Down bag disaster!

[Woody girl]

Today I was sorting some of my gear out and I dropped a ciggerette onto my down bag. (Spare me the smoking lectures please!)
Yes I now have a massive hole. I've tried sewing a small patch on but gave up after a few stitches as no matter how fine a needle it was pulling down out and causing more holes. Is there a good fix that will stand up to a yearly washing machine clean? Help please as this was an expensive bag!
I feel soooo stoopid

 

[saxonaxe]

Tenacious Repair Tape.....I used some to patch a burn in a Down filled 'Puffa' type jacket about 4 years ago. It's there, been wet, dry cleaned, screwed up into a pillow and the tape is still there on the sleeve.
Have a look on You Tube..Tenacious repair tape...Many outdoorsy shops in UK sell it.
Recommended....

 

[snappingturtle]

Evo-stick cloth on both sides then stitch, I've seen this on military packs and the like.

 

[Woody girl]

Thing is the burn hole is on the interior of the bag. I'd just unzipped it to pop into my washing machine. It's about half an inch long plus two smaller holes where I panicked trying to brush it off the bag. Will the tenacious tape feel uncomfortable to sleep on.? The holes are on the bottom half of the bag . I am so cross with myself!!!! I've had it over ten years and it's otherwise in perfect condition having been mollycoddled all this time. I actually cried with anger and frustration with myself.

 

[saxonaxe]

To be honest Woody Girl, it could well be annoying to you if the repair is where you actually lay. I was assuming the burn was on the outside of the bag in which case the Tenacious Tape would have done the job. The repair on my jacket with clear Tenacious is a bit 'shiney' and slightly less pliable than the surrounding fabric, looks a bit like a waterproof plaster but sticks amazingly well.

 

[snappingturtle]

The burn holes would mean the ends are sealed, could you saddle stitch the hole and pull it all together for a hidden repair?
Other option is just evo the backing cloth then make a cloth coin for the hole and over hand the edge

 

[Toddy]

Anything you 'stick' onto the fabric will make it stiffer....but you can stick something like silk or matching nylon inner (is it nylon ? it seems to have melted pdq) on with sellotape over the edges, and that will hold it in place for you to take the time to stitch a decent repair without hassle, and without the constant fluff from the feathers coming out all the time.
Just peel the sellotape back little by little and you can work slowly at doing a really sound smooth job.

There is another way that works very well for expediency though if you find yourself needing a repair in a hurry.
Old fashioned zinc oxide elastoplasts. Stick them on and you'll not find them a pest inside the bag. They'd be better stitched (use meths to clean your needle) but they do hold.

 

[Janne]

You know that strip of fabric ( heat activated adhesive) you use to 'fix' the lower edge of curtains?
One patch on the inside, one on the outside - iron. Done.

What do you smoke?
I enjoyed Camels for 30 years, then Red Marlboroughs for about 9, then Marlborough Fresh Air for 3.

Still miss it!

 

[Janne]

BTW, what fabric is it? Cotton? Synthetic?

Sometimes sleeping bags have some excess fabric like a loose flap. This is there to be used in a repair.

 

[Damascus]

I have used in the past, effectively bicycle inner tube repair patches, the type which taper at the edges and self adhesive. My gortex Bivvi bag had a small burn, patched with this and that lasted 15years, so it does work. This was frequently screwed up, used it all thru my military career so it had hard use.

 

[woodsorrel]

One option is to sew or patch the hole and then use seam-sealer, like with tents, to prevent down from leaking out the holes.

- Woodsorrel

 

[Woody girl]

You know that strip of fabric ( heat activated adhesive) you use to 'fix' the lower edge of curtains?
One patch on the inside, one on the outside - iron. Done.

What do you smoke?
I enjoyed Camels for 30 years, then Red Marlboroughs for about 9, then Marlborough Fresh Air for 3.

Still miss it!

American Spirit is my coffin nail. A bit lighter than your smokes!

 

[Woody girl]

It's a nylon type fabric. Melted like ice in a microwave! I have fabric to repair but the sewing was making matters worse! The needle i used was so fine I could hardly see to thread it! So I gave up on the sewing idea.
Will give taunton leasure a ring tomorrow see if tenacious tape is recommended. That would be simplest.
I've had one of those days today where everything I've done has gone pear shaped.! Should have stayed in bed!!! .
I can usually sew patches quite neatly and was confident I'd be able to do it.. but it's just not looking good at all.

 

[Janne]

The last ones, Marlborough Ultra Lights, I used to say I filtered through the dirty outside air first through an ember, then some plant fibers then the ciggie filter....

I started smoking age 15. Chesterfields w/o filters. You have to be a tough, mean dude that age.....
I think I puked after each one for a couple of weeks.


I had a thought: I recall I repared my tent ( Fjallraven storm grade, from early 1970's a couple of times.
I took window type silicone, rubbed some into the fabric edges of the tear and let set. About one cm of the edge. Then used a patch of the same material ( edges sealed the same way) which I stitched through the silicone reinforced fabric.
Will get stiffer though.

 

[petrochemicals]

Last thine I cut a down bag with my ultra sharp Swiss I did this.Sew well below the hole about a half na inch loopthe thread over the whole always going in from thesame size, not pretty but works. Not ggod when it's spewing down everywhere!

 

[Toddy]

It's a nylon type fabric. Melted like ice in a microwave! I have fabric to repair but the sewing was making matters worse! The needle i used was so fine I could hardly see to thread it! So I gave up on the sewing idea.
Will give taunton leasure a ring tomorrow see if tenacious tape is recommended. That would be simplest.
I've had one of those days today where everything I've done has gone pear shaped.! Should have stayed in bed!!! .
I can usually sew patches quite neatly and was confident I'd be able to do it.. but it's just not looking good at all.

Nylon with down inside is a misery to sew. Himself got the tiniest wee snag in a down filled jacket, and I think it was among the most awkward repairs I have ever had to make.
Every stitch puffed down out, every thread dragged more. In the end I taped it and then really took my time to stitch. The thing is that by flexing it to sew it, it kind of pumps the down out too. The tape kind of held the down in while I stitched, iimmc.

Well, it's Friday13th....lot of folks think it's guaranteed to pear shape any endeavour today

 

[birchwood]

I can send you some spinnaker nylon and some double sided tape .

 

[Woody girl]

Nylon with down inside is a misery to sew. Himself got the tiniest wee snag in a down filled jacket, and I think it was among the most awkward repairs I have ever had to make.
Every stitch puffed down out, every thread dragged more. In the end I taped it and then really took my time to stitch. The thing is that by flexing it to sew it, it kind of pumps the down out too. The tape kind of held the down in while I stitched, iimmc.

Well, it's Friday13th....lot of folks think it's guaranteed to pear shape any endeavour today

Well if the tenacious tape isn't suitable I'll give your technique a shot Toddy.
Yes I wish I'd known it was Friday 13th! I was supposed to do a foraging workshop today. I spent nearly two weeks working on it, making info boards and I was up early foraging the last few items so they looked spot on fresh and tasty. Trawled the charity shops for lovely wooden bowls to put my displays in and made loads of goodies for people to taste. Got to the venue which wasn't easy with my shopping trolly to cart everything in/on. And there was a notice on the door. "cancelled " nobody had said a word to me and I couldn't get hold of anyone. Also found out later it had not been advertised as agreed........ like I said .... I should have stayed in bed!
I think I was preoccupied and winging angrily to myself when I decided to sort out my kit and forgot I don't smoke around my down bag for precisely the reason that caused the burn.
Oh well, if I can't mend it I'll have to mug a passing pensioner on pension day and buy a new one. I'd rather not though. That bag has many good memories attached to it.
Thing gone wrong number 3.
I decided to change the duvet and decided my new set was in order
Found I'd accidently bought a king size cover... I've not got a kingsize duvet!. More sewing to put that right!!!

 

[saxonaxe]

What a fuss..if you were a real Bushcrafter you'd have potted a Squirrel, skinned it and tacked it over the hole by now....

 

[Woody girl]

I have spent nearly an hour in the dark picking up hazel nuts today! Very bushcrafty. if I can't get the squirrel I'll get his nuts!!
Some days it's just a real pain when everything goes wrong. I was realy looking forward to doing my foraging talk and proud of my display. I had hoped to share some of my passion for foraging. Dissopointment was strong!
The duvet thing was just the last straw on a stressful day... but quite amusing realy.
I've had my large bar of choc and a rather large snifter of southern comfort... so forgive my verbosity! I'm ok now... I think .
You have just given me a great idea... squirrel fur lined sleeping bag... cozy!