How to make a sleeping bag Do-it-yourself sleeping bag: from the choice of material to tailoring the product
A travel sleeping bag is a necessity, not a whim. It is able to retain the heat of the human body even at very low temperatures, but due to the fact that modern sleeping bags use expensive insulation and materials, buying this accessory can cost a pretty penny. The only option to save your own money is to make a sleeping bag with your own hands.
Materials for making a sleeping bag
To sew a sleeping bag, you need three “ingredients”: top material, lining and insulation. As a top, it is desirable to use heavy-duty nylons or polyesters, for example, RipStop or calendered nylon. The lining is best sewn from thick cotton (percale, teak), or from soft fleece. But it is more difficult to choose a heater, since there are already quite a lot of its varieties.
The most effective and practical insulation is made of fluff, and exclusively from the fluff of waterfowl - duck, goose, eider. Chicken down is not suitable for these purposes, because when wet it dries for a rather long time, and its smell is not pleasant. An extreme downy sleeping bag, of course, is a great option for frosts, but there is not always money to buy down. In this case, you can use synthetic fillers, such as nitron, synthetic winterizer. Sleeping bag made of synthetic fillings is light, warm and comfortable.
Tramp sleeping bags are examples of synthetic-filled sleeping bags. The quilt-shaped model is made of siliconized holofiber, capable of retaining heat even in humid environments. - option for more severe conditions. You can use such a sleeping bag even at -10 degrees. The insulation is still the same holofiber, but the top coating is high-strength nylon, which protects against damage and moisture. The model is lightweight and anatomically shaped. The material of the insulating layer is Extrafil Q7 - the so-called artificial down, the top material is polyester, the middle layer is nylon.
The shape and size of the sleeping bag
If you decide to sew a sleeping bag with your own hands, then you should first choose its shape. The most popular forms are rectangular, shortened, cocoon-shaped. The optimal width of the sleeping bag is 75-90 cm, but the length is calculated individually depending on your height.
How to sew a sleeping bag with your own hands - sewing methods
It doesn’t matter which bag you will sew for winter, summer, double or single person, it is important to choose the right way sewing. There are three of them in total. The first method involves the most minimal consumption of fabric, however, it is also the most time-consuming, since here you have to quilt all three layers in turn. In the second method, the quilting fabric is sewn first to the outer, and then to the inner material. The third method is the easiest and it is most often used for self-tailoring of sleeping bags. With this method, two bags are sewn - inner and outer, after which they are inserted into each other and attached along the neck.
To select the type of sleeping bag, you can use. Here you can choose and , and , and . After the type of sleeping bag is selected, you can create a pattern on tracing paper or graph paper. The standard scheme for sewing a sleeping bag looks like this:
- details of the outer and inner covers are cut out;
- stitching elements are cut out;
- quilting is attached to the outer and inner covers;
- compartments for insulation are sewn up on one side, stuffed with padding polyester, down or other insulation and sewn up;
- inner and outer bags are sewn together;
- the upper edge of the sleeping bag is sewn with a ribbon through which a pull cord is threaded.
Sleeping bag- a thing necessary not only for lovers of hiking, tourism and fishing. Today, when peace in our country is at stake, this practical thing is not enough for our defenders - the Ukrainian military.
So many volunteers help our army with supplies, medicines and protective gear. In the cold season, an important part of any equipment is warm waterproof sleeping bags. They keep you warm, protect from rain, snow and wind and provide comfort during your stay. However, the cost of these products is quite high. We suggest sewing a winter sleeping bag yourself, because this can also be done at home using a sewing machine.
Types of winter sleeping bags
First you need to decide what kind of sleeping bag you want to sew. There are 4 types:
Blanket- an ordinary insulated blanket with a long zipper;
Blanket with a hood- blanket with zipper + hood;
Blanket with headrest- a blanket with a zipper + a hood without a placket covering the face;
Cocoon- a sleeping bag narrowed to the feet with a hood and bottom. The optimal model.
Choosing material and sewing equipment
Consider the last type of sleeping bag, optimal for late autumn and winter.
“For sewing a military winter sleeping bag, materials such asraincoat Andsynthetic winterizer 2-3 cm thick for the inner layer. Please note that the raincoat does not wrinkle and is not rough - so the product can be rolled up. Such materials ideally retain heat and do not allow moisture to enter. Moreover, a synthetic winterizer sleeping bag can be dried overnight even in frost”- tells Andrey Orlov, director of a specialized salon of sewing equipment.
Also, do not forget about the importance of the colors of the sleeping bag. In order to provide a soldier with camouflage while sleeping in the open, it is necessary to choose a camouflage pattern or, in extreme cases, a plain, discreet color.
As for the sewing machine for sewing a sleeping bag, we recommend using a straight stitch sewing machine overlock, for example Garudan GF105-143H or Husqvarna Viking E20 with vertical shuttle. It is also important to have a machine with a metal frame and the presence of a presser foot pressure regulator on the fabric. Please note that the machine has not only the front, but also the side and rear teeth of the conveyor.
For sewing a sleeping bag for a person with a height of about 175 cm you need:
2.3 m of fabric for the top, based on a width of 150 cm;
lining fabric - about 4 m with a width of 90 cm;
synthetic winterizer depending on the desired thickness. With a width of 150 cm, approximately 2 m will be required per layer;
lightning - about 90 cm;
nylon cord 3 mm - 2 m;
two stoppers for a lace;
kapron threads.
So, you can start for sewing a sleeping bag.
Create a pattern on the fabric.
Open up the details.
Fold the outer parts of the front facing each other and sew them, leaving the bottom unsewn. Turn outward.
Put a synthetic winterizer in a bag and quilt.
Sew up the bottom.
Repeat for the back of the sleeping bag. Don't forget the lanyard holes.
Put the two pieces together, sew on the zipper and thread the drawstring through the hood.
Sew a loop to the sleeping bag - so it will be convenient to dry it.
Now the sleeping bag is ready! Well, we thank you for your good deed and desire to help.
If you have questions about equipment for sewing a sleeping bag and other things, we will be happy to help you!
of the commercially available sleeping bags for mountain hiking, only blanket bags with various synthetic insulations can be recommended for use. they provide a completely complete rest in the campaign. cotton bags are practically unsuitable for outdoor activities due to heavy weight, large volume and high hygroscopicity of cotton wool. when hiking in the highlands, when spending the night above the snow line, only downy bags or bags with synthetic insulation equivalent to down can be used.
A sleeping bag is easy to make yourself. which bag to prefer - single or multi-seat? the advantages of a single bag are obvious: higher comfort during overnight stays; there are no problems in the distribution of participants in tents; in case of forced separation of the group (reconnaissance, transportation of the victim, transfers, etc.). a single bag can serve as a piece of personal equipment.
The disadvantages of a multi-seat sleeping bag include a large volume (a three-seat bag, if sewn in one piece, occupies the entire volume of the backpack). when planning winter mountain hikes, it is recommended to sew double (in thickness) sleeping bags - one to one. Such bags are somewhat heavier than usual, but much warmer. in addition, it is possible to use each bag separately.
DESIGNS AND SEWING METHODS there are several ways to make down equipment (Fig. 114). the first method (Fig. 114a) is the most time-consuming, but with minimal consumption of quilting fabric. at homemade practically not applied. in the second method (Fig. 114b), the quilting fabric is alternately sewn to the outer and inner covers. the method is also quite complicated.
with the third manufacturing method (Fig. 114c), the consumption of quilting fabric is the greatest, and the bag turns out to be somewhat heavier, but it is easier to sew (in fact, two bags are sewn, inserted one into the other and sewn at the neck), it is easy to dry by removing one part from another. this method is most common in the home-made manufacture of not only sleeping bags, but also down jackets, vests, trousers.
Rice. 114. Methods for making a down sleeping bag: a - with a minimum consumption of fabric; b - the quilting fabric is alternately sewn to the inner and outer cover; c - the easiest way to sew; 1 - cover, 2 - quilting, 3 - fluff, 4 - seam.
rice. 115. patterns of details of a single sleeping bag. dimensions are calculated for a person with a height of 175-180 cm and are given without gaps in the seams.
There are many designs of single down sleeping bags. we propose a design that is relatively easy to implement in home-made manufacturing (Fig. 115). for this you need 8m of calendered nylon (with a width of 1m) for the outer and inner covers and 8m of fabric for quilting. 0.8-1.0 kg of down is required for stuffing. the bag should be sewn with kapron threads. the weight of the finished bag is from 1.4 to 1.8 kg (depending on the density of the material and the amount of fluff). To facilitate the process of cleaning fluff and stuffing the product with fluff, several devices have been developed using a household vacuum cleaner.
it is advisable to take into account that Lately sleeping bags are used in combination with polyethylene or polyurethane foam mats, which have high thermal insulation properties, so the bottom of the bag can be made thinner than the top.
it is convenient to cut parts from nylon fabrics with a sharply sharpened tip of an electric soldering iron, putting the fabric on a sheet of plywood, a drawing board, etc. it is better to sew a bag in the following sequence:
- cut out the details of the outer and inner covers;
- cut out the quilting details according to overall dimensions with an allowance of 1-2 cm (thin parachute nylon stretches a lot and it is difficult to accurately combine the details when stitching);
- stitch the quilting material to the outer and inner covers so that the seams are shifted relative to each other;
- sew up compartments for fluff on one side;
- stuff the compartments with down;
- sew up the compartments on the other side;
- sew the top and bottom parts of the outer bag;
- sew the top and bottom parts of the inner bag;
- sew the inner and outer bags along the lines abc and adc;
- sew the upper edge of the bag for the tightening cord;
- thread the cord.
For a triple sleeping bag, the following dimensions are recommended: width 170cm (can be narrowed to the feet to 150cm); length 180-190cm, with headrest 220-230cm. to make such a bag, you need 17.5 m of fabric for covers, 17.5 m of fabric for stitching (with a width of 1 m) and 2-2.5 kg of fluff. the weight of the finished bag is 3.2-3.6 kg.
quite practical combination of down with synthetic insulation. in this case, the top of the bag is stuffed with down, and the bottom is made of padding polyester. such a bag is more technologically advanced, cheaper, synthetic material is less permeable than down, and less hygroscopic. but a combination bag is heavier than a down bag and takes up more volume when folded.
the technology of sewing bags filled with synthetic wool differs from the technology of making down bags. if cotton wool, like fluff, is stuffed into sections, then it quickly falls off, and this part of the bag loses its heat-insulating properties. to prevent this from happening, a layer of cotton wool is laid out on the cover, covered with a quilting cloth and stitched similarly to a quilted wadded blanket. further - as in the manufacture of down bags.
when using a synthetic winterizer, two or three layers of insulation are applied to the cut out parts of the outer and inner covers (depending on its thickness) and stitched so that the seams on the covers are shifted relative to each other. then the inner and outer bags are sewn in the same way as in the manufacture of a down bag.
Not a single hiking trip, long-distance expedition, or just going out with an overnight stay in nature can do without high-quality. A warm sleeping bag helps a person to relax after an active day, restore strength and health, and keep warm in conditions of low night temperatures. When choosing a sleeping bag, there are several important parameters to consider.
Sleeping bag options
- Terms of Use. If you are planning to hike in extreme conditions with low temperatures, you will need the warmest model. Please note that such a sleeping bag will cost the most and will be very heavy. For the summer heat, this option is not suitable. For warm summer nights, you should choose lightweight thin models of sleeping bags.
- Sleeping bag length. There are standard (up to 195 cm), children's (up to 145 cm), teenage (up to 167 cm), enlarged (up to 205 cm). It is very important to choose the right size envelope, as too large a sleeping bag will not provide a comfortable sleep and high-quality thermal protection.
- Sleeping bag design They come in the form of a blanket and a cocoon. Sleeping bags of the first type work on the principle of a blanket familiar to us, with a side fastener, with the help of which the blanket turns into a bag. Such models can be sold with or without headrests. Cocoon sleeping bags provide the best thermal insulation for travelers, as they fit the body better. Models of cocoons are narrowed to the bottom, which allows you to save precious heat. It is advisable to choose a model with an extension at the level of the knees, so you can feel more comfortable and be able to roll over. These bags take up minimal space in hiking backpack and also very easy to use. In especially important areas there are special heaters: in the hood, at the bottom, along the zipper, around the shoulders.
- The weight of the envelope is a very important parameter, because you have to carry the sleeping bag on your own shoulders. Cheaper models are made, as a rule, from classic materials that cannot provide weight reduction. Manufacturers using modern lightweight materials that are remarkably warm benefit significantly. The weight of a good bag is about 1-1.5 kg.
- Pay attention to the material of the outer and inner coating, insulation. The material for the outer layer must be strong, wear-resistant, heat and moisture resistant. The inner layer should be warm and breathable, soft and pleasant to the body. For example, cotton is considered the most pleasant to the body, but when wet it can become quite heavy. In this regard, nylon wins, which does not retain moisture and reduces the weight of the product, but this fabric is not so pleasant to the body. Heaters are natural and artificial. The highest quality is considered to be a filler made of natural fluff. Such sleeping bags are almost weightless, perfectly warm at any, even very low temperatures. Their disadvantage is that when moisture gets in, they become heavy and dry for a long time. Drying a sleeping bag on a hike is often not possible, and if the bag is folded for a long time, then the filler may rot. Therefore, more often synthetic materials are used as fillers for sleeping bags, among which synthetic winterizer, holofiber, thinsulate, etc. have gained popularity. They warm well, quickly take their original shape and dry.
- Choose a sleeping bag with quality fittings. The snakes must be strong, a reinforced tape must be sewn along the zipper, which protects the zipper from getting fabric, the hood must be equipped with a strong drawstring cord. More expensive models come with convenient waterproof carrying bags on the drawstring, thanks to which the volume of the sleeping bag is reduced several times.
High-quality and durable sleeping bags cost a lot, and given that you don’t go hiking so often, then buying an expensive sleeping bag is at least illogical. Therefore, you will need instructions with detailed description how to sew a sleeping bag with your own hands. To determine the model of a sleeping bag, carefully study the above options for choosing a bag. For independent sewing, you need to decide which fabric to use for the outer, inner layer, which filler to choose, and prepare accessories.
As a filler, you can choose goose down, which has excellent thermal insulation characteristics, or synthetic winterizer, which will delight you with its value. Also in the model made with my own hands, you can combine filler materials. For the outer layer, down and moisture-proof fabrics are selected. An inexpensive fabric suitable for these purposes is nylon and raincoat fabric. For interior decoration, choose an inexpensive lightweight and durable cotton fabric, such as percale. In addition to fabrics and filling, you will need accessories for your sleeping bag model, most often zippers and drawstrings, nylon threads and laces.
A sleeping bag is indispensable for lovers hiking trip. This attribute of a tourist has special requirements and, first of all, it must be light, compact and at the same time warm. Today, a wide variety of models are presented on the market that can accommodate several people at once and protect those inside from the cold at temperatures up to -70 ⁰С.
Of course, such a product will cost a lot of money, but it is quite possible to make a sleeping bag with your own hands, especially if you plan to use it only for relaxing in the forest in a pleasant company, and not for professional ascents.
Product types
Modern sleeping bags can have a wide variety of designs, here they are:
Filler
The filling for a sleeping bag should be such that it retains heat in a layer of non-circulating air. The air inside the product is warmed by the heat of the human body. And the filler acts as a barrier and does not allow the cold air of the environment to penetrate inside. The tighter the bag will fit the human body, the longer the heat will stay inside.
Today, both artificial and natural materials. The first are represented by sintepon, nitron, holofiber, etc. The down of a waterfowl belongs to the natural ones.
The latter is preferable, as it keeps heat better and has less weight, but synthetic counterparts are cheaper and easier to find at the same garment factory or atelier. In any case, they fully meet the requirements of durability, low hygroscopicity and protection from cold and wind.
If you decide to sew a sleeping bag with your own hands from down, then you must use a down-proof material, such as calendered nylon, to make the top base. Details of the interior, so to speak, decoration can be made of dense cotton fabric such as teak or percale. However, it must be remembered that this is not in the best way will affect the weight of the product and its durability.
A do-it-yourself sleeping bag insert can also be made from thin cotton fabric. Quilt the partitions that form the down sections with a thin parachute nylon. If you plan to deal with synthetic insulation, then you can use the usual parachute nylon.
sewing process
There is a huge variety of options for single down sleeping bags, but at home the easiest model to make is one that consists of two bags inserted into each other. Yes, it will take a lot of fabric for quilting, and the bag will turn out to be heavy, but it is easier to take care of it, dry it by removing one part from the other and can always be used separately.
To make a bag, you need 8 m of quilting fabric, the same amount of calendered nylon 1 m wide, and about 1 kg of down for stuffing. You will also need nylon threads.
If you plan to take a polyurethane foam or polyethylene foam bedding mat with high thermal insulation properties, then the bottom of the bag can be made thinner than the top. For cutting nylon fabrics, it is best to use a sharply sharpened tip of an electric soldering iron. In this case, it is desirable to put the fabric on a board or a sheet of plywood.
