Quick Microwave Rice Heat Pack Tutorial

 

It's the time of year when I start poking around in closets, wondering where I stored my microwave heat pack. I finally did find last year's pack in the linen closet, but I remembered that I was not completely satisfied with its construction. I had made it by folding a flannel fat quarter lengthwise, stitching around the outside edges save a few inches, filling it with dry rice, then finally sewing it shut. The rice inside always seemed to be either too bulky or too sparse, depending on which way it shifted.

This year I decided to change my design up a bit and portion the heat pack off into cells. I used striped fabric to that I wouldn't have to draw any stitching lines.

This size of pack is going to be for use on the lower back or simply to warm my quilting chair before sitting in it. (I really don't like cold chairs in the winter.) With the fabric folded double, I cut a rectangle 16" wide and 12" high. Unfolded, it is 32" X 12". In this picture, the fold is along the right side.

I then opened up the folded fabric and pressed down one inch of fabric along the top. Then I folded the fabric wrong side out and pinned the two remaining sides. Matching the stripes is not absolutely necessary, but the end result will be straighter and look more tailored. Once this was done, I stitched a 3/8" seam along the two pinned edges, making sure to backtrack a couple stitches at both ends.

The best way to have workable seams when the sheath is turned right side out is to press the seams open while it is still inside out. I also clipped the corners to eliminate bulk in the seams.

Next I turned the sheath right side out and pressed the outside seams flat, being careful that the seam lines were truly at each edge. If the seams tried to roll, I worked them between my thumb and index finger until they laid flat. Then I pressed with the iron again. Once the sheath was perfectly flat, I marked off my planned stitching lines with straight pins. This heat pad will have six cells for rice, so I made five lines of stitching that were basically equal distances apart, but they were not perfectly identical. The number of stripes in the fabric did not divide equally into six, so I didn't force myself to be exact--just in the ball park.

The heavy rice will stress the seams, so I backtracked a few stitches at the beginning and end of each row of stitching.

When I finished, the sheath looked like this. You can see the cells where the rice will go.

To reinforce the outside seams, I top-stitched with a quarter-inch seam around three of the edges, leaving the side with the open cells unsewn.

Since I didn't want rice all over my floor, I decided to try and keep my project contained to a bowl. I poured 3 pounds of dry white rice into the bottom of a tall bowl. I figured that its rather steep sides would also provide some support as I filled the cells with a small measuring cup. That part worked like a charm.

Once the cells were full, I pinned them shut.  

  

My only word of caution here is to leave about 2 to 2 1/2 inches of each cell empty, or it will be near impossible to sew the top shut. Don't worry if it looks like the cells will be a little empty. They will fill out just fine once they are sewn shut and the pad is laid flat.

Heat 2-3 minutes in the microwave and enjoy!

Spot clean the fabric only as needed.