| Author |
Stitching & Crafting Room:  making heating pads?  |
|
|
eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 08 2008 : 9:37:07 PM
|
| i had a wonderful heating pad that was microwaveable. i use it daily and it finally gave up the ghost (it burned up to be exact!) has anyoen made their own? what did you fill it with? can it be heated in oven, on wood stove, in hot water etc? i am trying desperately to get away from using the microwave and have just about accomplished this feat except for my wonderful and very neccessary heating pad. i cannot use scented things either. peace connie in alaska |
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2008 : 10:07:26 PM
|
I put rice in a cloth bag..about sandwich bag size..that I tie closed at the top (so that I can replace the rice now and then) and heat in the microwave and use that for a heating pad quite often..wonderful for muscle aches and my bad knee. I don't know about heating it in the oven or on the wood stove though, honestly just havn't tried it.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
 |
|
|
Brew Crew
True Blue Farmgirl
676 Posts
Molly
Arizona
676 Posts |
|
|
Jami
True Blue Farmgirl
1238 Posts
Jami
Ellensburg
WA
USA
1238 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2008 : 06:56:59 AM
|
I've used corn (feed type corn) and it works well also. Seems to hold the heat well...just not popcorn!!! 
I wonder if Teflon fabric (coated with Teflon on one side) which I use for hot pads and my ironing board cover, might work for your higher heat sources than the microwave...definitely don't want to put that Teflon fabric in the microwave though. It's not that soft to touch like cotton but it would sure hold the heat nicely.
Jami in WA
Okay, so now I have a blog. http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
|
|
|
MarySueK
True Blue Farmgirl
96 Posts
Susan
Richland
WA
96 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2008 : 07:33:13 AM
|
I did the rice bag thing too - in mine I put some broken up cinnamon stick so it smells like rice pudding when I heat it up...My mom tried using barley and she said it didn't work - I think it started burning up in the microwave or something! My kids have big rice bags they heat up and take to bed in the winter to put by their feet (cold rooms in the basement).
Sue in Richland WA |
|
|
|
Cheekyredhead
True Blue Farmgirl
70 Posts
Christine
Lansdale
PA
USA
70 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2008 : 08:33:51 AM
|
My mom made me a rice bag heating pad years ago out of two hand towels. We still use it!
TTFN
Cheeky
Sister #243
Imagine the view from the top of your dreams
www.getaclew.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
Tammy Claxton
True Blue Farmgirl
1559 Posts
Tammy
Glen Burnie
Maryland
USA
1559 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2008 : 09:46:55 AM
|
I made a rice bag about 8 inches by 5 inches. I spritz a little water on it and then pop it in the microwave. It holds the heat very well and fits right around the back of my neck.
Crafty Bay Farmgirl Chapter
"What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger"
Farmgirl #152
http://countryintheburbs.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Cheekyredhead
True Blue Farmgirl
70 Posts
Christine
Lansdale
PA
USA
70 Posts |
|
|
electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl
2544 Posts
Karin
Belmont
ME
USA
2544 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2008 : 12:44:14 PM
|
I made a big rice heating pad and made seperation stitches, so it's big enough to drape across my shoulders when my fibromyalgia is really seizing up. I use ice bags too.
Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
|
|
|
StarMeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
940 Posts
T
MI
940 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2008 : 1:15:14 PM
|
I have a rice bag too. My first ones were an old sock. Then I made a few with some nice fabric and outer "cases" that you could remove to wash. I like the moist heat that comes from the rice. While I was in KY recently, my DH hurt his back. I bought a "corn" bag from a local Amish shop and zapped it in the wave. It seemed to do well. There is a little more weight to the corn than the rice and that appealed to him for his lower back. I suppose massaging it with castor oil (another "home remedy") before using the heat helped as well. I do keep a rice bag at work too for those chilly mornings in my office and when I get an achy neck from too much time at the computer. I don't know what you would use though that is not heated with the wave (barring the old fashioned hot water bottle, baked potatoes, or hot bricks wrapped in flannel)
--I am grateful. I have enough.-- |
|
|
|
eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2008 : 5:58:11 PM
|
| well ladies i jumped in and made one with about 2 pounds of rice in it! i love the size and the weight of it. peace connie in alaska |
|
|
|
Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2008 : 3:20:17 PM
|
Connie, I had a hospice patient that did not have a microwave and his wife kept a couple of tube socks with whole corn kernels for the filling in a pan in the warmer compartment of their wood stove. He loved to have the warm corn socks wrapped around his feet and on his painful areas.
www.coffmanspinningcfarm.blogspot.com
A woman is like a teabag - you never know how strong she is until she gets
into hot water. Eleanor Roosevelt. |
|
|
|
eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2008 : 5:59:50 PM
|
| what a great idea serita! thanks so much for sharing! i have a small oven on my wood heating stove and will definately be trying it out for heating packs very soon! i am trying to find ways to NOT use the microwave! we have limited our use of the coffee maker too and our electric bill have droped about $70 this month! peace connie in alaska |
|
|
|
Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2008 : 8:34:29 PM
|
Connie, is the electricity pretty high in ak? Or are you cutting back to live the way of life that you have chosen?
www.coffmanspinningcfarm.blogspot.com
A woman is like a teabag - you never know how strong she is until she gets
into hot water. Eleanor Roosevelt. |
|
|
|
eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2008 : 8:44:39 PM
|
| both! we pay the highest electric in the country. our bill has been running $200 a month! we have lights, tv, puter, fridge, 2 freezers, vcr/dvd/ water heater, and dryer that are all electric! as soon as we can save up the money we are buying an "on-demand" water heater that runs off propane to save alot of power usage! especially in the winter keeping the water hot is such a waste since we really only have water to use about once a week! if we turned it off then it woudl freeze and break becasue the floor is so cold. we also want to get away from using the "grid" any more than we have to!! peace connie in alaska |
|
|
|
Keeper of the Past
True Blue Farmgirl
925 Posts
Sarita
Battle Creek
Michigan
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2008 : 10:55:15 AM
|
Very interesting. We have some friends that have a wood furnace that also heats their water all year long. It sits out from the house and they load it one time a day.
www.coffmanspinningcfarm.blogspot.com
A woman is like a teabag - you never know how strong she is until she gets
into hot water. Eleanor Roosevelt. |
|
|
|
City_Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
509 Posts
Christina
Omaha
Nebraska
USA
509 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2008 : 11:10:02 AM
|
Hi Connie~
I have made several for some doula clients, friends and family. Not to mention my own household.
I simply cut some 100% Natural fabric in the size and shape that I need, sew together the edges (of course leaving a small filling hole) then fill it with flax seed, and close her up. I have tried rice and I personally was not to fond of it but I know it can be quite a bit cheaper. The flax seed can be scented with essential oils or left fragrance free. I don't know if it could be reheated on a wood burner or in the stove since I have only used the microwave. I used to keep at least 2 in the freezer at all times whe my kids were little as well. They worked great for little boo-boo's and skined knees and elbows!
You could check your local bulk store to see if they can order flax seed for you. Or if you are lucky they already sell it in bulk at a fair price. I was able to get mine through a bulk health food store that way.
Christina
Farmgirl Sister #195
http://justacitychick.blogspot.com/
Although no one can go back and make a brand new start; anyone can start from now
and make a brand new end.
|
|
|
|
mommom
True Blue Farmgirl
854 Posts
Susan
Lancaster
Pennsylvania
USA
854 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2008 : 11:23:19 AM
|
| Someone made me one of these with rice but she put some lavender in it and for some reason lavender made my headache worse! I am going to try to make one of these myself with no scent to it. Thanks for all the advice! Susan |
|
|
|
mommom
True Blue Farmgirl
854 Posts
Susan
Lancaster
Pennsylvania
USA
854 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2008 : 11:39:41 AM
|
| I do have a question about this. How long do you put the heating pad in the microwave? Susan |
|
|
|
eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2008 : 3:58:51 PM
|
| if we ever buy a newe wood stove either for heating or cooking it WILL have a water jacket! heating water with propane or electric when i have this nice hot fire going all winter (and alot of the summer this year!) just goes against the grain. peace connie in alaska |
|
|
|
eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2008 : 4:03:33 PM
|
i heat mine for 3 1/2 minutes but its really big! the last oen i had was for 3 minutes and the smaller one was 2 minutes. just until its good and hot but not scorching the grain!
i am sure i can get flax seed here at a price, for now i will stick to my rice and maybe corn. i definately do not want scent in it as i am allergic to almost all scents and they makemy headache s so much worse. i would really like to find a wy to heat a pad big enough for my whoe body when the fibro flares up! i have often considered an electric blanket but that would be defeating the idea of not having to use electric to heat it! peace connie in alaska |
|
|
|
SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2008 : 07:00:58 AM
|
| On the other side of this. . .I made small ones for my kiddos for ice packs. We keep them in the freezer and whenever they have an ouchie they run for their ice pack! It's great, doesn't get TOO icy, is moldable around whatever is hurting, and saves a lot of whining!! We love them. (I did mine with rice too. My friend makes hers with flaxseed and lavendar). |
|
|
|
mommom
True Blue Farmgirl
854 Posts
Susan
Lancaster
Pennsylvania
USA
854 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2008 : 2:23:05 PM
|
| I have fibromyalgia, also, and this is just what I needed to help me get comfy in bed at night. I cut out six heating pads from material today! Tonight I will sew them and insert the rice. Thank you so much for clueing me in on this! This is truly a God thing for me! Susan |
|
|
|
eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2008 : 2:52:39 PM
|
hi susan, i have fibromyalgia, reynauds disease and other pain issues and pretty much live with my heaitng pads! without them i woudlnt be moving at all! i cannot even get treated for them in this state so its heating packs and self medication when it gets to be too bad.
peace connie in alaska |
|
|
|
StarMeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
940 Posts
T
MI
940 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2008 : 3:33:20 PM
|
| I can't stand the heat anymore. I really need ice and lots of it! I'm 48 and have been doing the "menopause" thing for a while now. I think the heat makes my inflamation worse. Sometimes I can tolerate one at time. I like the weight of my corn bag though. |
|
|
|
eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2008 : 7:14:54 PM
|
| sometimes when the "power surges" get really bad heat doesnt help any but if i put cold on my body it cases instant muscle spasms that are debilitating so i have to just suffer at those times. peace connie in alaska |
|
|
| |
Stitching & Crafting Room: making heating pads? |
|
making heating pads?
