I've spent the last 3 days making myself dizzy watching sewing videos and searching this forum.
It really is worth spending the time to educate yourself, I have fixed several serious errors in how I was
doing things (how did I manage to sew a hammock and a tarp?)

I am now using a Ray-Way tarp 106 inches square -- it works great with my hammock, but it weighs
21 ounces. I am pretty sure I can make a hex tarp (or maybe the "black cat") and have it weight 11 ounces.
But this leads to two questions:

1) Will a hex tarp (like the black cat or similar to the Warbonnet "edge" really keep me dry in an honest
to goodness rainstorm, maybe with some wind?? I'll need to depend on this (like I do my current tarp)
on week long backpacks.

2) Does anyone want to suggest a design or point me to something specific? I just kind of stumbled
across the Black Cat, and don't necessarily want to go through the trouble of doing the catenary layout,
but maybe it would be cool and worth it.

And a couple of bonus questions, if people feel helpful.

A) I do plan to sew another hammock -- and I am intrigued with expanding beyond the traditional gathered
end (that has served me so well). Maybe into an asym like a Blackbird clone. Any pointers to designs of
this sort ??

B) I view sewing a quilt and dealing with down as the "mount everest" of gear making skills. Is it really
possible for a normal human with basic sewing skills to make a down underquilt? I dream of someday
having something like a full length incubator, but maybe I could tackle this? What say ye ??

Thanks !!