Tutorial: Heat Therapy Pillow

Awhile back you might have read this post about heat therapy pillows I made.  If you didn't read before, basically they're small pillows filled with rice or flax seed that you can keep in the freezer and use as ice packs or microwave to use as heating pads.  They make wonderful, inexpensive and thoughtful gifts for a variety of occasions.  I think they're perfect for get well, Christmas, Mother's Day (hint!) and "just because" presents.

I've received lots of positive feedback on mine, so guess what?  Today I'm going to teach you how to make one for yourself!  My heat therapy pillows feature removable pillow shams for easy cleaning.  Join me after the break for the tutorial by clicking "read more."

Status Update

Hello blogging world!

I like to try and post at least once a week, so since I didn't have time to finish the projects/posts I was working on for you I thought I'd let you know what I'm working on!  Which is this skirt from Creative Spaces:

I'm almost finished with the skirt, but it's been put on hold for tonight because I don't have a zipper!  Don't you hate it when you don't have something you need during a late night sewing project?  This is why JoAnn's should be 24 hours!  Lol.

Anyway, after I finish the skirt I'll be posting a tutorial review for the Party Skirt Tutorial on Creative Spaces.  Be excited, because the skirt is turning out very well!  I can't wait to get that zipper in so I can show it off to y'all! :) 

Browsing around on Creative Spaces tonight I found out there's a baby version of the skirt, too.

As soon as I get the chance I'll probably try this out (and you'll get a review!) and whip up another adult sized one for my step-sister so she and her daughter can have matching outfits.  So excited!

Also in the works is a made-by-me tutorial for the heat therapy pillows I wrote about recently.  It's almost finished except I need to get some pictures in there for you.

And still be keeping your eye out for that satin teal polka dot circle skirt and an elastic dying tutorial review that I promised.  It'll be coming around once I get some dye for the elastic.  I was at the store today and had it on my mental lists, but you know how mental lists go.  Note to self:  Have a physical list next time!

Sorry for the hodge-podge post, but I wanted you to know I hadn't forgotten you!  I'll get these things to you asap, I promise!

Ta-ta for now! :)

Heat Therapy Pillows for Friends

 At Christmas time I made rice pillows as gifts for two of my friends.  (I never posted it because I was going to make a tutorial but haven't gotten around to it yet...)

















My mom used to make them and sell them at craft fairs when I was growing up.  She used flax seed instead of rice.  I'll admit, flax feels a little nicer but rice is so much cheaper!

















You can keep the rice pillows in the freezer and use them as an ice pack on injuries, etc. or you can put them in the microwave for a few minutes and use them as a heating pad.

On Friday I was in class with one of the friends for whom I made the rice pillow at Christmas.  She said it was great for cramps and that her roommate had been using it, too.  So I offered to make one for her roommate and got two more requests from other girls in the class!  Soo... 

I sewed three rice therapy pillows this weekend!

You might recognize the elephant fabric and the purple fabric from my last couple of posts.  This is a great project to use up scraps since it doesn't take very much material.





















I made the pillow itself with muslin, filled it with rice, and then made a removable pillow cover.  This is makes it washable, since it's likely you'll be using it when you're sick.

It was fun and incredibly easy to make these and it made me feel good that people actually asked me to sew things for them!  A little ego booster for me.  :)

Hope everyone in the sewing blogosphere is doing well and ready to celebrate Valentine's Day tomorrow.  See you next time.