Holiday Project Monday: Down comforters

Ok, not really a gift in the wrap-it-up-and-put-it-under-the-tree sense, but a necessary project for the holidays at our home. With the expected large number of overnight guests I began to gather up lots of bed linens (flannel sheets, blankets, etc.). We keep our home at a cool temperature and I wanted to make sure that everyone would be comfortable during the night. My local thrift store yielded an impressive number of linen finds, including three complete sets of brand name flannel sheets. In the end I came up with enough linens for all the overnight guests and their beds, but I wasn't having any luck with really warm, really nice twin-sized blankets.

A friend of mine - the same friend of the star doll fame - planted a brilliant idea the last time I was as her house. She told a story of sewing and cutting a large down comforter into smaller pieces for her kids. So the week before Christmas, and after some quick internet research on down comforter quality indicators, I ordered a king size down comforter from Overstock.com. I decided this was a double purchase: I wasn't just buying one down comforter, I was actually buying two.

When the box arrived I was giddy with excitement. I immediately set out to laying the blanket, measuring, and sewing two seams down the middle. Unluckily the middle of this comforter was in between two existing seams so I was in for more feather causalities than I planned. Once the seams were sewn I grabbed by scissors and began cutting. Then the feathers really started to fly. I quickly realized that this wasn't a feather storm I could contain by picking out the stragglers from beneath my seams; this called for some innovation.

Let me be the first to tell you that bias tape traps stray feathers beautifully. As I cut the blanket apart I immediately sewed on the bias tape and stopped a majority of the feathers before they emerged. The bias tape I had on hand was purple. C'mon, I couldn't of picked out a more perfect color for my girls if I tried! The sewing job isn't the neatest, but my grand plan includes finding more thrifted sheets, or two from Ikea, to make custom duvet covers.

The final dimensions of the comforters are 52 inches wide by 84 inches long, so they are a bit on the slender side, but they drape nicely over the sides of the beds. I highly recommend this project to anyone that is interested in down comforters for kids. While my heart and soul want to get them the best, warmest comforters money can buy, I will be a happier momma knowing that if accidents befall these twin lovelies - and they will - I won't be upset about it in the least.