Very easily the hardest project I’ve worked on to date! A 30* (probably more like 20*), huge quilt! It’s got horizontal baffles at the feet so I can puff up the middle (which is why it does look partially understuffed when laying flat) and increase the amount of down where I want it most. It also has a horizontal collar that realistically was overstuffed (0.5oz down in there) but adds length to the quilt and a ton of warmth, closing in all that heat around my neck and shoulders.
It weighs 18.34oz, and was stuffed with ~11.5oz of 950 FP water resistant white goose down. I used 0.66oz membrane taffeta, 1/16” shock cord, four cord locks, 6x 3/8” grosgrain ribbon tieouts, 6x snaps, which accounted for the other ~6.8oz of weight.
It’s 52” across without the 3” wings, 78” long.
I sourced the down as ethically as I could, but the project still involved the death of geese. I do wish that we could create a synthetic insulation that was more powerful than this down. Unfortunately, so far evolution has best solved the problem.
I took my time with this project and even so made plenty of mistakes — the main one being that the tension across baffling materials MUST be exactly equal for both sides of the baffles, otherwise they will pull ever so slightly and reduce your total volume, again, slightly. This is noticeable in how the baffles sometimes have a zig zag direction on the top 3/4th of the quilt.
I was incredibly frustrated but persisted and it ended up not being a big deal, the quilt lofts incredibly at 2.5”-2.75”. The amount of down used at the top of the quilt really does contract the width of the quilt dramatically.
Three tie outs isn’t a lot but I frankly don’t think I need more, so far it’s amazing.
Notice maximal fluff on the top with looser fill on the bottom. This is important and not a mistake. Doing so enables me to create impromptu leg-section wings just by shaking the down toward the center of the leg portion (see below). Doing so creates 3.5”-4” of loft!! I varied the amount of down by 2-3g per baffle here to be able to form this natural V shape. To create this “max leg fluff” mode simply hold the quilt from the bottom two snaps and lift to form a U shape, then just lightly shake it back and forth. Takes about 5 seconds, then rest it on the ground and snap/cinch it tight. The portion exposed flat on your feet and underneath are totally stuffed with down in this configuration while the down drapes around your legs, resting at your sides. Saves a fair amount of weight which would have been wasted. The other benefit is that when its hot, you can distribute the down across and lower the loft, cooling the quilt down.Simple did a large rolled hem at the top and bottom of the quilt to handle the cinch closure. It worked very well.Before the collar, this quilt was actually 17.58oz. I tested it a bunch and thought about and realized that for less than one ounce, I could probably add 5* on the safety rating of this quilt. I love this design and it was very easy to add. Its only 52 inches instead of the 58 inch width of the whole quilt. Next time I would make it 48 inches to save just a little weight. Loose toebox, all the way extended up past my chin without compressing the down / max fluff.Footbox open.
Pretty insane natural loft with the footbox cinched tight. Damn you down!! Someone pls make synthetic geese.Cinched tight, natural down curve on my knees, tons of room for my feet / hips to rest naturally, totally covering my neck and shoulders with space for heat to escape. Happy! Here I am rolling over inside the quilt with plenty of room.It forms wonderfully around my hips, arms, and shoulders. While it’s not as beautiful as I want it, this thing is freaking warm.Another friend trying it. Notice how much side coverage there is for under hips, hands, back of shoulders (my coldest spot in most quilts).538 – 18 for the bag is 520 grams or 18.3425 oz or 1lb 2.3oz
Loft Photos
>3” foot loft when you push your down to the middle and wrap the wings overlapping, underneath your legsSometimes over 4” if you really want to make the leg section narrow. This enables me to flex this quilt from a comfortable 40* bag with it just lying on top of me, down spread out at 2”, to a sub-freezing bag with this narrow but lofted configuration.Leg “wings” with careful down distributionLeg “wings” with careful down distribution
Hi Denny, that’s really impressive! I’m doing research now to make my own. I have a question about how you made the cost. Is it part of the inside fabric or is it a separate piece that was sewn on? Best, Jo.
awesome!
Hi Denny, that’s really impressive! I’m doing research now to make my own. I have a question about how you made the cost. Is it part of the inside fabric or is it a separate piece that was sewn on? Best, Jo.
Hey Jo, thanks for the comment and not entirely sure what you mean but I’m assuming you mean the neck cinch area? That was added / sewn on.