neck and shoulder pad
1 Attachment(s)
Made this at my quilt class last Thursday. The bigger part drapes over your neck and shoulders and the smaller two parts go in front laying on your chest. You heat it up in the microwave and it serves as a heating pad. Here is my problem...it if filled with almost 6lbs of white rice, well I have a real problem with that. Using food in it. I would appreciate any suggestions from you as to what else I could use in that would be safe in the microwave instead of using a food item. I could have fed my grandkids with that much rice over a period of 2 weeks. Help!!
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Originally Posted by 4EVERquilt
(Post 5768977)
Made this at my quilt class last Thursday. The bigger part drapes over your neck and shoulders and the smaller two parts go in front laying on your chest. You heat it up in the microwave and it serves as a heating pad. Here is my problem...it if filled with almost 6lbs of white rice, well I have a real problem with that. Using food in it. I would appreciate any suggestions from you as to what else I could use in that would be safe in the microwave instead of using a food item. I could have fed my grandkids with that much rice over a period of 2 weeks. Help!!
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I have used rice in hand warmers, and it works wonders! Rice is relatively inexpensive, so just go ahead and use it!
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Rice warming pads will sometimes cause infestation of pantry moths which are hard to get rid of. I got those an it took months to rid my house if them. You can use deer/squirrel corn ($5 at Walmart or order cherry pits for crafting online. The pits are clean, work really well and you can add fragrant oils such as lavender.
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I've heard of using deer corn! These pads are wonderful!!
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I have never heard of a non-food item used in one of these. The other alternatives are going to be a food items: corn, buckwheat hulls etc.
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I have used flax seed and deer corn with good success. Hope you find something that works for you!
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What about plain old sand? Would that get too heavy?
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Probably a really ignorant question, but - The corn won't pop in the microwave?
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The corn doesn't pop, but it does get a toasted smell which I don't like. My favorite was scented buckwheat hulls, but the dog helped herself to that one. I don't see how any varmints could live in a bag that's heated often.
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I was at a craft show that was selling different sizes of these warming pads and I asked what he filled them with and it was crushed wheat I bought some at a bulk food store and made some warming pads . The wheat seemed to hold the heat longer (maybe my imagination)
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Rice is probably the one of the least expensive alternatives.
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I wonder what product would be lighter as I have a problem with weight
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how much rice did it call for? stuffed tightly or just enough? I have one with rice (purchased) and love it. however i did think of making one that came down the front a bit longer.
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Put ALL rice in the freezer for a minimum of 3 days immediately when bringing it home from the store.
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The rice bags work great. Never had a problem with mine. I have had for several years.
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Originally Posted by TinkerQuilts
(Post 5769160)
Probably a really ignorant question, but - The corn won't pop in the microwave?
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thank you all for your input. I may try the crushed wheat.
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My niece makes these and uses barley in hers. She has had great success with hers. I am going to make one shortly.
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I've made these using rice, lavender buds (bought in bulk), a bit of cedar shavings and find that this mixture keeps away bugs as well as leaving a lovely scent. I even make tiny bags of this mixture without the rice to stick in among my fabrics. You can also add cloves and/or eucalyptus.
Jan in VA |
I have one that I bought the 'MagicBag' and there is only just over 2 lbs of rice in it. I would think that 6 lbs would be awfully heavy on your shoulders and neck. www.magicbag.com
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Jan,
I've used lavender also in the rice bags I made. A little lavender goes a looooong way. :) Shari |
this is frustrating. i just saw the one she made somewhere and thought i either saved a link to it or printed it out. i was going to look and see how much rice it called for. maybe i'll find it later.
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well it calls for 11 cups of rice and 2 of lavendar. http://www.craftyendeavor.com/2012/0...with-lavender/
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Once you microwave the corn or rice no bugs will get in there. i have made several of these corn or rice bags and i go to the feed store and ask for field corn. It is whole corn that they feed to animals. I don't know of another product to use but these two.
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Originally Posted by nativetexan
(Post 5771540)
well it calls for 11 cups of rice and 2 of lavendar. http://www.craftyendeavor.com/2012/0...with-lavender/
When I made rice bags I think I used a 2 lb. bag of rice to 1/8 or less cup lavender - maybe even less lavender. |
Originally Posted by lylamarie
(Post 5770380)
My niece makes these and uses barley in hers. She has had great success with hers. I am going to make one shortly.
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Wheat or barley work, I use the cheapest rice I can get bulk or packaged. I like the smell better than the smell of the other grains.
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I don't like mine scented at all. i bought one and it had some sort of scent in it that i did not want to smell like, i returned it and got one unscented. i have a long roll type one from JC Penneys years ago that I also like, unscented.
STill, one day i want to make one of these. i just won't add any scent. |
Originally Posted by 4EVERquilt
(Post 5770344)
that's the same thing I thought.
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I use cracked corn that they use to feed animals, keep it in a zip-lock bag in freezer to be ready for unexpected bumps/aches. easily warmed in the microwave if heat is needed, just take out of the bag first. I also made removable flannel case/covers for them that I could just throw into the washing machine when needed. I have one that I heat up to use for my cold feet when I go to bed. (dog loves it too) It warms the bed up nicely in the winter. Common sense says do not make it HOT!
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Revise the pattern!
1 Attachment(s)
I designed one almost exactly like it and decided it was far too heavy for my taste. And like you, I decided it had too much filling anyway. So I redesigned it so it would take less filling, with the added benefit that the filling stayed distributed more evenly. I would post a pic, but I gave it to my mother and haven't made another one yet. I'll see if she can send me a pic I can post. Until then, I'll try to describe what I did.
The first thing I did was trim off and round out the corners on both the back and front, but particularly the back. I cut a lot off the back corners! I discovered it didn't make a bit of difference in the effectiveness. The next thing I did was add what I called vertical seams. In the original version, there are only horizontal seams. On the back channels, I put in 3 vertical seams so there are 4 little pockets per horizontal row. I put an outside seam down the middle. Then I added about a quarter to a third cup of filling, then sewed an outside seam halfway to the edge to lock in that filling, which also created the next pocket. Put in the filling and sew the edge shut. Then do the other half. Do the same until you have all the filling in. Don't be afraid to shorten the width, either. Like I said, it will still be very effective. Use your judgment on how much filling to use. You DON'T have to put nearly as much as you think. Don't try to fill the pockets completely. It's just not necessary, and yes, it still works wonderfully. I fill mine with a mixture of deer corn and rice. The deer corn holds in heat a little longer but the rice tends to mold itself better to your curves. I've used deer corn, rice, all kinds of dried beans, dried lentils, dried peas, and such, all with success. Sometimes it's a matter of what's on sale and what I have on hand! update... okay, I found the pieces I had cut out for the next one I'll make. They're roughly 21 inches across by 24 in length. Here's a pic. It'll be much smaller than that once the filling is in. Good luck! Terri |
I have made several pads like that; the rice is the lightest weight stuffing you can use except for oat or buckwheat hulls and I don't like the noise they make sloshing around. Use the rice; it's not that expensive and it lasts foreverl I don't see how you could get bugs when it is heated so often. Put it in a large zip bag to protect it if you must or drop it into a pillow case. It would seem that one heating would get rid of any eggs in the rice.
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The corn works great. I went to the elevator and bought shelled corn and it works for years and no it doesn't pop.
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such a brilliant idea to make one of these to use as a foot warmer. thank you!
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Originally Posted by Larue Bonnoni
(Post 5769238)
I was at a craft show that was selling different sizes of these warming pads and I asked what he filled them with and it was crushed wheat I bought some at a bulk food store and made some warming pads . The wheat seemed to hold the heat longer (maybe my imagination)
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Thanks for all the info everyone. I've been thinking about a similar bag and have a better idea of what the different products do.
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Originally Posted by 4EVERquilt
(Post 5768977)
Made this at my quilt class last Thursday. The bigger part drapes over your neck and shoulders and the smaller two parts go in front laying on your chest. You heat it up in the microwave and it serves as a heating pad. Here is my problem...it if filled with almost 6lbs of white rice, well I have a real problem with that. Using food in it. I would appreciate any suggestions from you as to what else I could use in that would be safe in the microwave instead of using a food item. I could have fed my grandkids with that much rice over a period of 2 weeks. Help!!
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Originally Posted by fayzer
(Post 5769031)
Rice warming pads will sometimes cause infestation of pantry moths which are hard to get rid of. I got those an it took months to rid my house if them. You can use deer/squirrel corn ($5 at Walmart or order cherry pits for crafting online. The pits are clean, work really well and you can add fragrant oils such as lavender.
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I made these years ago with crimped corn. When you use crimped corn it doesn't pop. Pop corn is actually a specific type of corn variety. That's why we have so few old maids in the bag. (I think long ago regular corn was used) Anyway, I don't think sand would heat up as nicely. Recently the quilters around here are using Walnut shells in their pincushions. It is ground down to a smaller pebbly size, and it sharpens the needles. You get it at the chain pet stores, I think it is bedding material. I think you could use this material. It wouldn't get pantry moths, I think it would heat up, and wouldn't be as heavy as sand. My neck warmer didn't have anywhere near that amount of rice/corn in it.
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