Make a lightweight insulated reflecting cozy for your backpacking cook pot.
Also works as a cozy for your cook-in-bag pouch.

Step 1: Assemble Items

You'll need the following:

Windshield sunshade (shiny accordion folded, the lighter the better, mine cost $5)
Your cook pot
Scissors
Large needle and strong thread
Velcro (sewing type, not non-sticky back!)
Marker
Measuring tape

Step 2: Measure Shade

My design has two overlapping flaps to insulate the top of the pot, but one flap for the bottom to make it easy to slip cozy over a hot pot.

Measure Cozy Length:
Wrap the shade around pot perimeter, add an inch of overlap for the velcro closure and mark with pen.

Measure Cozy Height:
Lay the shade flat and measure the width needed to cover the top, side and bottom plus some allowance for the folds. Ex. if your pot has a diameter of 7" and height of 5", then the sum = 19" plus 1" for allowance is 20".
You want it snug but not too tight as you have to slip it over the pot after you take it off the stove.

Step 3: Cut Shade

Use your pot lid to outline the shape of each flap. Two opposing flaps for the top and one on the bottom (doesn't matter where you locate the bottom flap).

My photo shows one bottom flap and two rounded top flaps.

Before cutting, try wrapping it up like a gift to be sure there is enough allowance to slip over your pot.

Cut your shade.

Step 4: Sew Velcro Closures

My shade was silver on one side and purple on the other so I chose silver as the inside.

Sew a length of velcro on the inside edge of the side seam, and matching length of velcro on the outside opposite seam edge.

Sew a small strip (1-2") of velcro on inside of one top flap at the outer edge, and sew matching length on outer edge of opposite side top flap. (see photo)

Step 5: Go Backpacking and Enjoy Your Hot Food!

Go out to your favorite backpacking spot. Cook dinner in your pot.

Close cozy sides and top flaps, and leave bottom flap open. Slip your cozy over your pot (or cook-in-bag foil pouch).

Carefully fold bottom under to keep your food warm while you look out at the view!