Cool ties and helmet liners

[SusieQ51]

After getting a few questions, I thought I would start a new thread for these. The cool ties are made with a 4" strip the width of the fabric that is folded in half and stitched. There are of course several other directions that go along with it. The center part of the tie is sewn to form 2 small tubes that have the water absorbing crystals in them. (As I said in an earlier posting, the little crystals that are about the size of a large salt crystal absorb 400 times their weight in water.) Ater completing the tie, you soak it in water for about 15-20 minutes. When you remove the tie, the crystals have absorbed enough water. When the water evaporates, it cools you off. I have completed several helmet liners that are basically a 7" circle. I used 1/4 teaspoon of crystals in these. When they are first soaked, they do drip quit a bit, but after dripping, the items are really nice and cool and hold water for some time.

I have not tried the ties yet since this is the first time I have tried anything like this. As I get further in this project, I will be letting you know more.

The crystals are manufactured under several names. The official name is polyachromide. They are used in potted plants to help them hold water. These are type of crystals used in the disposable diapers to hold the "water" that appears from those cute little babies.

[CoyoteQuilts]

Where do you get these crystals?

[Georgiapeach]

SusieQ, I'm anxious to hear how yours turns out. With this hot weather it sure sounds refreshing! Could you use one to drap around your shoulders/neck, too, if you made it a little larger? I saw something like this one time in Myrtle Beach and didn't quite understand how it worked at the time. Boy, my mom would sure love one, she lives in Arizona and is about to melt!

[Littlebit]

I wonder if the football team that my son plays on would like these?? They get so hot playing, and the weather is usually miserable here in Kansas

[grammy65]

So...you put the crystals in the tie before sewing those two little areas shut? How much crystals are you putting in the ties? How big would you say these two sections are?

[SusieQ51]

I have been out doing errands this morning so I haven't read the posts until now. When I read the directions, they sound simple but the pictures make it complicated. IF I have this right, you fold the strip in half, right sides together, so that it is the 22" (the way it comes on a bolt.) Then you mark 7" on each side of the fold. All of the stitching is done in theis area until you are ready to turn it right side out. I will give detailed instructions when I get my first one finished. I bought my crystals at a garden store. The local department stores didn't carry them. You will need to look for an item that absorbs water and keeps soil moist either indoors or outdoors. The brand I have was $7.99 for 8 oz. But, you only use a very small amount of the crystals when you make your item. In the helmet liners, I used about 1/4 tsp. They grew to pretty much fill the entire 7" circle.

Hopefully, I will figure out the picture part of this site and post a few for you.


Littlebit, I would say they would be excellent for anyone who works outside. Indiana summers can be as brutal as well with heat and humidity. Today the weather is much cooler with a low humidity. We usually have around 70-80% during our hot ones.

[Tiggersmom]

I made several of these quite a few years ago. Not difficult to make. The main thing is to not to get too many crystals in there as when they swell up and get too stiff they won't curve around the neck.

I don't know if anyone else had this problem, but after using sometimes, more often than not, they seemed to get kinda slimey. I know we washed them in between uses to get rid of the perspiration, etc......

Anyone else have this problem? If you did what did you do to fix it??

[SusieQ51]

Teh website with the directions said not to wash - rinsing OK but do not put into the washing machine or drier. I am sure that after sometime they will get slimy. It was just an idea.

[Tiggersmom]

Thanks SusieQ. I never looked on the web.......I just sort of winged it by looking at one in the store and if I remember right I saw something on tv about the crystals.

[SusieQ51]

One of the comments that I read said that if you put in too many crystals, the thing will blow apart (split the seam). A 1/4 tsp. is such a small amount, but those little jewels blow up like little ticks. They can get absolutely HUGE in a matter of seconds. I soaked 2 the other day and they are still drying out.