DIY: Coolers With Polymer Crystals

Polymer crystals can hold many times their weight in water and can remain frozen for more than twice as long as ice. These properties make them an ideal choice for use in homemade evaporation cooler collars to be worn around the neck. When polymer crystals, such as those that can be purchased in most lawn and garden centers, are sandwiched between lightweight cotton material, they become an effective means of keeping the fabric moist without being soggy. As moisture evaporates from the cloth, it causes your skin to feel cooler and allows you to work outside more comfortably on hot days.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Tape
• Fabric marking pen
• Cotton fabric
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Needle
• Thread
• Polymer crystals
• Spoon
• Hook and loop fastening tape

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Instructions

Pattern Layout

• 1

  Hold a sheet of newspaper so the side folds are to the left. Fold the paper in half with the fold at the top. Grasp the top right corner of the newspaper and pull it toward the bottom left corner creating a triangle. Crease the fold.

• 2

  Mark a dot on the left and right sides of the triangle 5 inches from the point of the triangle. Mark another dot 9 inches from the point. Cut a slightly curved line from dot to dot at the 5-inch measurement and from dot to dot at the 9-inch measurement. Unfold the resulting circlet of newspaper.

• 3

  Cut an 18-inch section from this circle. You will now have a newspaper pattern in the shape of a rounded collar that is 2 1/2 inches wide. If your newspaper was layered when you began, you might now have several pattern pieces; discard any extras.

• 4

  Cut two strips of newspaper 2 1/2 inches wide and 6 inches long. Tape these strips vertically to the end of the collar pattern. Trim the inside and outside curved edges of the pattern so that there are no peaks or valleys. Try the paper collar on and make any adjustments necessary. The ends of the collar should overlap.

Sewing

• 5

  Fold a piece of fabric in half with right sides together. Lay your collar pattern on top of the fabric and draw an outline around it. Pin the fabric layers together inside the outline so they will not shift, then cut out the collar. Clip a 3/8 inch allowance all around the inside curve. On each piece, press the clipped inside seam to toward the wrong side of the fabric.

• 6

  Sew around the outside edges of the collar leaving 1/4 inch seam allowance. Clip the curved edges. Remove the pins and turn the collar inside out so that wrong sides are together. Press the outside seam.

• 7

  Machine-stitch seams across the collar 2 inches apart creating pockets. Fill each pocket with 1/4 tbsp. of polymer crystals. As each pocket is filled, hand-baste it closed to prevent the crystals from spilling out as you work. When all pockets have been filled and basted, use the sewing machine to top-stitch a seam around the inside curve. Remove the basting and trim loose threads.

• 8

  Sew a 4-inch length of the hook-side of fastening tape to the top of one end of the collar. Sew a 4-inch length of the loop-side of fastening tape to the bottom side of the other end of the collar.

• 9

  Soak the collar for 15 to 20 minutes and lightly ring out the excess moisture before wearing it. It can be re-moistened throughout the day. Hang the collar when not in use to allow it to dry. Hand wash the cooler with mild soap when needed. Do not put it in the washing machine or dryer.