Spent a bit of time last night looking at fabric on both Adventur Expert and Extrem Textil. If I'm going to make my own quilt, then the goal is the smallest pack size possible.

I was looking specifically at:

• 10D Nylon ultralight, 22g/sqm, from 12,40€
• 20D Nylon taffeta, 38g/sqm, from 8.68€
• Nylon Tafetta, 55g/sqm, from 4.29€

Disregarding the insulation for a moment, would I notice more pack-ability from lightweight fabrics than heavier weight ones...? Or asked another way, would I notice much difference from the 55g/sqm fabric over the 22g/sqm fabric, other than the effect on my wallet...?

would I notice much difference from the 55g/sqm fabric over the 22g/sqm fabric, other than the effect on my wallet...?

Yes*, given that it'll be noticeably thicker.


*okay - some

I made mine from the 55gsm you’ve got there (in rather fetching purple and orange...).
My choice was driven by cost because just I wanted to try a quilt. I’m sure there will be a difference in packability from using a lighter weight fabric but I reckon most of the bulk is driven by the insulation.

Also... I find the lighter the fabric the harder/more fiddly it is to sew.

How experienced are you with sewing lightweight fabrics? How about pick the 38g as a compromise on cost/weight.

shutuplegs wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2020 1:56 pm ’m sure there will be a difference in packability from using a lighter weight fabric but I reckon most of the bulk is driven by the insulation.

I was pondering that as well. If it goes OK, then I plan to make a couple more, so I suppose the first one just needs to be functional.

sean_iow wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2020 2:05 pm Also... I find the lighter the fabric the harder/more fiddly it is to sew.

How experienced are you with sewing lightweight fabrics? How about pick the 38g as a compromise on cost/weight.

The last time I used a sewing machine, I was at high school and making pencil shaped draft excluders for my Granny and Grandma. So I have exactly zero experience of anything other than cotton. I was planning on getting a bit more material to have a bash at a musette, or tool roll, just to get a feel of it. The 38g/sqm, might be a good compromise.

I used the 10d. It's comfortable and light. Breathes well (not quite as well as RSBTRs HyperD fabric) and is known for it. Unsure if it's better than those other options. I chose it because ultimately i was making a lightweight quilt to be lightweight. Compromising on the lightweight goal for the sake of £15 and weighing 90g or so more would've save would've bugged me more in the long run. At least whenever I looked at my spreadsheet

i'm just baout to get some of the 20D taffeta to pair with 100gsm climashield insulation. I ordered some parachute silk off ebay fo rthe inner as is was light and cheap, the only issue being that you'll need to stich it lengthways to get a wide enough piece.

please post up in here with you progress.

I'm cheating quite a lot and enlisting the help of my mum who has a dab hand with a sewing machine

**edit**

Are you going for a closed or open footbox? I think i'm going open for simplicity and a zip for the tapered section

BobCatMax wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 5:00 am I'm cheating quite a lot and enlisting the help of my mum who has a dab hand with a sewing machine

I was going to try an enlist either my Mum, Sister or Sister-in-law, all of whom have fancy machines.

BobCatMax wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 5:00 amAre you going for a closed or open footbox? I think i'm going open for simplicity and a zip for the tapered section

I hadn't got that far in planning to be honest. I maybe able to afford a Cumulus, or similar now, so this project will possibly take a back seat for a while...

I recommend a closed footbox. The versatility of an open footbox isn’t as great as you think unless in hot areas (nowhere in the ok ) vs the amount of warmth you lose when it’s cooler. You can stick a leg out if you’re really hot, but i find a closed footbox helps keep th quilt in the right shape around and over you, and it’s much easier for the light fabric to fall off your foot end than top half when sleeping with an open design. It’s a bit more complicated to sew however. The As Tucas design with a round “3D” footbox is great, but My gf just sewed hers closed like an enevelope. My summer quilt is open, but that’s only because I put a head slot in for it a to be a poncho.

Where are you sourcing the down?
I can only see it on Extremetexiles, any UK alternatives?

Not that I found

Thanks