Basic Sewing Project - Make Your Own Rice-filled Heating Pad

Save money and be safer with a "green" non-electric heating pad. Use these easy instructions to sew your own rice-filled heating pad. Here's what you'll need...

Supplies:
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Tube Sock
Uncooked Rice
Ribbon (about 18 inches)
Cloth (8 inches by 16 inches)
Thread
Needle

Instructions:
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Start by folding your cloth in half, (so that it's 4 inches by 16 inches, and double-thick). I like cotton fabric for this project, but you can use a scrap of whatever you have around, as long as it's not too thick.

Sew the long side closed, and then sew one of the short sides closed. (It doesn't matter which one of the short sides you close up.) You should end up with a tube shape. This is going to hold the rice.

Turn the tube right-side out, so the raw edges are on the inside, and pour in dry rice until there is only about two inches of empty space left at the top. Then stitch that last short end closed. If you carefully tuck the edges towards the inside first, you'll get a nice-looking finished seam. You're the only one who will see this part, so if you want to just run a quick stitch across the raw edges, that'll work, too. The finished seam edge looks nice, but the only important thing is that it keeps the rice in.

Now you should have a long rice-filled pillow. This is the part that will get hot and retain the heat for your heating pad. Next, slide the tube of rice into the sock. A tube sock works best for this, (as opposed to one where the heel is so well-defined). The sock acts like a pillow-case, keeping the inner tube of your rice-filled heating pad clean. You'll be able to take the sock off later to change it or wash it.
Slide the rice-filled pillow into your tube sock, being careful not to scrunch it all into the toe of the sock. It needs to lay flat.

Use the ribbon to tie the tube sock closed, just above where the rice-pillow reaches inside the sock. Tie a secure tight bow, but *not* a knot! If you tie a knot, you won't be able to open it later to wash the sock.

Now your rice-filled heating pad is complete! Put it in the microwave to warm it up, and then drape it over the back of your neck, or anywhere else that needs a heating pad. No worries about getting tangled in an electric cord or falling asleep with it plugged in!

Because microwave ovens vary, you'll have to discover the right amount of time for yours. Start with one minute, and then add extra time in 30-second intervals until your rice-filled heating pad is warm enough, but not too hot. Be sure to stay by your microwave to watch (and smell!) for it to be done. If you smell burning rice, that's too long!

Enjoy your non-electric "green" rice-filled heating pad!

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