Adding a zipper to Golite Ultra 20 quilt

[Donna C]

I’d like to add a zipper to the Golite quilt instead of using straps.  Has anyone done something similar? It’s been a very long time since I sewed zippers, so I need a refresher on what I need to do.  Would I need to open the seams or can I stitch it directly onto the quilt?

[Jerry Adams]

I haven’t done it but opening up a seam would be a pain.

Just sew it directly to the quilt.  You’d have zipper tape showing but no big deal.

It would look a little better to have the tape hidden inside.

[DGoggins]

Interesting that you are thinking of modding a golite ultra 20. I have one and was just about to modify it…but not with a zipper.

The grosgrain loops that are on it are pretty long, so it would be trivial to cut one side, then insert the same quilt clips that EE uses on their quilts, and then use EE straps to attach the quilt to the pad. Would be very similar to an EE enigma afterwards.

The previous way golite wanted you to use the quilt where the straps are under the pad with part of the quilt…is just ridiculous to me. Modifying to add the clips would take all of 5 minutes.

 

[Donna C]

I have a Prodigy quilt that I like and it has a zipper that only goes part way and then several snaps towards the top of the quilt.  I like a quilt over a sleeping bag for many reasons but I also tend to get a bit chilled in a drafty quilt.  So I purchased a roll of continuos #5 coiled zipper that was dirt cheap ( and aqua in color) and I can cut it to length of my choosing, which will be the entire length of 48″.  One thing I have learned over on the Sailrite website about zippers is that I want a locking head so it won’t slip down on its own power. For the stops, I am either going to take my small hot iron and melt the ends at the top so the slider doesn’t come off, or just sew on some soft fabric…or both if the melting idea fails. For the bottom I will just run some heavy stitches across the teeeth.  I don’t think that I need to have a seperating zipper at the bottom. But before I do anything, I am going to pull back the fabric at the opening and run some stitchng, maybe zigzag, to keep the fabric away from the teeth.  Then sew on the zipper.  It’s a rainy day here today so I am going to give it a go!  Wish me luck!

Yes, I thought of just adding snaps, but I find a zipper more versitile for me. Sometimes I get hot…then cold.  Easier to zip than snap, but that’s just me.

[Donna C]

This is before:

[Donna C]

After. Ok, so it isn’t pretty and I was flying by the seat of my pants with this, but overall it works! The quilt is narrow but that’s fine. I can always remove it and install a shorter zipper and a snap like EE quilts but in the meantime, I am happy with the results. Hindsight, I should have replaced the slider with a double sided slider, but hey, what can I say? The zipper added 0.5oz to the weight.

[Jerry Adams]

nice!  You could just not zip it up fully if it’s too narrow.

 

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