This reusable ice cube cooling necklace is designed as a practical comfort aid for those sudden bursts of heat. Small round reusable freezer cubes sit inside separate fabric chambers, allowing the necklace to curve around the lower neckline without all the cubes sliding into one heavy lump.
Five cubes create a lighter everyday version, while seven cubes provide more cooling around the sides of the neck. More cubes can be added, but they also add weight, so comfort matters more than squeezing in every possible chamber.
This is a sewing project rather than a medical device. It may help you feel cooler during a hot flush, but it does not treat the cause of menopause symptoms.
Get more details about this project
What you need
One strip of tightly woven cotton fabric measuring 4 × 44 inches
Five small round reusable freezer blocks
Two additional cubes for the extended seven-cube version
Coordinating polyester sewing thread
Sewing machine
Fabric scissors or rotary cutter
Quilting ruler or measuring tape
Fabric marker or tailor’s chalk
Pins or sewing clips
Safety pin or fabric tube-turning tool
Zipper foot, optional
Hand-sewing needle
Freezer-safe storage bag
Thin cotton flannel, optional for absorbing condensation
Lightweight wooden spacer beads, optional
Choose smooth, sealed reusable freezer cubes intended for cooling drinks. Avoid cubes with sharp moulded edges, cracks or signs of leakage.
A breathable cotton print is a good choice for this project. Soft florals, earthy botanicals and darker prints can help disguise the occasional condensation mark. Pale cream fabric may look lovely on the sewing table, but it is less forgiving when worn during a full-force hot flush.
Instructions
Why Wear Cooling Around the Neck?
During a hot flush, the face, neck and upper chest can feel intensely warm.
Positioning a cool fabric accessory around the lower neck can feel soothing because it places the chilled chambers close to one of the areas where many women notice heat most strongly.
The necklace format is also easier to move, loosen or remove than a full cold pack. It can be worn while sitting at a desk, watching television, cooking dinner or trying to settle back to sleep.
Keep the knot loose and make sure the necklace can be removed immediately.
Choosing Five or Seven Cubes
Five-Cube Menopause Cooling Necklace
Five cubes are the best choice for most wearers.
They provide cooling across the lower front and sides of the neck without creating an excessively heavy necklace.
A five-cube version is especially suitable for:
- Sudden daytime hot flushes
- Wearing while sitting or working
- Keeping beside the bed
- Travelling
- Women who dislike heavy accessories
Seven-Cube Extended Cooling Necklace
Seven cubes extend the cooling farther around the sides of the neck.
This version may feel helpful during longer or stronger episodes of heat, but it will also feel heavier.
Test the weight before sewing the final chambers.
More Than Seven Cubes
More cubes will not automatically make the necklace more comfortable.
A full necklace of frozen cubes may become heavy, stiff and awkward to wear. The aim is quick cooling, not accidental strength training.
Important Safety Information
Always keep a layer of fabric between frozen cubes and your skin.
The necklace should feel cool and soothing, never painfully cold.
Remove it immediately if you notice:
- Burning or stinging
- Excessive numbness
- Skin becoming pale, blue or blotchy
- Dizziness
- Discomfort around the throat
- Headache triggered or worsened by the cold
- Pressure from the weight of the necklace
Do not wear the necklace tightly.
Do not use it:
- While asleep
- On broken, irritated or infected skin
- If you have reduced sensation around the neck
- If you have circulation problems unless a health professional has advised that cold packs are appropriate
- If any reusable cube is cracked or leaking
Use the necklace for short periods, then allow your skin to return to its normal temperature before wearing it again.
This cooling necklace may offer temporary comfort during a hot flush, but persistent, severe or disruptive menopause symptoms should be discussed with a qualified health professional.
Instructions
Step 1: Measure the Reusable Cubes
Measure one cube before cutting your fabric.
This tutorial is based on round reusable cubes measuring approximately:
1 inch or 25 mm across
For larger cubes, increase the width of the fabric strip and allow more length for each chamber.
The fabric should wrap around the cube without stretching tightly.
Step 2: Wash and Press the Fabric
Prewash and dry the cotton fabric.
Press it flat before cutting.
Prewashing prevents the finished necklace from shrinking unevenly after hand washing.
Step 3: Cut the Fabric Strip
Cut one strip measuring:
4 inches wide × 44 inches long
This provides enough space for five to seven cube chambers and long fabric ties.
For a compact five-cube version, you may shorten the strip to approximately 40 inches.
Step 4: Mark the Centre
Fold the strip in half crosswise and mark the centre point.
The cube chambers will be positioned around this centre area.
Step 5: Plan the Cooling Section
Allow approximately 1¾ inches of tube length for each cube.
For five cubes, mark a central cooling section approximately:
8¾ inches long
For seven cubes, mark a section approximately:
12¼ inches long
The remaining fabric at each end becomes the adjustable ties.
Step 6: Mark the Chamber Dividers
Starting at one edge of the cooling section, mark a line every 1¾ inches.
These lines indicate where the fabric will be stitched after each cube is inserted.
Do not sew them yet.
Step 7: Shape the Fabric Ties
Fold the strip in half lengthwise with the right sides together.
At each short end, draw a gradual tapered point approximately 5–6 inches long.
Trim along the marked lines.
Long tapered ends make the necklace look more like a soft scarf and less like a medical cold pack.
Step 8: Add an Optional Condensation Layer
Reusable cubes can produce condensation as they warm.
To absorb a little extra moisture, cut a narrow strip of cotton flannel slightly shorter than the marked cooling section.
Lay it along the wrong side of the fabric before folding the tube.
Keep the flannel thin. A thick padded layer will reduce the cooling effect and make the necklace bulky.
Step 9: Sew the Fabric Tube
Fold the strip lengthwise with the right sides together.
Align the long raw edges and pin or clip them.
Sew along the long edge using a ¼-inch seam allowance.
Leave a 3-inch opening in one of the future tie sections for turning and inserting the cubes.
Use a short straight stitch of approximately 2 mm and backstitch at both ends.
Step 10: Sew the Pointed Ends
Sew around each tapered end.
Trim the seam allowance near the points and carefully clip any curves.
Do not cut through the stitching.
Step 11: Turn the Tube Right Side Out
Turn the tube through the opening.
Use a safety pin, tube turner or blunt knitting needle if needed.
Gently push out the tapered ends and press the fabric flat.
Do not place reusable plastic cubes inside before pressing.
Step 12: Sew the First Chamber Barrier
Locate the first marked edge of the cooling section.
Sew straight across the fabric tube at this point.
Sew a second reinforcing line approximately ⅛ inch beside the first.
This creates a barrier between the first cube chamber and the fabric tie.
Step 13: Insert the First Cube
Push one unfrozen reusable cube through the turning opening.
Move it along the tube until it reaches the first reinforced seam.
Smooth the fabric evenly around the cube.
The fabric should be snug but not strained.
Step 14: Sew the First Divider
Hold the cube firmly against the first barrier.
Using a zipper foot, sew across the fabric tube on the opposite side of the cube.
Keep the needle safely away from the plastic.
Add a second reinforcing line beside the first.
The first cube is now enclosed inside its own chamber.
Step 15: Add the Remaining Cubes
Insert the next cube and slide it along the tube until it reaches the previous divider.
Sew a reinforced seam behind it.
Continue until all five cubes have been enclosed.
For a seven-cube version, add two more chambers.
Insert and stitch one cube at a time. Trying to load every cube first tends to produce a fabric tube full of runaway little balls and a sewing machine operator questioning her life choices.
Step 16: Check the Shape
Curve the necklace gently.
The cube chambers should bend naturally around the neckline.
There should be a small flexible gap at each stitched divider.
If the cubes are packed too tightly, the necklace may sit stiffly and press uncomfortably against the neck.
Step 17: Close the Final Chamber
After inserting the final cube, sew across the tube at the end of the cooling section.
Add a second reinforcing seam.
Step 18: Close the Turning Opening
Fold the raw edges of the opening inward by ¼ inch.
Topstitch the opening closed or use ladder stitch for a less visible finish.
Inspect every seam.
Step 19: Add Optional Spacer Beads
The decorative mockup uses small wooden spacer beads between some of the fabric chambers.
These are optional.
Hand sew lightweight wooden beads over the divider seams using strong thread.
Do not use heavy glass or metal beads. Extra weight can make the necklace uncomfortable during a hot flush, particularly when you already feel irritable, overheated and entirely uninterested in carrying decorative furniture around your neck.
For a softer and more washable version, leave the divider seams undecorated.
Step 20: Test the Fit Before Freezing
Place the unfrozen necklace around your neck.
The cube chambers should sit around the lower front and sides of the neckline.
Tie the ends loosely.
Make sure:
- The necklace does not press against your throat
- You can untie it quickly
- The weight feels comfortable
- The chambers do not pull at the seams
- The necklace moves naturally when you turn your head
Remove cubes if the necklace feels heavy.
How to Freeze the Necklace
Make sure the fabric is clean and completely dry.
Arrange the necklace in a loose curve inside a freezer-safe bag.
Freeze it flat.
Do not fold the cube chambers tightly or place heavy frozen items on top.
Keeping the necklace inside a clean bag also prevents it from picking up freezer smells. Nobody wants to endure a hot flush while wearing something that smells faintly of garlic bread and forgotten peas.
How to Use It During a Hot Flush
Remove the necklace from the freezer.
Let it rest briefly if it feels painfully cold.
Place the cube section around the lower neck and upper chest area.
Tie the ends loosely at the front or slightly to one side.
Wear it for a few minutes initially and check your skin.
Remove it as soon as the hot flush eases or whenever the necklace becomes uncomfortable.
It may be helpful to keep two necklaces in rotation so one can be refreezing while the other is in use.
Keeping One Beside the Bed
Night sweats can leave you wide awake, overheated and suddenly very aware that the pillow has two sides but neither of them is cold enough.
Keep the cooling necklace in a freezer bag near the front of the freezer so it is easy to reach.
Do not fall asleep while wearing it.
Use it while sitting upright or while you are awake and cooling down, then remove it before settling back to sleep.
A small insulated lunch bag with a frozen gel pack may also keep the necklace cold beside the bed for a limited period, provided the fabric stays clean and dry.
How to Clean the Necklace
Allow the cubes to return to room temperature before washing.
Hand wash the necklace in cool water with a small amount of mild detergent.
Rinse carefully.
Press it between clean towels and lay it flat to dry.
Do not:
- Machine wash
- Tumble dry
- Microwave
- Boil
- Iron over the cubes
- Refreeze while damp
Inspect the seams and reusable cubes after every wash.
Removable Cover Option
A removable cover is the most practical choice for frequent use.
Make the cube-filled section as a separate inner tube, then sew a slightly larger washable sleeve.
Close one end of the sleeve with a press stud or secure hook-and-loop tape.
The cover can then be removed and washed without repeatedly soaking the cube-filled section.
You could make several covers from different cotton scraps and keep them with your menopause comfort supplies.
Troubleshooting
The Necklace Feels Too Heavy
Reduce the number of cubes.
A five-cube design is likely to be more comfortable than seven, particularly during a strong hot flush when anything touching the body can feel irritating.
The Necklace Is Too Cold
Allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before wearing.
You can also add a thin removable cotton cover.
My Clothes Become Damp
Condensation is normal.
Add a thin flannel lining, wear the necklace over a camisole or make a removable absorbent cover.
The Cubes Press Against My Throat
Reposition the cooling chambers so they sit lower and more toward the sides.
Lengthen the front ties or remove the centre cube if needed.
The necklace should never feel restrictive.
The Necklace Does Not Bend Comfortably
Allow a little more fabric between the cube chambers.
The dividers should create flexible joints rather than holding the cubes tightly together.
One Cube Is Damaged
Stop using the necklace.
Unpick the nearest chamber seam, remove the damaged cube and replace it.
Never freeze or wear a leaking reusable cube.
Useful Menopause Comfort Variations
Lightweight Five-Cube Version
Use five small cubes and position them across the lower front and sides of the neck.
This is the most practical everyday version.
Bedside Version
Use three to five cubes and make the ties slightly shorter.
Keep it in an easy-to-reach freezer bag for nighttime hot sweats.
Work-From-Home Version
Choose a quiet neutral fabric and use five cubes.
The necklace can be loosened quickly if a video call suddenly appears.
Travel Version
Make two removable covers and carry the necklace inside an insulated bag with frozen packs.
Do not place loose ice against the fabric.
Matching Wrist Cooler
Make a short fabric tube holding one small reusable cube.
Add a wide, quick-release fabric strap.
Avoid tight closures, particularly if your hands or wrists swell in hot weather.
Why This Project Is Different from a Traditional Neck Cooler
Our original DIY neck cooler uses water-absorbing crystals and evaporative cooling.
This version uses frozen reusable cubes, making it colder and potentially longer lasting during a short, intense hot flush.
The trade-off is weight.
The water-crystal version is lighter and better suited to extended outdoor wear. The reusable ice cube necklace is designed more for short bursts of direct cooling when the heat arrives suddenly.
Having one of each gives you options, which is never a bad thing during menopause. Hot flushes are not known for consulting the diary before making an appearance.
What do you think of this project? Let us know!