort for a male according to the European test method would be 13C or about 55F.

You could "survive" at as low as maybe 35F or 2C.

This doesn't work for many US "marketed" bags such as TNF or REI.

Such strong American (honest) marketeers refuse to use those "socialistic" unfriendly conservative ratings that those wimpy Europeans use.

Edited by rocketman on 06/16/2009 05:33:55 MDT.