Sleeping bags

A while back Grandson Mack got a new pillowcase and stepped into it thinking it was a sleeping bag. After I saw a picture of him in the pillowcase, I talked with him about it on the phone and asked if he needed a sleeping bag and he said "Well, yeah!". I decided that would make a good birthday gift. 


Sometimes my good ideas aren't....


I did research. I drew pictures. I figured out yardage. And I began. My idea was to make a quilt about 60" square. Then I would fold it in half and put in a zipper. Of course I made a prototype - if it turned out, I'd give is to Mack's little brother Griffin.


So I made a quilt and then the second quilt. No problem at all!


Then I put the zipper in the prototype. First side fine! The second side ended up 1/2" short. Ripped that out - all 70 some inches of it. Second try it ended up 2" too long! Ripped that out. Then I used hand-basting instead of pinning. Third time was a charm!


I used what I learned and started the "real" sleeping bag. First I measured from one end of the 100" zipper so the second bag would be just like the first. I hand-basted both sides of the zipper - it went in beautifully. BUT the two 100" zippers in identical packages were not both 100" long! One was 4" longer than the other! Of course I found this out AFTER I put in the second zipper. So I ripped out both sides and started over once again.


The top borders of the bags went on and were quilted without any problems. 


I also made stuff bags - took a little figuring but they turned out fine. The inside is a soft flannel. Would I do it again? Well, not this week!

So tonight we celebrated Mack's birthday a little early since I will still be in the hospital during his party. He got right into his bag.

Griffin lay down on his!