I am looking for a place to purchase desert camouflage fabric to make neck coolers for soldiers still overseas. I've looked online but can only find poly/cotton or canvas jungle camo - these have to be made from the desert camo - the shades of tans and browns. Any online site would be appreciated.
I found that site in my search too, Carl. But I need 100% cotton and this site has poly/cotton. But thanks for looking for me. Don't you love the camo-sheep on that site - too cute!
What in the world is a neck cooler? They can't exactly fill them with peas and toss them in the deep freeze. Polly
I found out about these from the link to the Stash Organizer forms that was recently posted on the ng. Thought the neck coolers were a better use of my time!
They are bandanas that are filled with those crystals that farmers and gardeners use to retain water in the soil. They swell up to 200 their original size and when soaked in cool water, they provide cooling to the skin where ever they are applied. I have seen them used for horses too. There is a program out of Florida which is spear heading the supply of these and other hand made items (slippers, etc) to the soldiers. You can get 7 neck coolers out of 1 yard of fabric. I have the crystals on order and should be here in 3 days. Now I just need to find the fabric.
My son will get the first few I make since he is a master painter at a body shop and the temps in the paint room can reach 110 degrees, plus he wears a tyvek suit and respirator when painting. I thought he could use a few of these coolers too.
You can read more about these ties and the "Ships Project" here:
My LQS is selling these neck coolers now. When they tried to sell me one, I told them I'd been making them for a couple years. They acted like they didn't believe that I could have bought the crystals!! I guess they thought whoever they're buying them from as an exclusive market for the crystals. The crystals are readily available at a good garden supply store.
Thanks for the hints. I am going to use my DH and DS as guinea pigs. I saw one pattern that called for lining the pocket area with light-weight, nonwoven iron-on Pellon to avoid having the stuff squish through. I am using Watersorb which is what the Ships Project pattern recommended. It should be here any day now, but I still can't find the desert camo fabric in
100% cotton. I will use a solid tan if I have to, which is an alternate color choice.Alice in NJ RCTQ - "Royal Cybrarian"
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.