Rice Bags

[Guest guest]

Corduroy & Flannel make awesome heat bags, but I use silk or satin

for the eye pillows. )

Pat

 

, " David and Jeanine Moss "

<dhm.jac@x> wrote:

> I have been making heat bags for years, and fill them with

wheat. I use

> corduroy for the bag and use a pillow slip as a size guide. Fold

it in half

> long ways and sew up 2 sides, turn it in the right way and fill it

with

> just about 1 kilo of wheat, then sew up the remaining side. I then

sew along

> the open side and zip around the whole bag once again - I think

this is a

> French seam?

> Anyways, I love using the cord to make my bags, as it seems to

keep the

> heat in better . I have made many of these and once had the onerous

task of

> making 50 for a rest home. They were not allowed to use hot water

bottles in

> case the patients decided to undo them. I guess the wheat would be

very

> similar to rice, just another idea.

> Jeanine

[Guest guest]

Rice Bags

 

Rice bags can be made from novelty or decorative fabrics of from

muslin and a

cover. What size should a rice bag be? Well, that depends on what it

will be

used for.

 

Possible uses are as:

*warmer for knees, ankles, backs and hands

*bed warmers

*lovies

*bread basket warmer to keep food warm or cool

 

To wrap a joint or arms or legs, try the dimensions 5 x 30. For a

back

warmer, make the dimension 10 x 12. If the recipient would use the

rice bag for a

back warmer, consider making a vest with a big pocket on the back to

insert the

rice bag in.

 

Want to make a gift for someone with arthritis in the hands? Make

the rice

bag in the shape of a glove.

 

For a bed warmer or a lovie on those cold winter nights, make the

rice bag

in the shape of an animal.

 

For a bread or bun warmer, make a basket liner with a pocket in the

bottom

in which to insert a rice bag shaped to fit the basket bottom.

 

Rice bags cannot be washed. If you need a washable bag, make the

rice bag

out of muslin and then add a removable (washable) cover. This a good

way to use

fun, novelty prints. Or better yet, make a quilted cover using a

pattern such

as bargello.

 

Things To Know When Planning Your Rice Bag

 

*Use white, long grain rice. Do not use instant rice.

*Do not wash rice bags.

*To help the rice stay evenly spread, sew channels in the bag before

inserting the rice. Sew three sides, press a hem on the open side,

then sew channels

from the sewn side to the open side. Add the rice using a funnel

(don't

overstuff the channels...fill one-half to three-quarters full) and

sew shut across

the open end.

 

Hot or Cold

 

When you are ready to use your new rice bag, place it in the

microwave for 1

to 2 minutes on high (the time will depend on the size of the bag).

Do not

heat the rice bag too long-you could burn yourself. If you want a

cold pack,

place the rice bag in the freezer until cold (a couple of hours).

 

Note from Candace: Rice doesn't hold the cold very well. For a cold

pack,

fill the bag with gel crystals from a garden center (the kind used to

keep

houseplants from drying out). Never heat a gel pack in the microwave.

 

~sewing.org