***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).
