Need to make some quilts for the kids.

I've made a couple of quilts but always used synthetic insulation (Climashield, etc). It's really quick and easy, much less effort than down, and way cheaper. I just don't want to do all the extra work to deal with down, even if it's a bit lighter.

I have always used 1.1 oz uncoated ripstop and try to get it on sale (n.b. with owfinc.com you get a discount for 20 yds or more). There are lighter and more expensive materials of course.

My questions to those in the MYOG quilt biz:

1. Is it reasonable to figure I could make 650 down quilts in the 20 degree range for under $100 each?
2. What fabrics would the community recommend for the shell? Keep in mind, that I don’t really care how nice the fabric feels as the kids won’t know the difference.
3. Are there any good tutorials online for a down quilt?
4. Is this a totally dumb idea and should I just use Climashield for the insulation?

1. You could certainly make a down quilt using 650 fill power for a 2 year old for under $100.

2. Purchase 2nds material from one of the MYOG vendors. If you decide to go with down, many do not rate the fabric as downproof using 650 fill.

3. Thru-hiker has some step-by-step tutorials for a down quilt with baffles. I would recommend using DIY Gear Supply’s synthetic quilt and instructions (modified for childs size) for your quilts.

4. Not a totally dumb idea but I do think that this is a great use for Climashield. Your kiddos will outgrow the down garment rather quickly. I’ve thought about making my own Climashield quilt for my daughter who will turn 2 this fall. I was “over”thinking I could purchase a pattern for a bunting and modify for use with Climashield. Dual use evening “puffy” and sleeping quilt.

Good Luck!

How about buying an old down jacket at Goodwill for $10 and cutting it down into a 2-year-old-sized quilt? It might be quite as low a weight as with the best modern material and down, but it won't be far off, will be super cheap and pretty quick to mod, since the baffles are already in place. You could even "overstuff" it if you jam the down into 2/3 of it, stitch a seam and trim off the excess material. Leave it pretty long, so it still works for them when they are 3 and 4.

After doing a little bit of research, it looks very easy to do a synthetic quilt with APEX.

Now my question is how much APEX will I need in order to keep the 2 year olds warm down to about 30. It almost sounds like I would need to double up APEX 5.0 to make sure they are comfortable to the high 20's to be safe.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Ben

I would go with a 2.5 layer and a 5.0 layer instead of two 5.0 layers.

You might consider trying to involve your sons in the process so that they are excited by what they are getting. Maybe they could pick out the colors.

Last week I made an 18 month sized insulated sleep sack (4.0oz Apex) for my younger daughter. When we got to the campsite on Thursday evening, and it was time for bed, she wouldn't go anywhere near it. Being parents we decided she ought to wear it anyway but she just howled and howled until we took it off of her. She ended up sleeping in a fleece sleep sack and we used an adult insulated jacket as a blanket once she fell asleep. There is something about the lightweight nylon fabric, or the bright yellow color I choose, that she just doesn't like right now. In contrast my older daughter is very happy under her brightly colored synthetic quilt.

Happy quilt making!

Since you are looking to make small quilts for small kids, you probably should try the fabrics beforehand to see how they react to them. I would look at polyester/wool blends for the interior surface at least. Another possibility is a cheap polyester bed sheet. I made a sleep sheet for my quilt out of a polyester fitted sheet. A sleep sheet isn't a bad idea, since it can be cleaned more easily. Polyester cloth usually appears to be heavier than nylon, but has a better feel. Wool may or may not work for a small child, another good reason to test fabrics. I've have some Poly/Wool blends that I got here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Poly-Wool-Cloth-Fabric-Material-Selection-/350424171899?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item5196e8857b

These fabrics are not heavy weight, but they are inexpensive.

Those fabrics look like a good idea. I might have to give them a try once I get the patterns and parts list worked up.

Thanks