I have found that tarps and hammocks can be madee at a savings. Quilts, like you, I found the savings wasn't worth the headache. Also, I tremble at the thought of my sewing being responsible for keeping in a bunch of down!
I have found that tarps and hammocks can be madee at a savings. Quilts, like you, I found the savings wasn't worth the headache. Also, I tremble at the thought of my sewing being responsible for keeping in a bunch of down!
"The trees were like lace where the star-beams could chase, each leaf was a jewel agleam.
The soft white hush lapped the Northland and wrapped us round in a crystalline dream."
Robert Service
I got all my fabrics (TQ & UQ) for under $120 from RBTR and found a king size down comforter with 750fp on CL for $35. Total price for both after picking up some misc items...under $200...Priceless.
I ordered mitten hooks (that I didn't use), pre-cut baffle material, and HyperD 1.0 / MEMBRANE10 from RSBTR for $50.47 shipped including tax, and got a pound of 800 WR down from downlinens.com for $115 shipped (used 10oz, so ~$72). Not accounting for labor, I made a down UQ for <$115. I'm not sure where to buy a 60" down UQ with 2-3" of loft for that kind of money so I must be missing something.
Caminante, son tus huellas el camino y nada más... - Antonio Machado
http://thru-hiker.com/materials/insulation.php
Is another down source
I think I did pretty well at saving some money making a summer weight set of climashield/apex quilts
More importantly I was able to build exactly,what I wanted
I agree. If you're getting the best price from the many sources of materials you stand to save a lot if you don't consider the time you spend as labor, more as a hobby. If I calculated how much my time carrying a canoe over my head on portages cost, it would be much cheaper to stay on one lake instead of venture through many, but...this is what we do for enjoyment, isn't it? Since when does calculating in labor costs for something you do as a hobby make any sense at all? If DIY'ing is "labor" for you, don't go through the pain.Originally Posted by Caminante
"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." – Bilbo Baggins
I would say I enjoy sewing or weighing/stuffing down the same way I enjoy working out. It's a ***** while I'm doing it but the satisfaction when I'm done is great.I agree. If you're getting the best price from the many sources of materials you stand to save a lot if you don't consider the time you spend as labor, more as a hobby. If I calculated how much my time carrying a canoe over my head on portages cost, it would be much cheaper to stay on one lake instead of venture through many, but...this is what we do for enjoyment, isn't it? Since when does calculating in labor costs for something you do as a hobby make any sense at all? If DIY'ing is "labor" for you, don't go through the pain.
If you really like weighing&stuffing can i ship my materials to you for free "labor" from now on? :LOL: It makes hiking much more enjoyable when I can use something hiking and think I made this. Even if my stitch lines are crooked and ugly.
Didn't seem like that was really factored into the topic though of "DIY savings and down prices". I was looking at it as money spent vs end product. Plus, how would you put a value on that satisfaction and enjoyment and apply it to someone else?
Yes, but to be fair you ha to spend $175 to complete your quilt even if there was down left over. If you wanted to buy down by the oz or by the 3oz to have less waste you'd still spend more on more expensive down. At 175 you are $20 away from a JRB quilt with 3" loft. If someone just wanted to DIY a quilt to save money (not to DIY as a hobby) I think most would be better off to spend an extra 8hrs at work than 8hrs making a quilt.
+1 on not counting your labor costs, you should be doing this because you want to or just plain enjoy it.
But don't minimize the cost of the many small items that often go into a quit - grosgrain, cordlocks, shock cord, thread, sewing needles, new fabric markers, fabric cutting wheel, a nice six-pack, etc. If you are relatively new to DIY you may not have a stash of these things.
Also your initial cash outlay may be more than the 'calculated' cost of the item you make. For example, while Caminante used $72 worth of down (a great deal btw), he still had to come up with $115 to get those 10 oz, same thing is true for a lot of the roll goods.
You still should be able to beat the cottage guys by a bit (more if you are making multiples) and I fully recommend the experience, but make sure you are basing it on true costs if the money angle is your deciding factor.
But that down is going into a top quilt, so I'd say my initial analysis can stand for the UQ. For the TQ I'll have to decide whether to buy another pound and keep rolling the balance into summer quilts, quilt for my wife, etc, or just buy 3oz packages. Also, the quilt is made in my spare time, I wouldn't have spent another 8hrs at work in any case (not to mention I'm salaried), so in that respect I made that time productive, whereas if I stayed at work I'd be uncompensated.
Different strokes...
Caminante, son tus huellas el camino y nada más... - Antonio Machado
I would like to weigh your projects the same way I'd like to portage your canoe or mow your lawn. Things I love doing for myself but wouldn't dream of doing for others just because they're lethargic
If you're overbuying supplies and plan not to use left overs for anything, diy'ing will most likely be a short lived expensive hobby. If you make many quilts and buy in bulk, you will most likely save 20%-40% and have exactly what you and your imagination can dream up.
"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." – Bilbo Baggins
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