I recently completed a synthetic quilt using 1.1 ounce nylon and 5 oz climashield insulation from thru-hiker. I made the quilt using the design from backwoods daydreamer (http://tinyurl.com/4pzch53). I also got the nylon from their site at $3/yd, making for a super cheap project.

Finished weight of the quilt is 26 ounces. It stuffs down to a small melon size. I'm glad I went with thru-hiker insulation instead of ray-way since the weight and compressed size turned out much better than what I've read for ray way quilts. I'm expecting a low-end temperature rating of 20 degrees with an appropriate setup.

I made the quilt with large dimensions (84" long x 54" wide at head) in hopes of skipping the need for a bivy sack. I would like to add some sort of strap system on the bottom of the quilt to keep it attached to the pad and keep drafts out. Does anybody have some good ideas for implementing this? Some kind of system where the straps can be removed when not in use would be ideal.



Also, on an unrelated note, I finished a size medium minima vest from thru-hiker as well. The size medium with momentum fabric and 1.8 oz primaloft sport (60 grams) weighs in at 4.95 ounces. It's crooked in the picture, but wears perfectly straight. I officially have the MYOG bug!

Edited by 32729 on 03/01/2011 21:11:47 MST.

Nice job! That minima vest looks great. Was this your first clothing project? Difficulty?

My wife and I used "sheet corner" clips on our ray way quilts. The worked pretty well, but I eventually stopped using them because of the hassle and just learned to keep it wrapped around me. They are about .4 oz a peice and about 6" of elastic give or take a bit. I think we got them from a craft store or maybe a linnen store.

I can post a picture later if you would like my cammera is not working this morning.

I have determined that the straps and shockcord get in the way more than they help.

I believe that if the quilt is properly sized it will stay tucked on its own.

Take a look at this earlier post of mine on another but similar thread.

Now the challenge becomes staying on top of the pad during the night. If you are like me you tend to cover a lot of territory during the night. ;-)

Party On,

Newton

The quilt and vest look good. You've inspired me to give that quilt design a shot.

S R,

I really like the simplicity of the quilt, and am seriously thinking of making a three for myself, and my two sons.

Question: have you field tested the quilt?

Also, could you send me a couple more photos of your finished quilt?

Thanks,

Z.

Sorry for the late reply everyone. Thanks so much for all the great input. Below I have attached several more pictures of the quilt. See the text for more detail.

For straps on the quilt all the negative comments are putting me off of it. One thing I would like to add however is some kind of method for securing the top ends together. I think that may be enough to give me the stability I want. I was also thinking of putting a few small pieces of sticky Velcro on the quilt and my sleeping pad to help keep them in line. I don't think this would add more than a 1/2 ounce and would also be removable if I didn't like it.

Next, I wanted to mention a few areas that I deviated from the backwoods daydreamer pattern on. For my quilt I turned it inside out after sewing three of the sides together. You can see the directions for that at this site under "light quilt" - http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html. You'll notice in one of the below pictures how the seam does not show along the head section, only the line where it is turned inside out.

After turning the quilt inside out I sewed the remaining bottom side closed and moved on to the footbox, as outlined by backwoods daydreamer. One mistake I made with the project was not turning the footbox inside out the same way I did with the quilt. The result of this is that some of the insulation from the seam allowance shows on the outside of the quilt (as pictured). I'm not too worried about this though since it's only cosmetic. I singed the insulation with a lighter and I don't think fraying will be a problem, not that it would matter if it did fray. On my next quilt I will turn the footbox inside out on itself before sewing it to the rest of the quilt.

Finally, the backwoods daydreamer site adds some sort of tape along the seams as a final step. I skipped this step all together since most of my seams are not exposed as a result of turning the quilt inside out. For the remaining seams that are exposed I trust my stitching enough that I don't feel the need for reinforcement. Besides, I have a sewing machine I can fix any problems with.

I have not taken the quilt on an overnight trip yet. Based on the feel of the quilt compared to some other bags I have I think 20 degrees F will be a reasonable low end. Although that 20 degrees will not be without a tent or bivy sack and some extra layers.

The sizing on this quilt is big! Just look at the sleeping pad in the below pictures. One thing I am excited about is that my adventure medical kits bivy fits perfectly underneath the quilt. I'll really be able to push the temperature rating down without the quilt getting soaked by the vapor barrier liner. With a big puffy jacket and the AMK bivy I think I'll be able to get into the single digits comfortably.

Lots of info in this post but I hope it helps someone on their next project. Please let me know if there are anymore questions. Thanks for reading!

Edited by 32729 on 03/04/2011 14:31:14 MST.

The vest was my second apparel project that I have completed. Before that I made a pair of liberty ridge pants from thru-hiker. I also made a down quilt from thru-hiker before that. The pants turned out OK but are not nearly as nice as the vest.

I believe the biggest reason the vest turned out so nice was because I used a rotary cutter and cutting mat for the project. My pattern pieces were much more accurate and easier to work with because of this. Also, ironing the fabric edges on low heat before sewing and using a sticky note to help with seam allowances made this project more manageable for me. Overall I think the vest project is very doable, somewhere in the easy to medium range of difficulty. For a first project though I'd recommend something like a shell or a few stuff sacks to get acquainted with the process. Good luck!

This is a sheet corner strap my wife found at a grocery store I think.

Edited by Stitch10 on 03/06/2011 10:21:15 MST.

I noticed you said you made yours extra long. Did you change the width at all from the suggested dimensions? How much space do your legs and feet have? Curious since the footbox is sewn and non-adjustable.

I ordered all my materials today for the quilt. Nylon from BWD and 2.5 oz Climashield from Thru-Hiker. I like how you hid seams on yours - I might give that a shot.