Down Top Quilt

[simonm]

I have started on a DIY top quilt. This is my first top quilt build. I have gone with 1.1oz ripstop nylon, pre-cut 2.5 inch mesh baffles and 850p goose down. It will have a sewn footbox. I have gone with a half taper shape. Temp wise I am hoping for about -7degC.

I have started sewing the baffles, and will hopefully finish them by tomorrow night, and then it's stuffing with goose down and sewing it up. I am also sewing this on a 1940's Singer treadle, which I am absolutely loving - awesome machine. Though I did buy it for my wife which may be starting to be a problem

[Orion]

That looks so nice. What are you using to hold the mesh into position as you sew?

I followed the advice of others and doubled over the edges of the mesh where it is sewn, for strength. I wasn't certain it mattered but would hate to have a baffle fail. Doubling added about 15g to the weight of my quilt. I take it you think this step is unnecessary. Are you using noseeum (33 g/m²) or nanoseeum (23 g/m²)?

[simonm]

G'day Orion.

I thought about doubling over the noseeum but I didn't think it would be a problem in the end, though I could always be proven wrong. Another factor which led me to not double it over is I am using pre-cut nosseeum which is 2.5inches wide. It feels a bit lighter than the standard noseeum but I have not actually measured it - I really should. Being pre-cut it makes the process much simpler.

Oh and holding down the mesh as I sew is my fingers, I am going freehand. It seems to be working ok.

[Orion]

I'll bet it will be fine. I was just afraid to be wrong since repairing it would be non-trivial.

Just your fingers? I guess that's the difference between 1.1 ripstop and the slippery stretchy fabric I used.

[simonm]

Yep 1.1oz is pretty easy to work with. My next one will be made with Argon, which may be another story!

Which fabric did you use for yours?

[Orion]

I used Momentum 50. I've never heard of Argon. It appears to be about the same weight, perhaps 1 g/m² lighter. Since M50 doesn't appear to be available any longer maybe it's Argon that I'd be buying now instead? I found it frustrating to work with and just had to accept that the seams wouldn't be perfectly straight and clean, neither of which matter for a non-commercial quilt.

[simonm]

The Argon comes in 2 weights: 10 denier 22.72 g/m² and the Argon CS90 which is a double ripstop and is 15 denier 30.52 g/m². The lighter Argon certainly has a softer, silkier feel than the CS90 but the CS90 would be more durable.

[Orion]

I have used Momentum 90 on one ill-fated clothing project. It was much easier to work with. On the other hand I love the silky feel of the M50 (10 denier). The M90 is about the same weight as the Argon CS90 but is 20 denier instead of 15. (I had to look up denier, once again; for some reason that concept keeps slipping out my brain: 1 denier = 1 gram per 9000 meters of fiber = the linear density of silk). So if Argon CS90 at 15 denier weighs the same as Momentum 90 at 20 denier then the Argon has a higher thread count. I think.

Which will you choose?

[simonm]

I am thinking I will go with CS90 outer and Argon inner.

What method did you use for stuffing the down in the baffles?

[simonm]

I have not got much further, though have finished fully sewing the baffles on one side. Using the treadle is taking me more time than usual, but I am persisting. Tomorrow night is sewing the baffles onto the other piece of fabric.

[Orion]

It's a little tedious, isn't it?

What method did you use for stuffing the down in the baffles?

The two footbox compartments I stuffed with my fingers which was a little messy. For the 14 baffled sections I used a vacuum cleaner and a cardboard tube blocked with mesh. I set the bag of down on a gram scale in order to determine what each dose was. I could only get about 10-15g per dose, each of which I'd force out of the cardboard tube into the quilt with a broomstick. The down stayed in a nice clump but I taped each entrance shut just to minimize escape. I did the whole thing in a small bathroom so I could more easily contain and capture loose down. It was an easy job.

Here's an earlier thread about this method: http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=7919

Photos from the second quilt I made:

[simonm]

Thanks mate, I will give that method a go.

Yes the sewing the baffles can be a slow affair. I am going to try using tape to hold the baffle material in place tonight.

Oh and that quilt looks toasty warm.

[simonm]

A little bit more progress last night, sewing the baffles to the other piece of fabric. Basically involves rolling both pieces up, either side of the foot, and sewing a baffle, roll, align, sew baffle and repeat. I went free hand again with the baffles and had a few off track moments but not too bad.

I am on full time dad duties today so probably not much more progress until tomorrow, which will hopefully be down stuffing day. So far this has been the most enjoyable project so far. Seeing it all come together is very satisfying.

[north-north-west]

It's a little tedious, isn't it?
Photos from the second quilt I made:

You can make me one of those any time you like. Even the colour looks good.

[simonm]

NNW - it might me time to break out the sewing machine.

[icefest]

NNW - it might me time to break out the sewing machine.

I might have to too...
How much did all the materials cost?

[north-north-west]

I don't have one - I do all my mending by hand. And stitching something like that by hand at my speed would take a few lifetimes.

[simonm]

NNW - it might me time to break out the sewing machine.

I might have to too...
How much did all the materials cost?

The price of goose down is the killer, up until last month I was selling it for $125 this has now gone up to $175. These prices are from my shop obviously.

4 metres of 37g/m² (1.1oz) ripstop nylon @$12.50 per metre = $50
About 15 metres of precut 2.5 inch mesh baffle material @ $0.50 per metre = $7.50
I will use close to a full bag of 850+fp down (454grams/ 1pound) = $175
Thread - a few dollars
Shock cord and cordlock for the neck closure- approx $1
Grosgrain and one snap - approx $1

[simonm]

I don't have one - I do all my mending by hand. And stitching something like that by hand at my speed would take a few lifetimes.

It would certainly be a practice in mindfulness. If you are serious about wanting one made, I am happy to talk to you about it.

[north-north-west]

I don't have one - I do all my mending by hand. And stitching something like that by hand at my speed would take a few lifetimes.

It would certainly be a practice in mindfulness. If you are serious about wanting one made, I am happy to talk to you about it.

When need and funds allow. I really have enough gear, this is more a case of 'I want' than 'I need'.

[andrewa]

Simon, it all looks to be going fine.

Sewing a quilt is easy...don't bother doubling the edges of the baffles - a 1 cm seam should be sufficient...and consider the option of a differentially cut mummy bag which gets a way more complicated. I presume you've seen my old post about filling bafflesp .....it was very easy. Once the baffles are filled, tape them shut, and then sew them closed when they are all done. No mess.

If I wasn't going boating this weekend, I'd start on my Cuban fiber quilt....!

A

[simonm]

Thanks Andrew.

The Cuben quilt will be interesting.

[simonm]

After sewing the baffles the next step is sewing 3 sides closed. I intended on doing a rolled hem but if just didn't come together like I wanted so I just folded the fabric inside the quilt and layed down two lines of stitching. There is possibly a better way but this works for my first quilt. I need to sew up a round end for the footbox, and then stuff it all with down add a few finishing features, and then off to the Walls of Jerusalem for a few days for a test on Tuesday.

[simonm]

Pretty much done. Heading to Walls of Jerusalem for a few days tomorrow, so will update the steps leading to the finished quilt when I return. Thanks to all for their help. It was time intensive, and certainly not perfect but happy with it for my first quilt.

[Lizzy]

Looks great!! Hope you are toasty in the Walls

[simonm]

Thanks Lizzy. Packed and ready to go!

[Orion]

That certainly turned out nicely!

How many hours of labor do you estimate?
And did you reinforce the stress point where the foot box ends and the quilt opens up? My first quilt ripped slightly at that spot on its first outing so I added something. Maybe with the hardier fabric you won't have to worry.

[simonm]

It's hard to estimate the hours involved, it felt like a lot. It was definitely a full days work. Stuffing the down took longer than I expected. Second time around will be much quicker though. I was running out of time in the end to get it finished and just ended up sewing the footbox flat, but it worked well in the end and don't think I will bother changing it.

At the stress point I added a triangle of fabric to reinforce it, and no ripping so far!

It worked beautifully up in the Walls Of Jerusalem. I had taken another top quilt up which I was supposed to be testing but I was so happy with the one I made my brother ended up using the test one. The first night was a bit chilly, not sure of exact temp, so I wore just jocks and shirt to bed to test it out, and was toasty.

After making this quilt I doubt I would ever but a sleeping bag or top quilt again.

I am keen to make another now, although a tarp for my hammock is next on the agenda.

[Orion]

I see the triangle now in your photo.

It sounds like it took me longer and I found the labor kind of tedious. I did so much of it kneeling on the floor. If I were to charge even a minimum hourly fee my quilt would have an astronomical price tag.

I made my first quilt so that I could save money over a fancy sleeping bag and also to customize it to my liking. The materials cost $180 a few years ago, $200 when I made the second one last year and would be $220 if I were to buy them today. But Enlightened Equipment sells a quilt very near in loft and size and total weight for $285 (USD). So presently the cost savings for me would not be that much. It would hinge on how much I valued the finer details of customization -- and the pleasure in creating something myself.

[simonm]

Nah it took me a long time, it would be a long day indeed. I enjoyed the build and I think more so as I was using the treadle - kind of kept it interesting during the tedious moments of baffle sewing, if not a little frustrating at times . I have just read a build using karo baffles which may be interesting to try.

What are your thoughts on the end of the footbox? Flat sewn, round, box, or other? Like I said I was under the pump at the end and tired so I just sewed it together flat but vertically if that makes sense so the high point was in the direction my feet are when I sleep on my back - this worked well for me. I don't know whether I would bother with a round or square sewn footbox, though I have thought about a triangle shape to be a bit different. I see some manufacturers UGQ and EE are now just doing what looks like a flat sewn horizontal footbox.