Rice bags

I've made them with wheat from an animal food store, both with and without liners. The ones with liners were for the dog. She pee'd on them (she was a puppy at the time) so I had to wash the innards anyway.

My chiropractor says that heat cooks the knots in and what you (I) should use is ice. There's a packet of frozen peas in the freezer that's been defrosted over sore knotty muscles and then refrozen more times than I care to think about. It's carefully marked so I never ever try to eat them.

Sally H

I make them as gifts. I get some pretty cotton, and use calico (which I'm told has different meanings depending on what country you're in - I mean plain heavy cotton) to line it with. I have an 8" x 11" template which I put on the fold of the fabric and cut out. Then I put the lining over the cotton and sew up the sides and along the top, leaving a gap to pour rice/wheat/flaxseed in. You put that in to no more than 2/3rds full (a funnel is handy), then slipstitch it shut. You can make the outside piece separately if you want it washable, and just add velcro/button/or zipper to make it removable but I dont because I'm lazy and no one seems to mind!

Hope this helps! Katy M

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 06:59:45 -0000, "Sally Holmes" wrote: There's a packet of frozen peas in the freezer that's been

I just keep a couple of rice bags in the freezer to use as ice packs. I don't like to think of using food that someone might eat for that purpose.

Donna G. Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Thanks for the suggestions...Linda

Hooooo boy, have I made rice bags!

I use a man's tube sock, fill it 2/3 with rice, tie a knot in the top - neck roll.

For most, I now sew the "open" end with Velcro, easy to empty the rice, wash the cover, refill, and you're good to go. I've never bothered with liners. I've always used terry cloth, usually towels or washcloths: Two wash cloths - good size for little peoples, babies with colic. Two hand towels (for hubby's back aches) I did use pink terry cloth sewed in the shape of an ear for a child with an ear ache. Well, I thought it looked like an ear. Sorta.

I usually add some clove, or cinnamon, or allspice.

Sharon

Nope -- when the cover gets dirty, I like to pour the rice out into a strainer and inspect it before pouring it back into the clean bag. Shaking it in the strainer gets rid of any dust that may have filtered in through the fabric.

I particularly like rice bags because they continue to keep you warm after they have cooled off. A water bottle turns into a heat-sucker before the water gets down to room temperature.

Joy Beeson

Just made a whole mess of these for holiday gifts.

No pattern. Just made it up.

Cut about 8.5 inches of 40" muslin selvage to selvage. Fold in half lengthwise. Sew across the bottom and up the long edge. Trim the bottom corners and turn rightside out. Mark lines across the width about every 5 inches. Fill with rounded 1/3 cup of rice. Sew across to enclose rice. Repeat 4 more times. Make buttonhole in edge, perpendicular to edge, through both layers of fabric.

Cut two fat quarters in half, to 9" x 22". Slice and reassemble as desired so that you have two 9" x 44" pieces. (In your slicing, cut 2 pieces, 1" x

9" for ties). (This will make two covers. Directions that follow are for one. Repeat for second.)

Fold and press one edge in for a 1" hem. Secure with Steam A Seam. Press all seams of pieced fabric down, away from hem. Fold in half down the length and mark for buttonholes 2" from fold on each side of the hemmed end. Make buttonholes.

Fold down length right sides together and stitch from top of hem down and across bottom. Trim corners. Turn right side out and press.

Fold 1" x 9" strip right sides together along length. Stitch as close as possible to edge. Turn right side out. Knot ends and trim.

Insert rice bags. Insert tie through all three layers and tie half knot.

Enjoy!

--Heidi (you can see them in my Sewing Projects folder)

Thanks Heidi

-- Linda S. in So. California Proud Grandma of 3 boys and newborn twin girls!!