Making My Own Bivy Part 2

Yesterday, I got started on the actual bivy. The first step was to rip the seams on my sheet-made mock up. Since I used big stitches, it was easy to do. Once I had the seams apart, I laid out each piece and traced them onto tracing paper to make my final pattern. I used a yardstick to ensure straight edges.

Once I had the patterns cut out, I pinned them to the Dyneema fabric. I was dismayed to find that my bottom/side piece of fabric, the heavier of the two Dyneema fabrics, was not quite big enough! However, I had more than enough of the lighter weight fabric that I could sew on that made up the difference. The bonus is that it makes the bivy that much lighter! And really, the sides do not need to be made of the heavier fabric, just the bottom. I pinned the extra strips on and sewed them. 

The pattern sits on top of the Dyneema fabric. You can see how I had to add some of the lighter weight (see-through white) fabric to the sides and bottom of the heavier (dark gray) fabric.

I was super excited to have enough extra lighter weight fabric to add a bit to the bottom to make the bivy longer.

Next, I pinned and sewed the sides together at the bottom, 22 inches up.

Then I pinned the top wedge and foot piece to the lighter Dyneema fabric and cut them out. I pinned one side of the wedge into place and then sewed, being careful to meet the previously sewn seam at the bottom (narrow part) of the wedge. I repeated this process on the other side.

The pattern is placed on the fold of the light weight fabric folded in half. I pinned it, and then cut it out. Next, I unfolded it and pinned it to the main body of the bivy. In this photo, I have the pattern pinned to the lighter fabric and lying on top of the body of the bivy so you can see it. 

Here is the wedge of lighter fabric sewn onto the body of the bivy.

A close up of the spot where the point of the wedge meets the seam in the body of the bivy. I was careful to have all three seams meet.

Then I sewed the foot piece on. That was tricky! I had to ease the fabric into place as I sewed. A slightly oval shape would probably have worked better than a rectangle.

First, I pinned the foot piece into place.

Then, I sewed it into place.

Finally, I sewed two small pockets at the center of the top and bottom of the opening. This will hold the hiking pole and stake the tent.

I hope the pockets will be big enough and strong enough told hold the pole with some tension. If I decide to use a super thin rod to make a half circle, I will remove the pockets and sew a small channel for the rod to slip into instead.

I will still need to sew cords on the sides and top, but they are on order. That gives me some time to decide between using my running pole or a thin, strong strip of plastic we have from curtains of mosquito netting. It would make a nice hoop opening, and I wouldn't have to use a pole at all. But how would I transport it? I also need to add the screen to the front, but I am going to wait until I've decided whether I'll be using my pole or the flexible rod. That would mean a triangle opening or a half circle opening and would change the shape of the screen. Whatever I decide, I will sew the screen to the bottom and then use small pieces of Velcro to secure it on the sides and perhaps some sort of loop to fasten it at the top.

I haven't weighed it yet--I'll wait until I get everything attached--but wow, it's like a potato chip bag! I got inside it and I have plenty of coverage over my head. Had I not added the strip at the bottom, I think it would have been a little short.

Update: I just weighed it and it's 3.75 ounces! It still needs the mesh on the front and I've decided it only needs one cord at the top. My body will hold the rest of it down. If it weighs in above 4 ounces when these things are added, I'll trim the seam selvage edges.