Pleasant Projects: Rice Packs

Several years ago, our middle daughter Love  received a sewing machine for her birthday.  I began researching very easy sewing projects,and read about rice packs here. It seemed like the ideal starting point. We were not disappointed. In fact, we are still making and enjoying rice packs today!

Kathy does a great job of explaining them, but you basically sew a small pillow case  in the desired shape, and then sew two lines to make three separate compartments.  After filling each about 2/3 full of rice, you stitch your opened side closed.  Packs can be stored in the freezer and used to reduce swelling after injury or dental work, or heated in the microwave and used as hot packs. They are excellent for headaches either way, especially with a few drops of lavender essential oil in the rice. We have found that the time required for warming varies greatly depending on the size of the pack and the individual microwave.  I encourage people to start with 45 seconds and then increase time gradually so that the packs do not get too hot.  We have found that all types of fabrics work well, but flannel is our favorite.  This is an excellent way to utilize fabric scraps and re-purpose old clothes. 

  

Love has given them as gifts to new moms, sold them to help pay for her basketball fees, given them to family members recovering from dental work, and, of course, kept us in good supply here at home.  During our "big snow" this winter she made several tiny packs to heat up and place in her siblings' mittens and rain boots while they played in the snow. And on a cold winter night there is always a line at the microwave because everyone wants to take a warm rice pack to bed with them.  My grandmother used to tell me about warming up a brick in the fire place, wrapping it in a towel, and placing it under her covers at the foot of her bed to keep her feet warm while she slept.  I guess a microwaved rice pack is our 2011 alternative!