How to Make Your Own Lunch Cooler

Coolers are useful for keeping food cold, but a large, bulky cooler may be more than you need to carry your lunch around. As long as you can sew a straight line, you can create a soft-sided cooler that will keep your lunch cold for hours through the use of reusable ice packs. Best of all, you can choose your own fabric patterns and coolers to make a custom lunch cooler that reflects your personal tastes.

Things You'll Need

• Vinyl fabric
• Scissors
• Insulated lining fabric
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Iron
• 2 reusable ice packs
• Self-stick Velcro

Instructions

1. Cut vinyl fabric into four 13-inch by 17-inch rectangles. These rectangles will form the outer and inner layers of your lunch cooler. You may use a vinyl tablecloth or vinyl shower curtain if you have an old one lying around. Avoid using clear vinyl or you will end up with an ugly lunch cooler as the insulation will be visible.

2. Cut insulated lining fabric into two 13-inch by 17-inch rectangles. This layer will insulate your cooler and help keep your lunch cold.

3. Layer all six of the fabric rectangles together with the shorter sides on the top and bottom. Cut a 2-inch square from each bottom corner of the fabric rectangles. This will make the bottom of your lunch cooler square and flat.

4. Layer one rectangle of insulated fabric on the wrong side of one vinyl rectangle. Sew a 1/4-inch seam allowance all the way around the two fabric rectangles to make them one piece. Repeat this step with the remaining piece of insulated fabric and another vinyl rectangle.

5. Lay the two vinyl rectangles with the insulated fabric attached together with the right sides of the vinyl facing each other. Sew the bottom edge of the rectangles together using a 1/2-inch seam allowance but do not sew the cut-out corners together.

6. Sew the long sides of the vinyl rectangles together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

7. Turn the bag upside down so that you are looking at the cut-out area. Pinch the corner so that the bottom seam of the bag and the side seam meet. The corner will form a flat line perpendicular to the bottom and side seam. Sew along this flat line with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Repeat this step on the opposite corner of the bag.

8. Turn the bag inside out and fold the top of the bag in approximately 1/2 inch. Iron the bag to set the crease of this fold.

9. Lay the other two vinyl fabric pieces right side together and sew the two long sides and the bottom with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Repeat the process in Step 7 to sew the corners. Leave the bag inside out.

10. Fold the top of the second bag out approximately 1/2-inch and iron it in place. Remember that the uninsulated bag should be inside-out with the seams on the outside of the bag at this point.

11. Slip the uninsulated bag inside the insulated bag. Slip a reusable ice pack into each side of the cooler between the inner bag and the outer bag.

12. Line up the tops of the inner and outer bags and pin them together. Sew along the top of the cooler using a 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch seam allowance or use a blanket stitch for a neater appearance.

13. Apply a strip of self-stick Velcro (rough, hook side) to one side of the cooler approximately 5 inches from the top of the bag. Roll the top of the cooler down and mark the opposite side of the cooler where it touches the Velcro with a wax pencil.

14. Apply a strip of the self-stick Velcro (soft, eye side) to the spot you marked on your lunch cooler. Now you can roll down the top of the cooler to keep your lunch cold.

15. Store the lunch cooler in your freezer to keep the ice packs frozen until you are ready to use the cooler.

References

• Craftster: Insulated Lunch Sack

Resources

• Hancock Fabrics: Insul-Bright Insulated Lining
• Roshgo: Reusable Gel Ice Packs