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I'm planning on getting started making a quilt in the next couple of weeks.
This'll be the first quilt I've attempted.

1.1 oz rip stop seconds, grosgrain, cordage, Velcro from DIY gear supply,
5oz Apex from thru hiker

My question is: can I just sew the outer shell like a 3 sided pillow case then cut insulation to size, shove it in, then sew an inch in all around to stabilize?

I know the norm is to do insulation, fabric, fabric then sew then turn rightside out and close up top. I'm just having a hard time conceptualizing how the bottom draw cord is put on.

If I do it like a duvet, I could sew in channels for draw cord 3.5" from the foot and head of right side of outer fabric, then sew both outer and liner together inside out. This way, the draw cords will be a couple inches from the edges to act as a sort of draft tube and so I won't feel like I'm being choked by a cord when cinched up.

I don't mind it looking rough, just feel like making the quilt like a duvet cover then putting in insulation seems easier to me.

Edited by LunchANDYnner on 03/15/2013 00:36:06 MDT.

http://kringlelight.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/sin50_guide.pdf

but use strips of newspaper instead of extra fabric (it will rip off later and leave no trace)
http://smg.beta.photobucket.com/user/Socjake/media/0604022113.jpg.html

Just add an extra hem at the bottom end to contain the cord. (and top i guess.. i didn't do one for the top since i don't want anything around there) you could also add grosgrain loops on the top corners and attach some cord that way.

I sewed 3 sides of shell then stuffed the cut to size insulation. I worked well enough but I decided if I ever do it again - I would preform the normal way. The newspaper idea posted by Jake sounds like a good one.

My MYOG quilt is def rough....

Oh, I see. I read that guide before but somehow missed the part where only the sides are sewn. Saw the newspaper part before. Thanks!

I'll cut the insulation so that the shell fabric has a couple inches in excess at the bottom and when it's right side out, I can sew one inch up from the insulation and where the insulation actually ends then roll the extra fabric and sew to make the draw cord channel.

Another way to do it is to sew through fabric, insulation, fabric around the perimeter with an extra 1 inch of fabric all the way around.

Then just fold under the two fabrics to hide the raw edges and sew through it.

Yeah, theoretically there's a little wider strip of just fabric without insulation, but it's small enough to be insignificant.

If nothing else, sometimes I screw something up and using this recovers from it so it's useful to have it in your repertoire.

Also, regarding length... I'm 5'6", 150 lbs, 38" chest, size 9 shoe. I start off sleeping on my back but do tend to roll around at night and especially towards the morning and usually wake up on my side. I'm pretty sure 52" wide up top should be enough to tuck edges partially under me and hold together with elastic straps. But, how long should I make it if i want it long enough to cinch up both ends and still be able to pull the bag up over my head without compressing foot area?

Or will I not need to pull it over my head...I am a warm sleeper... I have a Stoic Hadron Anorak with hood I'll be bringing most trips anyways and have a Mountain Hardwear Compressor beanie with Primaloft (1.5oz total weight) I can wear under the hood if its going to be really cold.

You do not want to pull it over your head if you breath into it, because it will get wet from exhaled water vapor. Better to wear a balaclava or something.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Cool. Since EE site says foot box takes about 6" from length when cinched and 72 is enough room to fit 5'8" with minor compression of foot.

So probably just 72" should be plenty, right?

I think 72" is long enough but mine is a little different than normal quilt so I don't know.

probably.. i'm 5'7 and i got the EE Small size and it fits me perfectly. my MYOG synthetic is similar sized though i'm not sure exact length.

Awesome! Thanks for all the help, everyone!

So I just ordered everything except the insulation.

Should i get 5.0 oz apex from thru hiker or 4.0 oz Apex from OWFinc.com?
I'm looking for something comfortable down to 30, and lower with layering.

I'm a warm sleeper, and have taken my current synthetic mummy bag (150g/m2 Thermolite Micro, like, half an inch of loft) down to upper 20s with appropriate layering. I actually got too hot in my down jacket and had to take it off at night and slept well in a light grid fleece and midweight wool tights.

For sleeping pad, I have a BA IAC (r 4.1) for cold and snowy conditions, a 48" rei lite core (r 3.2) for warmer, and Klymit Static V (R 1.3, taken down into the 30s).

I know Jerry said his was 5 up top, 2.5 legs.

Also, as long as I don't compress too much, would this quilt survive a through hike? Not planning one yet, but planning on doing a few section hikes this year. I'm afraid to use down because I release a lot of body moisture, and get clammy/sweaty even down in the 20s without necessarily being hot, which is why I'm sticking to synthetic.

Man... I write/ask a lot.

I have 5 oz on top, 2.5 on feet, wear a 4 oz apex vest, I'm warm down to 30 F.

Obviously each person is different. I don't think there's an answer to your question. The difference between 4 oz and 5 oz is small.

Alright, just ordered 2 yards of 5.0 Apex! Should be getting everything sometime next week. Will start on everything once I'm on spring break in a couple weeks.

So, if I were to do the duvet cover method by making shell first then cutting/inserting Apex in, to stabilize it, do I have to sew through ALL the way up the long sides? Or can I stabilize by sewing a couple/few inches through perpendicular to the edge?

Like this... At like, one foot intervals or something:

°°°°°°|°°°°°°|°°°°°°|°°°°°°|


......!......!......!......!

The head and foot insulation will be sewn to the shell when I create the draw cord channels. With my mom's machine that is old and prone to jamming (even with the news paper trick as an option I feel just the fabric sandwich would be easier), sewing through perpendicularly would be easiest. Any thoughts as to viability and durability?

Edited by LunchANDYnner on 03/05/2013 22:32:28 MST.

the newspaper isnt to prevent jamming. it is to prevent the fibers of the insulation from getting stuck on the foot. If your machine is jamming then it is going to be an issue regardless.. you are probably trying to go too fast or something is not working properly. I used some scraps to practice a bit before going to my quilt.

It is pretty easy to do it that way and is going to hold the insulation the best. It will give a strong and clean seam. no sense in making something that is going to fall apart, especially on a longer hike. I had not sewed anything on a sewing machine in at least 10 years and I was fine doing it the Sin50 way.

Okay, guess I'm just being paranoid, lazy perhaps? I'll just make sure I go slow and practice on scraps first. Maybe make a 5" diameter circle foot box draft blocker I can snap on or off for practice.

Again, thanks to everyone for the help. Just wanted to make sure I got the process/plans all figured out before my stuff arrives. I tend to rush things, so I'll have to slow myself down and take my time.

I wasn't aware of the newspaper trick when I made my wife a sleeping bag with Apex. What I ended up doing was the duvet method and then stabilized the insulation Ray-way style with loops of heavy thread at even spacing. It wasn't ideal, and if I make a synthetic quilt for myself I'm going to try using the newspaper, but it you just can't get the insulation to run through your machine it is another option.

Adam

I've sewn with fabric on the bottom, insulation on the top.

Yeah, the insulation tends to get caught up in the foot, but you can just press down on the insulation and feed it through. Another problem is it tends to get misaligned with the fabric at the bottom, when you get to the end of the row of stitches, the insulation will have slipped a few inches. But it is possible to feed it through and make it work. May be a little slow. Probably newspaper method is better.

Did you use enough pins? i used quite a few.. but moving slow it's easy to remove the next pin before you get to it. you figure you are only doing 2-2.5 yd seam it doesn't take that long even going slow. I think i spent an hour or 2 cutting fabric and pinning it together one day and a few hours the next day sewing it all up with draw cord and velcro.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v115/Socjake/0605021817.jpg

Edited by JakeDatc on 03/06/2013 08:54:29 MST.