Hot/Cold Bags

We have a wonderful thing here at our house. It was given to my daughter when she was super sick last year, and has been used a ton. My sister made her a corn bag. It is a bag filled with feed corn. (Not popcorn.) You put it in the microwave for 3 minutes or so and it gets wonderfully warm. We love it! Whenever anyone is sick, cold, sore, or anything that I we can use as an excuse, it heat it up and we warmed from the outside in. I love being warm and cosy. You may remember, I do have cold feet. Not only for warmth though, you can keep it in the freezer when not in use and you have a cold bag ready for unexpected bumps and bruises. There are a few different shapes you can make it in as well. I made a square, but you can also do a long rectangle, or anything that strikes you fancy. It is really just a large bean bag.

Supplies:

Cotton fabric, as much as you need.

Scissors, yarn, sewing machine. ( I am sure you can do it by hand if you want to)

Filler: I used pearl barley. That was on sale at the store. You can also use uncooked rice (not minute rice), wheat, feed corn, buckwheat hulls, beans, or flax seed.

Cut your fabric into the shape you want. I used a 9 inch quilting square as a guide.Sew the front/pattern sides together making sure to leave an opening so you can turn it right side out. I sewed twice around the edges just as a safety if a hole was ever torn. Fill 1/2 to 2/3 full with desired filler. ( I used a 16 oz bag of barley.)

Sew hole closed. Heat in the microwave for up to 3 minutes depending on the size. If you are worried about a fire, fill a mug with water and place in the microwave with the bag. Shake the bag well and check the heat before using it on a child.

While not in use keep it in the freezer as a cold bag.

If you are worried about germs, you can wrap it in a towel, or make a case for it. I am pretty practical so a towel works fine for me. Also, the microwave and freezer both disinfect the bag. The microwave will kill anything growing in/on it. So I think it is pretty sanitary.

PS In second grade I was given sew as a spelling bee word. I misspelled it. I am not sure which one was even given. Sew or so. "Sew" forgive me and my aweful spelling if there is ever any errors.

PSS Don't forget to enter Rachel's Giveaway!