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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Group Forum: Do It Yourself Gear Have you used Primaloft Insulation for Quilts? |
Author
Text
02/09/2016 02:39PM
Primaloft is great stuff. My understanding it was developed for/by the military as an alternative to down. I have a Primaloft jacket I purchased instead of a down jacket I was looking for. Very warm and very light. TWO thumbs up!!
CB
CB
02/09/2016 06:14PM
GL
I am a big fan of Primaloft (Sport) insulation. I have used it in two hammock overquilts and a pillow. I also have at least three PL insulated jackets and three sleeping bags (two TNF and one Mountain Hardware). It does insulate better when wet (damp) than down.
When I made my 30* quilt I did do some quilting (about every 12" because I knew it would get tugged in different directions in my sleep). On my 50* quilt there was no quilting. The stuff I bought had a scrim and because I didn't know what it was there for, I pulled it off.
All this being said, lately I have been interested in this Climashield Apex. They have been improving Climashield and I believe that it may have caught up with Primaloft. Also, they say that since it is 'continuous filament' it doesn't need quilting/tacking.
If you are looking for PL Sport with scrim, I know that Quest carries it as well as a few others.
Edit:
For quilting, I made a spacer bar from a piece of wood. I just guessed at the thickness of the insulation when squashed and added the amount needed to equal the 'claimed' thickness of the insulation. I then used that every place that I wanted to tack the quilt. Run the needle and thread through by one side of the board, go around the board and through the fabric again, tie the thread snug then slide the board out. You now have a loop that allows for the thickness of the insulation. If you use finer thread then you might be able to pull the knot through one layer of the fabric and into the insulation to hide the knot. I just left my knots exposed to the top. This board is about 1/2" thick to allow for more surface area where the thread could pull on the fabric.
Edit again: On my second quilt I sewed the edges through both fabric layers and the insulation but with the insulation on the outside - leaving one end of the quilt open. I then turned this inside-out so now the insulation is on the inside and all the stitching is as well. You now just need to sew the end shut. Be sure that you sew through the insulation when you do this to hold IT in place. Nothing wrong with sewing around the edge again (about one inch in from the edge). This will help hold all the more and give it a finished looking edge.
We'd be happy to see the finished product!
I am a big fan of Primaloft (Sport) insulation. I have used it in two hammock overquilts and a pillow. I also have at least three PL insulated jackets and three sleeping bags (two TNF and one Mountain Hardware). It does insulate better when wet (damp) than down.
When I made my 30* quilt I did do some quilting (about every 12" because I knew it would get tugged in different directions in my sleep). On my 50* quilt there was no quilting. The stuff I bought had a scrim and because I didn't know what it was there for, I pulled it off.
All this being said, lately I have been interested in this Climashield Apex. They have been improving Climashield and I believe that it may have caught up with Primaloft. Also, they say that since it is 'continuous filament' it doesn't need quilting/tacking.
If you are looking for PL Sport with scrim, I know that Quest carries it as well as a few others.
Edit:
For quilting, I made a spacer bar from a piece of wood. I just guessed at the thickness of the insulation when squashed and added the amount needed to equal the 'claimed' thickness of the insulation. I then used that every place that I wanted to tack the quilt. Run the needle and thread through by one side of the board, go around the board and through the fabric again, tie the thread snug then slide the board out. You now have a loop that allows for the thickness of the insulation. If you use finer thread then you might be able to pull the knot through one layer of the fabric and into the insulation to hide the knot. I just left my knots exposed to the top. This board is about 1/2" thick to allow for more surface area where the thread could pull on the fabric.
Edit again: On my second quilt I sewed the edges through both fabric layers and the insulation but with the insulation on the outside - leaving one end of the quilt open. I then turned this inside-out so now the insulation is on the inside and all the stitching is as well. You now just need to sew the end shut. Be sure that you sew through the insulation when you do this to hold IT in place. Nothing wrong with sewing around the edge again (about one inch in from the edge). This will help hold all the more and give it a finished looking edge.
We'd be happy to see the finished product!
“The more you know, the less you carry” Mors Kochanski
02/09/2016 09:41PM
PK-thanks for the info. - I have done a couple of "regular" quilt and had them machine quilted and also a couple of tied quilts. I am just concerned that it will be really "shifty" to work with.
The sides and top/bottom edges should be pretty easy - sort of like making a big bag. With a "regular" cotton quilt, I have used a wide fabric edging so the stuffing is caught between both the top and bottom fabrics by a top stitch seam about 2 inches into the body of the quilt. I was thinking of using a light weight nylon. Probably not coated rip stop.
Since the Primaloft only comes with the scrim sheet - I will need fabric for both the top and bottom. Any suggestions? I plan to use the quilt as a topper on a bed system I have designed. it is sort of a bed roll/sleeping bag, with zip on and off toppers of varied warmth.
The sides and top/bottom edges should be pretty easy - sort of like making a big bag. With a "regular" cotton quilt, I have used a wide fabric edging so the stuffing is caught between both the top and bottom fabrics by a top stitch seam about 2 inches into the body of the quilt. I was thinking of using a light weight nylon. Probably not coated rip stop.
Since the Primaloft only comes with the scrim sheet - I will need fabric for both the top and bottom. Any suggestions? I plan to use the quilt as a topper on a bed system I have designed. it is sort of a bed roll/sleeping bag, with zip on and off toppers of varied warmth.
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