Quilt for AT thru-hike (MYOG)

[Dion Dixon]

Ok… spent the last two days looking through many of the seemingly endless posts about quilts. And I think my brain's full. So, I turn to you fine people for some help.

I plan on using Climashield due to ease of use, but am unsure of whether to use the 2.5oz, the 5oz, or even the 4oz that OWF has in stock.
I want this quilt to be flexible and usable in temps of 40+. But, I am a hot sleeper. So, I'm not sure if the 2.5 will be enough, or if I should go ahead and opt for the 5oz. And what's with the 4oz? I can't seem to find any info on it.

Also, I want to make the quilt 78" long, 50" wide at the shoulders, and 40" wide at the footbox which will have a drawstring to close it up. I'll also be putting in grosgrain tabs along the edge of the quilt at the neck, stomach, and thigh/knee areas in order to attach some line to snug it up around me if needed.

For the liner and outside I want to use EightD from Titanium Goat.
But, I am unsure of how much material to order.

So… All you wise, wise gear makers out there… Which Climashield should I use and how much will I have to order? Will 3 yards be enough?

And For the EightD fabric… 5 yards?

I appreciate any help here.

[Dion Dixon]

Also thinking about the Pertex Quantum available over at the Zpacks site. I have a jacket made with it and really like it, but hearing everyone's love for the EightD, I figured it would be better than the Pertex, but my mind's up for changing…

[tyler marlow]

I've got a 5 oz apex quilt and it's way warmer than you're looking for if you're warm natured. I say 2.5 all the way

[Seth Brewer]

I made a summer quilt for temps 40+ and the 2.5 Apex delivers without fail. I'd say if you run warm (like I do) than anything thicker will be much too warm for comfort. I used a cheapo LaFuma 700 Extreme XL synthetic bag ($69) for about 4 months of my thru-hike last year (from Waynseboro, VA all the way to Katahdin and never swapped back out for my 35* WM bag even going through the Whites…though I did stay in a number of huts). The lafuma is about the same warmth as my 2.5 Apex quilt (quilt is a bit warmer actually) and the quilt weighs 14.8 oz. while the sleeping bag weighs 1.5 lbs (go figure). I used almost all 3 yards of the Apex and kept it huge (so it helps cut down on breezes and I can thrash around in it and still be comfy.

[Dion Dixon]

Hmmm, well alright then. 2.5oz sounds like the winner as to insulation. Awesome, it will be even lighter and more packable then.
And 3 yards will be enough?

Anyone have opinions on EightD vs. Pertex Quantum? Or how many yards I'll need?

[Tim Marshall]

2.5yds insulation 5yds nylon will make a quilt upto 88" long by upto 58" wide.

I love the 8d and am sad my personal quilt doesn't use it (it will soon :) )

-Tim

[Dion Dixon]

Looks like 5 yards EightD with 2.5 yards of Climashield Apex 2.5oz.

Excellent. Thank you all for your help.

[Chris Lucas]

You can take anything Tim says about quilts to the bank! Tim the wife and I love our custom revelations; thanks again.

[Tim Marshall]

Very glad to do it!

-Tim

[Chad “Stick” Poindexter]

Dion, you must have been reading my mind lately…

I have wanted to make this very same thing…

I had already decided to go with the 2.5 from Thru-Hiker.

I really loved the idea of using the 8D from Ti Goat simply due to low cost and the idea of low weight… (I would really like the black though…I was hoping it would be in by the end of April, but it is not listed on the site… so I guess it would be the green…)

But I also eyeballed the Pertex that Joe has too…not to mention the M50 as well as the M90 from Thru-Hiker. I like the idea of a more "waterproof" exterior, but I like the overall less weight of the 8D (and again, the slightly less expensive price tag…)

I had planned to purchase 5 yds of whichever material I decided on and just ordering 2 yds of the 2.5 oz Climashield Apex. I had read that the Climashield comes a hair longer (although this is not verified and I would only actually plan for 2 actual yards). So, after I made my cuts in the material, I was planning to fold the material over the Apex so I would only have to close in 3 edges. Of course I will use a flat cord in the footbox to create a footbox, and I will probalby use ~ 4 snaps at the foot end up to about 15" up and then do the loops to tie the quilt closed if needed.

Finished, I am planning 50" at the neck, tapering out to ~54" at the shoulders and then down to about 40" at the footbox. I would like it to be 72" long (finished).

I am a little concerned though about holding the Apex in place inside the quilt, so I was thinking about running a single stitch all the way around the quilt about 3-4" from the outer edge to stabilize the Apex. Do you plan to do anything similar? I was not planning to catch the Apex in the outer most hem around the edges so that it would have a cleaner look, although I am not sure what the best method would be. I would be curios to hear your thoughts on this…

Anyway, I would love to see your progress and of course the finished product!

[K C]

Here's my quilt in cases you missed it a while back

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=61312

[Chad “Stick” Poindexter]

KC,

Nice quilt! I like the colors too. Great job. What kind of temp rating do you get with that quilt and how does the M50 perform for you considering water resistance and breathability?

I plan to not sew my foot box closed though because I would like to have the choice to be able to open the quilt completely flat.

Also, it doesn't look like you sewed the Apex down except maybe around the edges of the quilt. Is this correct? Does the Apex seem to migrate any?

Does the top of the quilt actually close up any, or is it just cinched up a little due to the shock cord in the top hem? I will also apply a single snap at the head end and would like to cinch it tighter if needed with more flat cord and a cord lock…

Thanks for sharing…

Dion, sorry for sidetracking your post…hopefully it will help some though… :)

[K C]

I have used it into the 30's wearing layers (hooded MB thermawrap). It breathes well enough and sheds water great so far. I made it by sewing the perimeter inside out, then flipping it outside in and then making a fold which creates a mini baffle with the cinch cord at the top, the apex doesn't shift. I didn't use a snap but the shock cord cinches it well in cold mode and is not neccesarry when wearing a hooded jacket or above 45F.

[Chad “Stick” Poindexter]

Thanks KC. Good to know info!

I need to get this stuff ordered…it will give me something to do… :)

[K C]

You welcome. The #1 reason to make this quilt is because you can't buy one! No one "openly" sells 10oz synthetic quilts! Everyone should have one.

[Jerry Adams]

Better to stabilize with a row of stitches all the way around maybe 1/2" or 1" from the edge.

If you do 3" or 4" you will have a spot at the edge where there's no insulation because it will shift a little.

[Dion Dixon]

I wouldn't call it sidetracked just yet, still info that applies… Glad to hear more discussion about all of this.

So, about the stabilizing of the edges… I had an idea…
I was thinking of just sewing up the insulation with the outer edge and have the top a little longer and wider to fold around the exposed edge of insulation, kind of like a flat felled seam. Think that'd work?

[Jerry Adams]

I think I understand you and I think that would work

As long as there is a continuous row of stitches that go through the insulation and at least one of the pieces of fabric, probably better to go through both pieces of fabric.

Within 1/2" or 1" of the edge of the insulation. Less than this – you'll miss a few places or it will just barely capture the insulation which can then pull out from the row of stitches. More than that and the insulation will pull away from the actual edge of the quilt so the effective width of the quilt will be less.

[Chad “Stick” Poindexter]

Dion…I like your idea of using the Flat Felled Seam to help hold the insulation in place. Are you planning on doing this around the entire quilt or just at the top?

[Dion Dixon]

I was planning on doing it all the way around. I'll only do a drawstring enclosure around the footbox, I think. And I think I can incorporate the drawstring into the felling of the seam. I dunno for sure, but that's what I'm gonna try.

Even in cold whether, I've taken to just tucking in the edges of a blanket beneath me to keep out drafts… I don't really move when I sleep. So I'm not really worried about anything other than the footbox laying flat around me.

[Chris M]

You can definitely incorporate this sort of seam into the channel. The first time I made a quilt with my girlfriend's help, this is how we did it. Since then, I have made my quilts trying to use less fabric, so have been forced to do it other ways.

One thing to note though is that you will have a fluff of insulation rubbing against your drawcord using this method, if I understand your notion correctly. I don't usually notice this as a problem, but I haven't used my quilts long enough to be sure yet either.

Also, I was on the AT last weekend in horrible rain and chilly temps for GA (in the 50's), and I felt wonderfully cozy in my 2.5oz quilt, long sleeves, shorts and a beanie. I would consider myself a bit of a cold sleeper too.

[Dion Dixon]

Good to hear about the coziness of the 2.5oz insulation.

And as to your mention of the drawcord rubbing against the drawcord… should I be concerned about that?

[Chris M]

I don't really think so. As long as you aren't really rough on that drawcord. In my quilts that are made that way, I haven't seen any kind of problem with it.

I made a prototype underquilt out of a 5.0 oz Apex top quilt and allowed the drawcord along the sides, front and foot contact the insulation. I have seen the insulation pulled around a bit in that instance, but that has a long of dragging the quilt along the drawcord. Much more than I think you would see at the head of a top quilt.

If you want to be really fancy, you could make the stitch the way you currently envision it. Then top stitch it through the middle, separating the channel space from the insulation space with a row of stitches.

[David Drake]

Hi Dion,
I completed my first synthetic quilt a month or so ago, and did the seams more or less the way KC did. Here's a pic:

Note I left the Apex a little wider than the shell fabric, then trimmed before I turned the quilt right side out. Made pinning much less fiddly, esp. with the thicker 5 oz Apex.

Loops for straps were placed between the two layers of shell, facing inward. Drawcord channels at foot and head end were made from separate strips of fabric, folded in half, and also placed between the two shell layers. I found this easier than trying to fold extra fabric around the thick, springy insulation. And no problem with drawcord rubbing on insulation.

The one thing I'd do differently is placement of the unseamed "gap" necessary to turn the quilt right side out. I put it in the head end, and had a difficult time getting all the layers to line up and the insulation to stay in place when I went to top-stitch the gap closed. And placement at the head made the sloppy sewing visible. Doing it again, I'd prob. leave the smallest gap possible in a side seam near the foot (so concealed by footbox closure), and baste one layer of shell fabric to the insulation before turning.

Of course, with the thinner 2.5 Apex, all this may be easier.

[Chad “Stick” Poindexter]

David,

Thanks for the info! Question though…before sewing, it looks like you layered as such:

material
material
insulation

Is this correct? I am picturing it in my head and it seems to make sense, but wanted to ask to be sure first. This seems like it would be an easy way to sew it all together without having to go back and adding seams around the perimeter to lock down the insulation. But I assume that if I were to layer the pieces as said above and then sew 3 edges, I can then simply flip the quilt right side out and then close the top of the quilt.

I do plan to add a separate channel in the material for the drawcords at the head and at the foot of the quilt though.

Anyway, I just ordered 5 yds of the 8D from Ti Goat and 2 yds of Climashield Apex, 4 yds of 1/4" flat cord and 1 yd of 1/2" grossgrain from Thru Hiker to make the loops with. I plan to add 4 snaps along the bottom to snap the foot box together. I am hoping that I will end up with a sub 10 oz quilt! Anyway, I got a message saying that the stuff from Thru Hiker has already shipped so now I just wait on Ti Goat…hopefully it won't be long…

And thanks Dion for this thread…it inspired me to quit thinking about it and to just try it…

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