Fragrant Microwavable Heating Pads

This is a cheap and easy warming solution!  You can make a heating pad from a variety of cloth, fill it with rice or oatmeal and add dried herbs (or in my case, a scented sachet from Jo-Ann Fabrics) for a fragrant scent.  Sewing a few lines to create a tubing effect allows the contents to stay evenly distributed.  You can also sew removable covers to keep your pad clean.

For this Instructable, I made three different sized heating pads from a matching set of towels (1 hand towel and 2 fingertip towels).  I used rice and a different scented sachet for each (lavender, vanilla and jasmine).  The covers I made from fleece.

Step 1 Supplies

For the heating pads:

1 hand towel (16" x 28")
2 fingertip towels (12" x 18")
3 scented sachets (I bought mine from Jo-Ann Fabrics, but dried herbs would probably be better)
2 5-pound bags of rice (I didn't measure, but I think I only used about half of one bag)
Sewing machine
Thread
Needle
Scissors
Pins
Tape Measure
Mixing bowl (large enough to handle 5 pounds of rice)
Large spoon
3 large Ziploc bags

For the covers:

3 pieces of fleece or whatever cozy fabric you want (I didn't measure them out ... just placed the completed bags on top of the fleece and cut large enough pieces to make a pocket and fold over the open end for each heating pad.)
Sewing machine
Thread
Scissors
Pins

Comments

[b1russell]

Great instructions, but doesn't the rice fall out of the terry towels?  I'd probably choose to use a tighter-weave fabric, such as calico or a bandana.  Love the turtles.

[kathrynl]

No, there is no leakage at all.  I like the bandana idea though.  Thanks!