In this section, we're going to put all the parts in place in preparation of sewing it all together. Do not rush this step. All the pieces must be correctly lined up. A mistake here is going to be a lot of work to undo.

Approximate time: 1 hour

Your insulation should be laid out so that if you're standing at the foot, the top left side is a long one. Put a can under each of the darts to help its shape. Lay your liner on top of the insulation and adjust it so that it's draped evenly. Remember that the insulation is about an inch bigger all around than the liner and shell. Carefully adjust all of the shockcord housings and Grosgrain ribbons. Be very sure they're all laying flat.

Here is a detail of the darts. I use a can under each to help the whole thing keep its shape.

Now, lay the shell on top, wrong side up. Arrange it so that it's lined up with the liner, paying special attention to the corners. Double check everything, and make absolutely sure that none of the drawcord housings or Grosgrain ribbons have become folded or wrinkled.

This is another place where I actually have the liner sticking out about 1/8" of an inch so that I can see it while I'm sewing to make sure everything is lined up correctly.

Let's stop and make sure everything is laid out correctly. Foot ends are all facing the same way. From the floor up, you should have: insulation, liner (right side up), and shell (right side down).

Time to pin everything together. More pins equals better here. Push the pins in from the top so that the ends and points are visible. I do a pin every couple of inches here. It's a lot, but it really helps keep everything in place while you're sewing. Pin around the whole perimeter except for a part of the foot about 18 inches wide and centered. That's going to be where you turn the whole thing inside out when you're done. After you've pinned the whole thing, feel around the edge again to make sure nothing has come out of place.

Pin, don't clothespin. Some kits recommend clothespinning, but that makes sewing everything together much more complicated. Pinning doesn't hurt anything and doesn't leave any visible holes when you're done.

Take a deep breath and get ready to sew.