Insulated Fabric or batting

Warm Company makes Insul-Brite:

've seen in it the Nancy's Notions catalog, for instance. For a bag that may sit in the sun most of the morning, I'm not sure it would be enough, though. Maybe the combination of a insulated lining and a container of frozen juice would work. Doreen in Alabama

You would need to add Blue Ice packs to reflective insulation if you want to guarantee that food sitting in the sun will remain safe to eat after several hours.

Or you could just get her one of those small Styrofoam packs with BLue Ice in the lid. That will last a long time and be perfectly safe.

Thank you ... I'll check out Joanns this weekend. I am planning on putting freezer packs in the lunch bag to keep it cool. My design calls for an elastic strap so that a freezer pack will be easily held in place.

Assuming you have a Joann's, of course. :) We don't.

Doreen in Alabama

I happen to be in Cleveland as well. Have you ever gone to the Joanns in Hudson? It's right next to their warehouse and about 3 times bigger than any other Joanns I have been to. They also always have a lot more discount fabrics there.

I know you're looking to sew a lunch bag for your daughter but these are nice and quite inexpensive:

have this one myself, which is large enough to hold a "boughten" salad in its original packaging, plus drinks, etc:

There are fabrics available intended for just that purpose, but honestly, I'm not sure I would bother making a lunchbox.

The sporting goods department of your local *mart/Target has any number of small coolers, many intended to be used as lunchboxes, for far less than you (as an individual consumer) can purchase the materials. I just bought a lunchbox for DS (the zipper on his 3yo box finally broke irreparably) for less than $10. While not 'pitch in the washing machine' washable, they won't need to be washed as often as a fabric lunchbag because they're waterproof, and only need a quick swipe with a damp sponge.

jenn

-- Jenn Ridley : snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net

I understand where you are coming from, but the same could be said about many sewing projects. I could easily buy a hand bag for $10 at Target, or get exactly what I want and the fun of making it for $20-$30. Sewing isn't always about making something for less, there are times it's just about making something. btw, this is a project that my 8 year old will be helping with, not only great mom and daughter time but it will be nice for her to be able to use something that she makes/designs.

Could also just make a pocket(s) inside the bag to slip the freezer pack in. I have a commercial insulated lunch bag that has such a feature. Keeps the freezer pack from sweating all over the contents.

liz young in sunny california

teach your daughter to drape the container with a new clean piece of aluminum foil, shiny side out, each morning. Reflects the solar irradiation away from the item.