Today’s Temperature is 98 degrees with 107 heat index. So anything I can do to keep cool is a great idea. So A friend told me about these and found some directions on line and got to work.
What makes a neck cooling scarf a success is its ability to stay wet for hours, thus cooling you for a long time. And the key to accomplishing this is something called water-absorbing polymer crystals (or beads) that absorb a ton of water, then release it slowly (I used this particular kind). That gentle moisture against your skin keeps you cool. There are lots of varieties out there, and the “crystals” are usually jagged chunks, while the “beads” are usually smooth spheres. I chose the spherical beads for comfort and ease of use. These teeny little beads turn gigantic when soaked in water. One teaspoon turns into 3-4 cups once soaked!
- cotton fabric
- water absorbing polymer
- Sewing machine (basic Sewing supplies)
Working with one color at a time, cut the fabric into strips 4.5″ wide and 42″ long. Cut ends in a diagonal. Fold in half right sides together- sew and leave a hole to turn. Then Turn tube ,. Now fold the fabric in half crosswise, and measure 10.5″ from the fold. Put a pin in both halves. This measurement ensures that we have 21″ of cooling area on the scarf that will go around your neck, which is plenty for an adult.( If you are making these for kids, you might want to reduce this measurement.) Sew the tube shut at each of the two pinned spots. This will keep the beads from falling down into the ties at the end of the wrap. Now you have a 21″ long tube between your two rows of stitches, but we want to break that up into three different compartments. Measure three 7″ widths and mark them with pins or tape. Do not put the pins all the way through, and do NOT sew them up — you need to put the beads in first! Then pre-soak your beads for several hours so they are at their maximum size. Then fill the tube with fully soaked beads. That way, you KNOW it will fit perfectly. Just slip the beads into the opening and let them fall down to the end .When all three compartments are full, use a slip stitch to sew up the opening. The three compartments will keep the beads distributed, rather than gathering up on one side, and the ties at the end make it easy to secure around your neck.
Lisa Tips : you can find the Water Crystal at major retailers, on line and even in your local garden center( used in potted plants ) .
What are water-absorbing polymer crystals?
What are water crystals? Water crystals are tiny super-absorbent polymers (a long chain that’s made up of identical repeating molecules), about the size of a sugar crystal. They are added to potting mix or added to soil in a garden bed to increase the water holding capacity of the soil.
Lisa s Everyday Life 