Loving parents Even before the baby is born, they begin to think about the conditions for his comfortable sleep and relaxation in the nursery. After purchasing a quality bed, you should properly organize the sleeping area itself. One of the original and very convenient sleeping accessories is a sleeping bag. The article describes how to choose a sleeping bag or sew it yourself, knit it and then use it correctly.
Benefits of sleeping bags for newborns
Recently, many parents prefer to choose not the “classics” - blankets, but sleeping bags for babies. The main advantage of a sleeping bag is the ability to reliably cover a child who constantly opens up and freezes in his sleep. But parents cannot stand by the crib with the baby all night to adjust the blanket. The bag is especially suitable for restless children who at night prefer to roll from one corner of the crib to another, throwing off the blanket, which is why the child often wakes up and cries. It is for such cases that sleeping bags for newborns were created. Such an accessory will become a real find in winter time or in the off-season, when the heating has not yet been turned on.
Other advantages of a sleeping bag for a child:
- The baby does not open at night. This is a very significant advantage. Especially in winter period sleeping bag for newborns becomes a real find for parents.
- The ability to feed a newborn without removing him from the sleeping bag. If the apartment is cool, the baby may be capricious when removed from the heated bed, and a sleeping bag will relieve discomfort.
- Comfort and coziness of sleep - there is no need to tuck the edges in a sleeping bag so that the child can have a truly warm and sweet rest. Newly born babies are accustomed to the cramped “cradle” in the mother’s womb, so a sleeping bag will come in handy.
- Sleeping bag safer for newborns than a blanket. The fact is that the child can either pull the blanket over himself or slide under the blanket himself. The result is the same - the child’s head is covered. This can make breathing difficult, and the newborn may not be able to get out of this position on his own. And when using sleeping bags for newborns, the likelihood of suffocation is much lower.
- An older baby sleeping in a sleeping bag will not be able to climb over the side of the crib on his own.
- It is very convenient to take with you on a trip or travel, and you don’t have to worry about the overhanging edges of the blanket, which is not always hygienic. P At the same time, on any trip, the child will be able to relax comfortably in the conditions to which he is accustomed at home.
Conclusion: a sleeping bag is an important and sometimes irreplaceable accessory that provides a child with excellent sleeping conditions.
Are there any disadvantages to a sleeping bag?
- the sleeping bag is not very comfortable for a newborn. This can especially manifest itself when a child is used to sleeping open, and then suddenly he is placed in an isolated space. However, if the baby sleeps in a sleeping bag from the first days, then such problems, as a rule, do not arise;
- If the sleeping bag is ordinary and not with sleeves, then the baby’s arms will not be covered and may freeze. In a warm room, this drawback, of course, is not relevant.
- It is advisable to put the child in a sleeping bag in a diaper, which will prevent the child from getting the sleeping bag wet.
- Changing a diaper at night without waking the baby will be very inconvenient. A sleepy baby needs to be taken out of the bag, undressed, the diaper changed, dressed and put in the bag. After such manipulations, many children finally wake up. Only very young children do not have this problem, because, as a rule, they only need one diaper for the whole night.
How to choose a good sleeping bag?
Even sleeping gear has its own characteristics and features, and sleeping bags also have them. When choosing, you need to take into account several indicators, which are described below.
- Sleeping bag size
The product must be selected according to the child’s height. So, for newly born children, they buy bags 65 cm long; for babies 3-9 months old, sleeping bags of 70-75 cm are suitable; from 9 months to 1.5 years, the size of the sleeping bag should be at least 90 cm. Older children need a sleeping bag of about 100 cm. -110 cm or more.
Sleeping bags are designed for children up to 4 years old! In a large model there is a risk of getting confused. Therefore, a length of 10-15 cm greater than the baby’s height from the neck to the foot is allowed. To avoid making a mistake with the size, measure the baby’s chest circumference and height before purchasing.
To select a product for a child’s specific height, you should add 15 cm to the body length from feet to neck, so it is recommended to carefully measure your child before purchasing.
- Compound
As a rule, sleeping bags are made from hypoallergenic, breathable, natural materials. The lining is usually made of 100% cotton, and the top is made of polyamide fiber, which gives the product shape and retains heat. Caring for such a sleeping bag is as easy as shelling pears - it can be washed in a machine at a temperature of 40-60 degrees. Products made from artificial or mixed fabrics are not worth buying.
- Are sleeves necessary?
Typically, sleeves are sewn onto sleeping bags intended for newborns. This will help keep the hands warm and protect the child from accidental injury - scratching the face. If you decide to choose a model with sleeves, then they should not be narrow, because the baby still needs to move. In more expensive sleeping bags, the sleeves are even detachable, which will be convenient for older children and in warm rooms. There are models in which the length of the sleeves is adjustable.
- Sleeping bag neck
The neck should also be spacious so that the child is not in any way cramped by the fabric. Ideally, there should be a distance of 1.5-2 cm between his neck and the neck of the sleeping bag.
- Back of the bag
In order for a newborn or older child to sleep comfortably, the back of the sleeping bag is chosen to be smooth, without appliqués or embroideries, because otherwise the product will rub the delicate skin at night.
- Clasps
As a rule, a sleeping bag has a zipper sewn into it, which is located right in the center of the product (this makes it easier to change clothes for the baby). For older children who are already actively turning over at night, it is better to buy a sleeping bag with a zipper that unfastens from the bottom up - so that it does not come apart on its own or the child cannot unfasten it himself. There are no fasteners on the back so that they do not interfere with children, but many products have additional buttons on the shoulders for adjustment to height.
Features of using a sleeping bag - time of year and room temperature
There are some recommendations for using sleeping bags:
- Lightweight cotton models are usually used when the apartment is warm - above 22 degrees.
- Insulated products will come in handy if the temperature drops to 19-22 degrees.
- Warm, quilted sleeping bags are needed if the baby sleeps at temperatures below 19 degrees.
The temperature at which a specific sleeping bag model is used is always indicated on the product label.
What should I wear for the night?
For children with normal thermoregulation, it is not difficult to choose clothes for sleeping. If the thermometer is 22 o C or higher, a short-sleeved bodysuit or even just a diaper will do. The child is placed in a simple cotton sleeping bag.
If the temperature is approximately 20 o C to 22 o C, wear a bodysuit with long sleeves and a pajama top with a cotton sleeping bag, or just a bodysuit with an insulated version.
And when the thermometer drops to 18 o C or even 16 o C, which is considered the best microclimate for children, along with high humidity levels, use the most insulated sleeping bag and put on a little man, pajamas with pants or rompers along with a bodysuit with long sleeve. In principle, you will quickly figure out what clothes to put on your baby so that he doesn’t get cold, but also doesn’t sweat.
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Questions
- Why do they sew sleeping bags without sleeves? The child will freeze?
In fact, children are very susceptible to overheating. Thermoregulation in babies is just being established, and if the baby is hot, heat transfer occurs, which is carried out through the free arms.
It should be remembered that constant thermal comfort is just as harmful as freezing - the thermoregulation mechanisms are not “started” properly, and as a result, the child often suffers from acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections. If you watch a sleeping baby, you will see that he often sticks his arms out from under the blanket, and this is normal.
So don’t be afraid to buy sleeveless models when the temperature in the apartment (house) is maintained more or less stable.
- How can you tell if your baby is too hot?
Hands are not the most reliable guide; they often feel cold. Touch the baby's tummy or the back of his head; if it is sweaty and hot, it means he is hot. Uncover the child, change clothes if necessary, and give him something to drink.
- How can you tell if the temperature in the room is normal?
- What if the child slips inside the sleeping bag?
If the size is selected, taking into account all the nuances and recommendations, this will never happen. The very narrowing in the chest area, as well as the cutouts for the arms, serve as an obstacle.
- The bag with “insulation” seems thin. Maybe cover it with an extra blanket?
Look not at the thickness of the product, but at the label and the temperature threshold at which it is used. Modern materials retain heat perfectly, despite the fact that they may seem unreliable. When it comes to additional cover, you cannot use a blanket with a sleeping bag!
DIY sleeping bag for newborns
Even those mothers who are not too familiar with sewing machine, can sew a sleeping bag for newborns with their own with my own hands. To sew a sleeping bag, you need to buy a good one, natural fabric(cotton, wool, knitwear, flannel, etc. It all depends on the temperature in the room and the time of birth of the baby. If you are sewing a sleeping bag for walking outside, you can make a layer from some kind of insulation, for example, padding polyester or holofiber. In any case, you better know what a newborn baby needs), and also choose a pattern the right size. The cutting and sewing procedure is as follows:
- Pattern. You can make a suitable pattern if you use a child’s clothing for this purpose. The process is quite simple - you need to take rompers or a T-shirt, mark the outline of the clothing on thick paper, and then add a little extra space for the seams and room for the body. The resulting bag should not squeeze the child in any way. The length of the sleeping bag, as already noted, is calculated based on the baby’s height from neck to feet plus 15 cm. One piece is cut out for the back, and the front part of the bag can be cut out either as a single piece or from several pieces (to make an interesting applique).
- Cut out the fabrics. To cut the back, you need a single piece of fabric so that the seams do not interfere with the child's sleep. It is better to cut the front part of the sleeping bag out of two parts in order to sew in a zipper, but the simplest option would also be a one-piece piece of fabric with a zipper at the bottom.
- Sewing. After the pieces of fabric are cut in, they are turned right sides inward, ground down, and a zipper is sewn in at the bottom (or in the middle). You can sew Velcro or buttons on the hangers. To sew a warm sleeping bag, after cutting the parts, a layer of padding polyester is inserted between each two pairs, and only then the parts are sewn together. You can decorate the sleeping bag in any order - using ribbons, stripes, etc.
Master class: DIY sleeping bag for a newborn
How to knit a sleeping bag?
For women who knit well, it will certainly not be difficult to make a knitted sleeping bag for a child. Thanks to the repetition of body contours and a pleasant fit, the child will have the most comfortable sleep in such a product. For knitting, you need to purchase wool, or wool mixed with cotton, that is, completely natural materials.
To knit a sleeping bag, a newborn needs about 500 g of wool, buttons, and a zipper. The tools that will be needed are 4.5 knitting needles, 3.5 circular knitting needles, and an auxiliary knitting needle. To make an elastic band, alternate knit and purl stitches. The holes for the buttons are closed in the front row with 2 loops, and the same number is cast on from the wrong side.
The back of the sleeping bag is knitted by casting on 49 stitches on 5 needles, the knitting technique is stockinette stitch. In every 2nd row, add a loop until 59 loops are reached. If the bag is knitted for a newborn, with a length of 48 cm, the loops for the armhole are reduced to 53 loops. After about 15 cm of such fabric, 11 loops are closed in the middle, the rest are knitted separately. At the same time, the side loops are also closed to form a shoulder bevel. The loops should be closed approximately 17 cm from the beginning of the armholes.
The front half of the sleeping bag is made with stockinette stitch - cast on 69 stitches, add side stitches in every 2nd row when 79 stitches are reached. The front part of the product can be knitted using any other technique that you like best. After 12 rows, the loops are divided, then knitted separately, after 48 cm an armhole is made (similar to how described above).
If the sleeping bag has a hood and sleeves, then they are knitted separately with 4 knitting needles and an elastic band. Next, all parts of the sleeping bag are sewn together, a fastener is sewn in, and buttons are sewn in if necessary. After finishing work, the finished product needs to be washed, after which you can use it for its intended purpose!
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For a comfortable outdoor recreation, experienced tourists purchase specially designed equipment, the so-called “sleeping bag.” They are usually bought in specialized sports or travel stores.
And the most conscientious lovers of nature recreation make their own sleeping place with their own hands. Why is this necessary? Isn't it easier to buy ready-made? I will say one thing, if you know how to sew, then everything you sew will in any case be an individual item, designed specifically for you. And this is worth a lot!
- Sleeping bags can be made using various synthetic insulation, which will ensure complete rest.
- If you give preference to cotton bags, then it is worth remembering that they have a lot of weight and volume.
- When hiking in the highlands, down bags are indispensable.
Why not make your own sleeping bag?
It won't take much time and won't be difficult. It can be either single or multi-seat, however, single-seat will provide higher comfort and can serve as a piece of personal equipment.
The most clear pattern:
Pattern of the bag-case:
First you need to decide on the materials for making the bag. The most effective would be to use down. It can be eiderdown, goose or duck down. The chicken will get wet and rot, making a very bad smell, therefore, you can also use synthetic materials such as nitron, synthetic winterizer and others. They are quite cheap, although they do not have the same thermal insulation properties as natural ones. These materials are durable, provide good protection from the wind, but their volume will be slightly larger than that of natural materials.
The fabric used for sewing such bags must be downproof. You can use nylon, which is available, characterized by strength, lightness and low cost.
For the inner cover, dense cotton fabrics. It can be percale or teak, you can use more thin fabrics. For partitions and lining that will form sections, you can use parachute nylon.
The easiest way to sew a sleeping bag
When making a homemade sleeping bag, use different ways However, we will describe the easiest way to sew. With this method, two covers are sewn, which will subsequently be inserted into each other and sewn at the neck.
- It is necessary to start making the bag by preparing the parts for sewing; it is better to cut the nylon with the tip of an electric soldering iron, having previously sharpened it. The fabric must be placed on a drawing board or plywood and the parts must be cut out. You need to cut the quilting parts according to the overall dimensions, making an allowance of two centimeters.
- The shape of the sleeping bag can be chosen in the form of a rectangle, a cocoon, or a shortened one, which is used with a jacket, and straps are sewn to the bag so that it does not slip.
- The width of the sleeping bag is approximately 70-90 cm, the length depending on height and model.
- The details of the inner and outer bags need to be drawn with lines, making a gap of 14-16 centimeters; according to this marking, the quilting material must be stitched to the outer and inner bags so that the seams are shifted relative to each other.
- On one side you need to sew up the down compartments. After this, the compartments must be filled with down and sewn up with reverse side. After this, you can sew the lower and upper parts of the bag, first the outer bag, then the inner bag.
- Then you can start stitching both bags, leaving the upper edge of the bag free, into which we will thread the tightening cord, having previously stitched the upper edge.
- Down can be combined with various synthetic insulation materials. If you use this technology, the top of the bag must be filled with down, and the bottom made of padding polyester. This bag will be cheaper, the synthetic material will shrink less.
- To fill the bags with down and clean them, use a regular household vacuum cleaner. If different materials are used for stuffing, then they are applied in several layers between the parts of the inner and outer bags and sewn in such a way that the seams are shifted relative to each other, and both bags (inner and outer) are sewn using the same technology as with sewing a bag using down.
Making a sleeping bag with your own hands is quite simple. Using this method, you will make a fairly high-quality product without high costs. But if you still don’t dare to do everything yourself, I advise you to read the article about
Of the commercially available sleeping bags for mountain hiking, only blanket bags with various synthetic insulation can be recommended for use. they provide a completely complete rest during the hike. cotton bags are practically unsuitable for outdoor activities due to the large weight, large volume and high hygroscopicity of cotton wool. When hiking in the highlands and spending the night above the snow line, you can use only down bags or bags with synthetic insulation equivalent to down.
It’s easy to make your own sleeping bag. Which bag should you prefer - single or multi-person? the advantages of a single bag are obvious: higher comfort during overnight stays; there are no problems when distributing participants among tents; when a group is forced to separate (reconnaissance, transporting a victim, drop-offs, etc.). a single bag can serve as a piece of personal equipment.
The disadvantages of a multi-person sleeping bag include its large volume (a three-person bag, if sewn in one piece, takes up the entire volume of the backpack). When planning winter mountain hikes, it is recommended to sew double (in thickness) sleeping bags - one in one. These bags are somewhat heavier than regular ones, but much warmer. In addition, it is possible to use each bag separately.
DESIGNS AND METHODS OF SEWING There are several ways to make down equipment (Fig. 114). the first method (Fig. 114a) is the most labor-intensive, but with minimal consumption of quilting fabric. It is practically not used in homemade production. with 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 greatest, and the bag turns out to be somewhat heavier, but it is easier to sew (in fact, two bags are sewn, inserted into one another and sewn together at the neck), it is easy to dry by removing one part from another. This method is most common in the homemade production of not only sleeping bags, but also down jackets, vests, and trousers.
Rice. 114. methods of making a down sleeping bag: a - with minimal 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 - down, 4 - seam.
rice. 115. Patterns for parts of a single sleeping bag. The sizes are designed for a person with a height of 175-180 cm and are given without gaps on the seams.
There are many designs of single sleeping down bags. We propose a design that is relatively easy to implement in home-made production (Fig. 115). for this you need 8 m of calendered nylon (with a width of 1 m) for the outer and inner covers and 8 m of fabric for quilting. For filling, 0.8-1.0 kg of fluff is required. The bag should be sewn with nylon 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 down and filling a product with down, several devices have been developed using a household vacuum cleaner.
It is advisable to take into account that recently sleeping bags have been used in combination with bedding mats made of polyethylene foam or polyurethane foam, 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 sharpened tip of an electric soldering iron, placing the fabric on a sheet of plywood, a drawing board, etc. It is better to sew the bag in the following sequence:
- cut out the details of the outer and inner covers;
- cut out the quilting parts according to overall dimensions with an allowance of 1-2 cm (thin parachute nylon stretches a lot and when sewing it is difficult to accurately align the parts);
- attach quilting material to the outer and inner covers so that the seams are shifted relative to each other;
- sew up the down compartments on one side;
- fill the compartments with down;
- sew up the compartments on the other side;
- sew the top and bottom parts of the outer bag;
- sew the upper and lower parts of the inner bag;
- sew the inner and outer bags along the ABC and ADC lines;
- stitch the top edge of the bag for the tightening cord;
- thread the cord.
For a three-person sleeping bag, the following dimensions are recommended: width 170cm (can be narrowed to 150cm at the feet); 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 quilting (with a width of 1 m) and 2-2.5 kg of down. the weight of the finished bag is 3.2-3.6 kg.
The combination of down with synthetic insulation is quite practical. in this case, the top of the bag is filled with down, and the bottom is made of padding polyester. such a bag is more technologically advanced, cheaper, synthetic material is less sagging than down, and is less hygroscopic. but a combination bag is heavier than a down bag and takes up more volume when folded.
The technology for sewing bags filled with synthetic wool differs from the technology for making down bags. if cotton wool is stuffed like fluff into sections, it will quickly fall off, and this part of the bag will lose its thermal insulation properties. To prevent this from happening, a layer of cotton wool is laid out on the cover, covered with quilting fabric and stitched in the same way as a quilted cotton blanket. further - as in the manufacture of down bags.
when using padding polyester, 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 together in the same way as when making a down bag.
I always thought that sewing a sleeping bag with your own hands was very difficult. I thought that the zipper needed to be inserted between layers of insulation, which you had to make yourself, but I was wrong.
I decided to make my own sleeping bag for two reasons. Firstly, my girlfriend didn't have a sleeping bag, and secondly, I liked the double insulation bag at IKEA for $20. It was so soft, cuddly and perfect for making a sleeping bag. The only thing I didn't know was how to install the zipper correctly. But I just looked at mine and saw that the zipper doesn't need to be inserted anywhere - it's just sewn on. In fact, why insert it between layers of insulation if you can simply sew it on.
To make your own sleeping bag, you will need:
- insulation;
- very long zipper;
- sewing machine;
- foot for sewing in a zipper.
The first thing to do is lay out the insulation and carefully fold it in half (it doesn’t matter which side of the insulation you choose). Divide the zipper in half and position the halves on both edges of the insulation so that the stitching line is approximately one inch from the edge of the insulation. You should end up with something like the photo below.
Once you have secured both halves of the zipper for a few inches, try closing the zipper. This must be done to ensure that the zipper is installed correctly. Attach the zipper to the insulation along its entire length.
It will be quite a challenge to get the zipper halves installed correctly, but be patient and get the zipper working perfectly.
So, the main work is done - the zipper is installed exactly to the required length of the sleeping bag. Next you need to cut off the excess part of the insulation (above the zipper). To do this, it is necessary to rip the seams along the edges of the upper part of the insulation. Please note that this seam does not need to be cut - it just needs to be ripped open.
Then trim off the excess insulation on top, starting at the top edge of the zipper installation.
Zip up. Make sure the zipper is installed correctly and trim it. You can fold the cut edges of the zipper. Sew on the zipper.
All. The work of making a sleeping bag is completed!
This homemade sleeping bag has already been used for its intended purpose and there are no complaints about it. To make it necessary less often, you can put a regular sheet inside. However, decide for yourself what is more convenient for you.
Nowadays there are many types and types of sleeping bags on sale, but it is quite possible to make one yourself. When making sleeping bags, the following requirements should be observed: light weight and good preservation warmth, comfort, possibility of ventilation and drying, ease of transportation. They are answered by multi-person double (two-layer) sleeping bags.
Comfort depends on the size of the bag. Previously, in pursuit of weight loss, they tried to minimize the size of the bag and sewed it at the rate of 40 cm per person. Naturally, in such sleeping bags the participants could only sleep on their sides. Practice has led to a well-founded recommendation to increase the width of the bag at the shoulders to 60-65 cm per person.
A sleeping bag made up of two also promotes better heat retention due to the air gap between them. In addition, its halves can be sewn by quilting, as long as the quilting lines of the two halves do not overlap. It is more convenient to transport such sleeping bags in two backpacks; they quickly dry or ventilate even when traveling in the polar night. Such bags become of no small importance in extreme situations: half a bag will allow you to organize an overnight stay for those who have it, or when the group had to split up.
Double sleeping bags can be sewn from thin nylon. It is best to use synthetic winterizer (nylon wool in the form of batting) as insulation: it does not require partitions, but is only stitched in several places along the length and width.
A multi-person, two-layer sleeping bag is sewn in the following sequence: cut eight panels according to the dimensions indicated in the figure, two of which are sheathed on one side and at the legs with calendered nylon or bologna; lay 2-3 layers of insulation between two panels and quilt every 20-30 cm; sew the blankets together so that two layers are formed on the sides; sew a strip of at least 30 cm wide into the legs - then during sleep the feet can be positioned vertically.
When traveling without a stove or on especially frosty nights, to protect your head from cold air, you need to sew a nylon cloth to the upper edge of the upper half of the sleeping bag (the bag gets wet and doesn’t dry out well), so that you can cover your face and press the cloth against your head. You can sew a long bag made of light nylon to the bottom of the sleeping bag for things to put under your head.
When using insulation in the form of cotton wool (Nitron), you can use the proven method of pocket sleeping bags, when partitions are sewn between the panels. Some tourists recommend laying out the nitron on a nylon panel in the required layer and stitching it together with the material through special paper (you can also use ordinary newspaper), tearing off the paper and connecting two such layers with insulation to each other, but the stitching layers should not coincide.
