I've had a couple microwaveable magic heating bags now and love the idea but they just weren't quite perfect. For one thing, they were always ugly fabric, and they were just one long tube so all the filler slipped from one end to the other so it was difficult to get the heat exactly where I wanted it. One more thing they were missing was a slip off cover. Once they were dirty they pretty much had to stay that way or be replaced. How do you wash it when it's filled with corn or rice?
I don't know why it took me so long to try making one, it's not like it's a large project or very hard, but wow I love my new one! I made the purple flower one for me and they various others for christmas gifts. It's a great way to use up various bits of fabric you already have.
I did my research before I started - thank God for Pinterest! That makes the job a lot easier. I found out what fillers work best and it turns out flaxseed had the best heat retention and I figured the small size would be a nice feel. I would absolutely fill the next ones I made with flaxseed again. I'm very happy with it. Rice was the filler in my last one and it wasn't nearly as soft and didn't hold the heat nearly as well, even when brand new. I find I don't have to get the flax-filled bag nearly as hot because it holds the heat better.
I looked at a few tutorials and I followed this tutorial from howdoesshe? I absolutely love the patchwork covers she made for her heating pads but that would have been too much work since I was making about a dozen. I used her basic dimensions but changed it up a bit depending on the size of the chunk of fabric I was cutting up.
Filling them was the only part I was slightly nervous about but it was pretty simple.
First and foremost, use a funnel and secondly, don't over fill the sections. You want it to be flexible and comfortable. I sectioned the bag into quarters and marked with pins, then filled it to about 3/4" below that and pinned across to keep the seeds in place while I sewed above. You could draw a line across in chalk but i just lined up my presser foot where the first pin is and sewed straight across. Depending on the length of the bag, as they varied slightly, I put in 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups flaxseed per section. I zigzagged across the very end a couple times to seal them off.
And there you have it! Time to go give it a try.
What will you fill yours with?
I have never used these before but I have been wanting a heating pad for a while now but didn't want to go out and buy one, and had no idea it was simple to make! ...sounds really neat though. this is a great tutorial.
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