Warm Up Bags
Ok... so far very little sewing accomplished yet. The snow storm has come and went and I sure am happy that I recently made these warm up bags. They are the perfect thing to warm up your bed, or soothe aches and pains after shoveling snow for hours. After burning two store purchased ones in the microwave last week - I decided to make my own. Anyone who can operate a sewing machine can make these ... it was super easy and quick to make! I filled mine with rice (my friend Janet's idea), but you can fill them with beans if you like. I am happy to report that I haven't burned either yet!
Here are some basic E-How instructions on how to make your own Warm Up Bags:
Microwave Heating Pad Directions
- No pattern is necessary, simply cut two pieces of cloth in the size/shape you wish your bag to be. Make sure to leave a seam allowance for yourself (about 1/2″).
Some prefer regular square shape bags, others prefer tubes or more rectangular shapes. Experiment, whip up a few different sizes and shapes to try. These are really easy to make as well as cheap!
Filler Options
- Uncooked rice
- Wheat
- Feed corn
- Buckwheat hulls
- Barley
- Oatmeal
- Beans
- Flax seed
- Cherry pits
Fabric Options
- Cotton: (plain, prints, flannels, denims)
- Alternate ideas: old socks (sew or knot end closed), washcloths, old towels
You can also choose to make cozy, removable & washable outer pouches. This is especially nice to do when giving as gifts.
- Fabric Ideas: use old towels, fleece, velour knits, pretty fabric prints and flannels (don’t microwave anything other than cotton fabrics). The softer & fluffier & better!
Instructions for Making the Heating Pad
- Cut and sew the fabric for the heating pads the size and shape you want (usually a large washcloth size works well).
- Leave an inch or two open on one side so that you can fill bag with your choice of filler. Fill the bag about 1/2 to 3/4 full, more or less as you prefer. Don’t fill too full though, you want the bag to mold itself around your body when you apply it.
- Once bag is filled, sew opening closed either by hand or machine (making sure filler is contained at the opposite side of bag).
If wanting a removable cover, just sew a “pillowcase” idea with your soft, plushy fabric by making it a little larger than your heating pad and leaving an open end (make sure to finish off ends by sewing a hem). Or you can add a strip of velcro to close it. Make sure to never microwave this cover unless it’s content is full cotton. Remove cover to wash as needed.
Directions For Use
Place in microwave and heat for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size of bag. Do not leave unattended “just in case” the filler smokes or starts on fire. As a precaution, you can set a cup of water inside the microwave while heating the bag to add moisture or spritzing bag lightly with water before heating.
