I am doing a bit of thinking about Christmas. I can’t help it when ideas cross my path. We were at the Home & Garden show on Friday night. It was a bit disappointing, to tell the truth. I loved being with Jeff and our friends, but we all agreed that it wasn’t what we expected. We expected more demonstrations but it was really retail-oriented. And Vita-Mix wasn’t there at all. Our friends were ready to buy one, too.
I did find an idea, though. There was a lady there who offered hot pacs. They are usually filled with rice and of a tubular shape, which is why I think alot of people know of them as rice bags. Heated up in the microwave, people use them to ease sore muscles. This lady had them full of 12 different organic herbs and flax seeds as well as grains. They smelled heavenly; Jeff thought so, too. She had interesting shapes for better coverage, with seams across the body of the pacs to hold the flax seed and grains in place.
Hers were not only expensive but I just can’t bring myself to buy anything that I could make myself. 
These have got to be so easy. I was thinking that if I have a good herb harvest this summer from the herb garden I’m planning, I’ll dry the herbs and add them to hot pacs that I make myself for Christmas. I’d like to make some now to play around with the best shapes. Perhaps there’s a pattern somewhere on the internet? I’ll have to look.
Now here’s a side note: Did you know that you can heat hot pacs in the oven? I haven’t used the hot pacs I’ve already got because we don’t have a microwave and haven’t for a few years. I found out from the lady at the H&G show that you can put them in an oven-safe dish (but NOT metal) and heat them for 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees. That really makes me happy — I have missed using hot pacs.
I’ve had almost this same idea rolling around in my head for a while. I didn’t have a hot pack, and my feet get cold in the winter, so last year, I filled one of Derek’s old socks with some cheap mung beans and tied the end shut. It works great, but doesn’t cover very much, so I thought how easy it would be to get a dish-cloth, fold it in half, sew up the sides and sew sort of a snake pattern up and down, so you could fill the pockets with the stuffing, then just sew up the top. You could also get some terry cloth remnants at Jo-Ann, they’re half price, and about the right size, since they’re never more than a yard of fabric. (I used to go about once a month and just fish around in the remnants for cotton prints for quilting.)
Hopeful, I LOVE remnants, too! I pick them up all the time to make tote bags. So I would use them for these, too. I like your idea to use the terry cloth. I think flannel would be nice, too. It would need to be lined, I think, for security. Let me know how your project turns out… perhaps you can steer me in the right direction. Love, Wardeh
I didn’t know that about oven heating hot packs. I would love to try it as the main reason I don’t want to get rid of the microwave is that we use it for heating gel hot water bottles for winter use. Hot packs would be even safer and then I could ditch the “nuker”!
Isn’t it good news? I’m pretty excited about it, too. I hope you do try it, Lucy. Love, Wardeh
I have a 10 x 10 square rice bag that I made a few years back for cramps, it has compartments in sort of a 3 x 3 grid. First I sewed two lengthwise seams to divide it into thirds. filled the bottom loosely and stitched across. Filled the middle loosely and then stitched across. Filled the top and stitched the top closed.
Right now I use it to drape over my very arthritic knee, so it’s certainly gotten years of use!
Wow! Thanks for sharing how you do this! I really appreciate it! It sounds like it works great — I could use one of those. Love, Wardeh
You are certainly talented enough to do this, Wardeh! I really admire all these creative things you do.
Hugs!
Hugs to you, too, Robin! Love, Wardeh
Hi, if you decide to do this I would use flax seeds as they don’t split when heated repeatedly over time. I would also make them rectangular with a cover that can be taken off and washed. Good luck I may make some for myself even though I have two.
Thanks for this great advice! I am going to be ordering flax seeds this week in my co-op order. We need them for smoothies and I will be sure to get extra for a hot pack. Love, Wardeh
That sound wonderful, Wardeh. Having good smelling herbs inside is a great idea.
Didn’t know you could heat the pads in the oven.