Materials:
-1/4 yard of flannel or cotton for outer case (I like cozy flannel prints!)
-At least 7 inches in width of thin cotton like muslin for inner heat pad
-Thread
-Sewing machine or hand sewing abilities
-Cutting tools
-Pinto beans
-Bulk lavender
Step One: Mix beans and lavender
-I mix about one cup beans and one tablespoon of lavender per "pouch."
-I sew about four pouches for each heating pad.
Step Two: Inner heating pad
-Sew muslin together to make a tube, keeping
one end open to fill with beans.
-After edges are sewn together, turn inside out
so seams are on the inside. After sewing, mine
was about 5" x 17" and one 5" end was left open.
-Pour one cup of bean/lavender mixture
into muslin tube, so it collects at the bottom.
-Now you're going to sew these beans in,
making a pouch about 5" in length.
The hardest part is keeping the beans
from wandering into your seam line (see pic).
-Continue with this pattern, pouring in beans and sewing up until you have four pouches.
-To sew up the end, fold in the raw edges and sew it closed.
-That is your inner heating pouch!
Step Three: Outer casing
-Take your 1/4 yard of outer material, hopefully the length will be similar to the muslin if you
buy it by the yard. It should be a couple inches longer since the muslin has been sewed up.
-First you want to sew the upper edges of the side that will remain open, so the inner pouch can slide in and out (just like a pillow case!).
-Make sure you sew up these edges first. I just roll the edge over a couple times, so no raw is showing. Ironing it flat makes sewing easier if you choose.
-Next sew your pieces together, wrong side out, leaving the top edge open.
Once edges are sew together, turn right side out and insert inner pouch. Your heating pad is completed!
Mmmm toasty
Cozy plaid!
Depending on microwave strength, I put it in for about 45 - 60 seconds. It stirs up the lavender smell and is wonderfully comfortable on a cold night or getting over a headache.
Or try freezing it on a hot day!
xox
