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#129008 - 02/17/10 07:18 AM $5 Walmart Summer Quilt
JeremyDuncan Offline
member

Registered: 01/25/10
Posts: 26
Loc: Midwest
I was at Walmart tonight and found a polyester twin sized blanket for $5.

It was 72"x90", so I cut 30" off the length, leaving it at 72"x60". Then I folded it in half long ways and tapered it to 24" (48" unfolded) for the foot box. I sewed that seam, then laid it out so the seam and opening were in the middle. I rounded the bottom a little and sewed that shut, then turned it inside out.

This type of material won't fray where it is cut, but just in case, I sewed a zigzag along all the edges.

Weighs 18.6oz on my scale and rolls up to 6"x10". I'd say by itself it would keep me warm down to about 50°. I could probably take it down to 40° with a fleece, wool socks, and a hat. This is for tent camping only, as wind would blow right threw it.

Here's the matial after I cut it to 6'x5' and folded it in half.

This is after I cut the taper and foot box (with measurements).

After sewing the vertical footbox seam, I unfolded it and curved the bottom, before seaming the bottom seam

This is the final product

Rolls up loosely to 6"x10". Here is a 24oz Heiny can for comparison.


Not the warmest and not the smallest or lightest, but it will work for me. It will dry fast and I won't have to baby it.

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#129251 - 02/21/10 02:38 PM Re: $5 Walmart Summer Quilt [Re: JeremyDuncan]
Mroberts Offline
newbie

Registered: 02/21/10
Posts: 11
Loc: California, USA
Very creative idea. I would be curious to find out how it works our for you. Just take a back up just in case it doesn't work out.
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#129289 - 02/22/10 04:32 AM Re: $5 Walmart Summer Quilt [Re: Mroberts]
JeremyDuncan Offline
member

Registered: 01/25/10
Posts: 26
Loc: Midwest
I shut the heat off a couple nights ago and tried this out. It got to about 58. I stayed nice and warm, actually, I had to take my feet out of the footbox, because they were too hot.

Something I didn't anticipate was how itchy the material is. I need to try washing it a few times. If it doesn't soften up, I might be gifting this one.

I made another out of lightweight fleece I got for $8. It weighs 3oz more, but is way softer. Again, I tried it with the heat off and my feet got too hot (this time it got down to about 53 inside the house). It was way more comfortable, though. I may "vent" the footbox, somehow.

Of the two, the fleece is warmer, more comfortable, and packs much smaller, even if it is a few oz heavier. I think it will be a decent summer solution, until I can afford something very lightweight.

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#129290 - 02/22/10 05:16 AM Re: $5 Walmart Summer Quilt [Re: JeremyDuncan]
JeremyDuncan Offline
member

Registered: 01/25/10
Posts: 26
Loc: Midwest


They are both warmer, lighter, and pack smaller than the 3lb Coleman sleeping bag they are replacing wink

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#129296 - 02/22/10 09:53 AM Re: $5 Walmart Summer Quilt [Re: JeremyDuncan]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada

nicely done. Not high tech or complicated but that's the beauty of it. Sure it won't go to very low temps, but I don't think that's your intention with it.
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#129315 - 02/22/10 01:53 PM Re: $5 Walmart Summer Quilt [Re: phat]
Bobc Offline
member

Registered: 11/07/09
Posts: 26
Loc: SC
You might want to try a military poncho liner works for me and 100s of thousand of GIs over the years.

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#129330 - 02/22/10 03:28 PM Re: $5 Walmart Summer Quilt [Re: Bobc]
JeremyDuncan Offline
member

Registered: 01/25/10
Posts: 26
Loc: Midwest
I actually do have a military poncho liner. Its pretty good warmer nights. Not quite as warm as the fleece and several ounces heavier. I keep in in my bug-out-bag with it's matching poncho tarp. I never "borrow" anything from my BOG for camping, just in case I need it and forgot to put something back.

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#129342 - 02/22/10 06:05 PM Re: $5 Walmart Summer Quilt [Re: JeremyDuncan]
skippy Offline
member

Registered: 12/27/09
Posts: 129
Loc: CO
Nice work and I like your style of creating something on the cheap. I've been kicking something like this around for awhile now but have essentially zero sewing skills. My wife has a new sewing machine and I might have to convince her to give it a shot.

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