Down bag converted to down underquilt

**THE DANGLER** · 12-30-2012, 03:41

So I finally got to it. This last summer I had found 2 FairyDown sleeping bags zipped together for $5 at the local goodwill. I had been thinking for quite a while about modifying one of them into an underquilt. But it pained me to cut up a high quality piece of gear thereby possibly ruining it. But finally, I figured, I have two of them so if I messed one of them up I wouldn't be a total loss. My mother-in-law offered her time and sewing skills in return for cleaning some gutters, fair trade?

I have looked around on several of the forums here looking for sizes that other DIYers are doing. I was looking to start with a full length quilt that was nice and wide. I figured that, in the long run, I could more easily make it smaller than bigger depending on how it all worked out. I decided to use roughly the same size as the Red River Gorge underquilt as described on Just Jeff's page here
http://www.tothewoods.net/RedRiverGo...orgeQuilt.html
Mine is slightly smaller (46" x 72") I was constrained by the initial size of my sleeping bag.

My materials:

Down sleeping bag $2.50
Grosgrain ribbon/tape $3.50
25' of 1/8" shock cord $5.00
4 micro cord locks $4.50

My Steps:

Step 1: Mark out the size/shape on the sleeping bag. (46"x72")

Step 2: Sew 2 seams along the markings (leave roughly 1/4" between the stitches) these seams help to keep the down contained when removing the extra material from the sides.

Step 3: Cut in between the stitches to remove the extra material on the sides. Even though it's stitched off there was down flying everywhere!

Step 4: Fold the grosgrain around the edge of the quilt and use copious amounts of pins to hold it in place.

Step 5: Sew the grosgrain on, staying about 1/8" from the inside edge

Step 6: Run shock cord through the channels on the short ends, slide both ends through a cord lock and then tie the ends together (these will be used to bunch the ends together thus closing them off

Step 7: Run shock cord through the channels on the long sides, I used a single cord to go all the way through both long ends with a line lock on each end of the quilt.

Presto! It's done! Now hook the cords that go through the long channels to where hammock meets the suspension and tighten up that shock cord.
Sorry I don't have pics of the construction phases but I forgot my phone at home and all work was done at my mother-in-laws house.

I'm open to any suggestions if anybody thinks I can improve on the design (I'm sure it can be, I'm a total noob when it comes to sewing projects)

Let me know what you guys think!

**CampWalker** · 12-30-2012, 03:48

Looks great, have you test it out yet?

**THE DANGLER** · 12-30-2012, 03:56

Only used it briefly inside my apt. Initial findings are very positive. As soon as I set butt in my hammock it was like someone turned a heater onto my backside! When I laid down I felt warmth instantly. Definitely going to need a little tweaking in a real world situation but it's looking promising.