Quilt Seams

[Ben W.]

Hi Group,
What kind of seams are you using for your down quilts? Do you use the same seam on the side that you close after you stuff versus the other sides?

I have some sewing experience and would like to make strong/ professional looking seams.

[Tim Marshall]

i top stitch my down quilts closed. I fold the fabric before putting in the baffles so i have a finished edge on both sides of the shell and liner and then i top stitch one side closed, fill with down then top stitch the other side. The other option is to have a folded hem sticking out past the insulated part which i don't like as much. That's what JRB does and it works great but i prefer the look of top stitched edges.

-Tim

[Ben W.]

Thanks Tim. I agree I dont like the look of the folded hem.

I'm a little unclear on how to close up the quilt. My understanding of a top stitch is that you do a straight stitch with the wrong sides together. Flip inside out with right sides out and sew throgh the fabric- catching the seam allowance. But how do you do this when the quilt is right-sided and stuffed?

[Tim Marshall]

Before i sew in the baffles i already fold over the edge so it is finished (wrong side has edge folded onto it then baffles sewed on. THen the edges already have the raw edge folded into the quilt and you just to stitch the shell and liner together along the sides.

With a down quilt you can't do much sewing then turning inside out like with a climashield quilt as the baffles keep it from being able to flip inside out.

-Tim

[Ben W.]

I am done smacking my head- duh. I didn't think through the fact that the quilt would have to be turned out in order to sew the baffles. Makes much more sense now. Thanks for clarifying that for me Tim!

[Jared Dilg]

Tim, how close to the hemmed edges are you stitching the baffles? Do you see bits of baffle netting in between the sandwiched top-stitched seams?

[Roger Caffin]

Guys, a lot of this detail about seams is covered in our article on MYOG Down Quilt.

Cheers

[Jared Dilg]

Doh, and I just paid for the membership. Thanks for the reminder Roger! :-)

[Tim Marshall]

i fold over 1/2" of the edge and sew the baffle right up to the new clean edge, maybe 1/8" off. I just tuck it under when i top stitch.

-Tim

[Author]

Posts