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MYOG first down quilt: Karo Step
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Jan 6, 2014 at 7:51 pm #1311843
***3/4/14 UPDATE*** Performance update down in the comments!
***UPDATE*** QUILT IS ALL FINISHED! PICTURES FIRST, THEN LOTS OF BLAH BLAH BLAH FROM ME!
Neck drawcord placed ~3" from top seam makes for a great, comfortable neck baffle/seal when cinched up. My lovely fiance modeling for me.
I later set a length of cardboard over the quilt and measured the loft at 3.25" single layer on the hard rug (so ruler doesn't sink into soft carpet like in picture).Weighs in at 18.6 oz (526g), 7.5oz of shell/cord/etc and 11.1 oz of down. I have it estimated at 30% overstuff (8.44588 oz to fill to spec).
Started off using the shop vac method in my bathroom, but it all went to hell and I said "fug it" and just started ham fisting handfuls of down into the quilt and called it good when it looked full enough. Had planned to fill only 10-10.5 oz in, but the extra .5-1 oz will be extra insurance.
Specs:
Impetus 1.0 stone gray, 850FP Water Resistant Down, red Gutterman, omnitape, snaps.
Starting fabric: 42" neck, 41" foot, 55" widest/torso; x 76", 2" unfinished baffle height
Pre stuffing dimensions: 40" neck, 40" foot, 53" x 73" (+1.5" for bottom seam allowance/drawcord tube); 1.5" finished baffle height for 2" loft
Post stuffed: 38.5" neck, 38" foot, 51" x 70" x 3.25" loft
Same pad strap system as my Apex 5.0 Quilt (same type as EE quilts)This quilt should be crazy warm as it's consistently ~3.5" loft throughout (less at baffles). It packs down tiny too, 10"x8" without even trying hard.
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**Pictures/notes from during the build**I'm using some wash away double sided fabric tape (wonder tape) to attach the baffles to the fabric before sewing instead of pins.
Also using contrast thread, some Scarlet Gutterman thread to draw attention away from the sharpie lines on the inside that are visible through the fabric.Horizontal baffles sewn.
Sewing shells/baffles together.
Finished sewing for now, need to stuff then finish foot/bottom drawcord, add Omnitape and pad attachment buckles. Washed it with sport wash to remove the Wonder Tape, it washed out with no problems. Impetus dries really fast.
(Dark spots are where the quilt is still wet from washing. Mostly dry just ~20 min after taking it out of the wash and draped over a couple chairs**Thoughts**
This is a really fun project, even for a complete novice working on a brand new machine. After learning to use the sewing machine and practicing by making a beanie, I was geared to go. It's not too difficult once everything is planned out. Just lots of repetition and patience. I added the drawcord to the outside a few inches down from the top then finished the head end first before combining the shells at the baffles. This should give me an insulated neck area better than if the drawcord was at the very end.Also, using Wonder Tape made sewing the baffles a breeze. They stayed in place and it provided a visual line on the baffle for me to follow while sewing, then washed right out. the tape did tend to leave some gunk on the bottom of the presser foot, so I had to degunk it by dabbing it with a piece of painter's tape from time to time as the fabric would begin to stick to the foot, but it was much better than having to pin everything.
I did a rolled hem around the sides, but it is ugly as I didn't bother to pin or tape it before finishing the hem, but it's functional. Ran out of patience as I've been working on it all day since around noon until ~10:30.
Expected finished stats: 42" neck, flare out to 52" by 4" down then continue for another ~26" then taper to 40" foot, 72" total length; 1.5" baffles, 10oz + 850FP water resistant down. Shooting for ~2" loft.
Using Impetus 1.0 for shell and noseeum for baffles (total baffle weight = 0.5oz).Jan 9, 2014 at 2:07 pm #2061952Just curious what your material costs are so far.
Jan 9, 2014 at 2:16 pm #2061954Down was $103.5 for a pound, but I'm only using 10oz so we'll call it 65
and 5yds fabric, noseeum, shock cord, Velcro, toggles, flat watch buckles, etc came to 58. I also bought two rolls of wash away fabric tape so I don't have to pin up everything, so 7 there. I already had Gutterman thread that I bought when I made my synthetic quilt, and I'm using the same quilt/pad straps.So, about $130.
Jan 9, 2014 at 5:54 pm #2062014I did a 14-6 karo and the down shifts way to easily.
A 14-9 would be ideal, but since you've already cut the 6" pieces out, I would go with a 12-6 or even better an 11-6.
Jan 9, 2014 at 5:58 pm #2062015Thanks for the tip, Aaron! I'm gonna just try 12/6 as that's what I've got on my plans/sketch book. I'll be overstuffing by ~25% so I think it'll be OK.
Jan 9, 2014 at 6:23 pm #2062028Should be OK with 12/6 since 25% over stuff. Without that, 10/6 would be the way to go.
Ryan
Jan 13, 2014 at 12:00 am #2062917Done with the sewing (- the foot/drawcord). Sorry for the terrible pictures, taken with my phone. too lazy to use my camera/upload to comp.
Will weigh the shell tomorrow once it's dry.
Jan 14, 2014 at 11:01 pm #2063424QUILT IS ALL DONE!
I tend to be quite verbose in my posts, so this time I started off with the pictures so I wont bore you all. This was a really fun project. It really was not too difficult. Lots of planning and work, but that's what makes MYOG, and this project in particular, fun.
The down is quite water resistant. While I was peeing, there was a large down cluster that floated into the bowl (filled the quilt in the bathroom) and I tried to sink it with my stream and it just would not stay down. Just floated on the surface like a balloon.
Jan 14, 2014 at 11:18 pm #2063425TMI
Jan 14, 2014 at 11:23 pm #2063427Knowledge is power.
And knowing is half the battle. G.I. Joe!
Jan 15, 2014 at 7:38 am #2063455And E,
You should be VERY proud!
I especially like the neck area. Great idea.
Would like a pic on the pad attachment area, as well, if you can.
Great looking quilt!!
Jan 15, 2014 at 7:51 am #2063459Thanks Todd!
You can see the straps in detail/action in my video on YouTube below. It's on my Apex quilt, but it's the exact same thing (even use the same elastic strap. I just added new female ends to the down quilt.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSq3kHXaNYA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Basically, male ends of the watch band clip are adjustable ladder lock, on a strap around the pad. Female ends on quilt clip in and the edges can be brought in or let out and they'll stay in place.
A couple pictures are also available on my Apex 5.0 build post, but the video shows it much better.
Jan 15, 2014 at 9:37 am #2063483Looks good! Very puffy. Had a similar experience with a DWR down cluster in my bathroom sink (sans urine). I kept trying to push it under water with my fingers and it would bend every which way and not allow me to submerge it. Finally, I pinched it and shoved it under water, then pulled it back it out. Gave it a little puff of air and any water flew off and the cluster puffed back up. Very neat.
Ryan
Mar 4, 2014 at 8:07 am #2079287it did a dang fine job of keeping me toasty at 22* at Mt. Rainier last weekend. Snowed several inches during the night (already 10+ feet of snow where we made camp). The fabric on the left side of my quilt was damp from rubbing against the condensation on our Tarptent double Rainbow wall (snow had pushed in some of the vestibule against the netting and that made some condensation roll down to where my side was against the netting), and my breath would condense on the neck area and be wet, but the quilt looked just as lofty as it does when I have it sitting at home. The Impetus fabric was super comfortable and most of the water/condensation didn't make it through the fabric. I put out a lot of moisture, probably more than most people, so even though I don't have experience with normal down to compare to, I'm really happy with the water resistant stuff.
I only slept in my baselayers (200wt merino top/bottom, wool socks) and my MEC Vega polartec powerdry hoody. I ended up getting too warm so unzipped the hoody. I was so warm I didn't even wear the down hood I made.
I didn't even cinch up the neck area. I just clipped myself in to my sleeping pad (Exped UL7 S with 36" of 1/8" Lawson's ccf pad) and snapped the neck closer around my neck. The quilt has so much loft and drapes so well that it filled up around my neck and created it's own seal. Tossing and turning didn't lose much heat. I was really surprised at how warm and comfortable I was (even though I'm a warm sleeper), especially considering I didn't cinch the neck opening at all.
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