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Heat Packs
Date Posted:20 April 2022
Create a heat pack for yourself or someone else! A heat pack is great to have at home for a variety of uses like aching muscles or stiff joints on a cold day. This project is perfect for any level of sewist, from beginner to advanced.
These instructions are for creating the inner and outer skins. You will need to fill the inner skin of the heat pack with wheat, or any appropriate filling for microwaving.
MATERIALS NEEDED
- 100% new cotton fabric
- Tape measure or ruler
- Rotary cutter or scissors
- Cutting mat (if you have one)
- Tailors chalk
Outer Removable Cover
- 2 x rectangular pieces of 100% cotton material - cut one to 17cm x 63cm and the other to 17cm x 53cm
- Cotton sewing thread
- Pins
Inner Skin
- 2 x rectangular pieces of 100% cotton material (plain, not patterned)- cut to 16cm x 53cm
- Cotton sewing thread
- Pins
INSTRUCTIONS
Notes:
An overlocker could be used to piece the bags together if you have one. If you do not have an overlocker please use the zigzag stitch to neaten all raw edges to reduce fraying. We have zigzagged close to the stitching line and trimmed the excess material in our samples.
Seams are 3/8” or 1cm. Use the same seam allowance on all seams when piecing the heat pack together.
Outer removable cover
- Neaten one end of each of the 17 x 53cm & 17 x 63cm pieces using your overlocker or zigzag stitch.
- Change to sewing machine or straight stitch. Fold over the neatened edge and stitch down. This creates a neat edge for the inner skin to be dropped into the outer bag!
- Iron each neatened edge.
- Place the 17cm x 53cm and the 17cm x 63cm pieces right sides together matching them at the base.
- Fold the 10cm excess from the top over the smaller (53cm) piece - iron.
- Sew around the three edges of the outer bag with the overlocker or sewing machine, ensuring the edges are neatened.
- Turn inside out and iron - it’s completed!
Inner bag
For the inner bag, we recommend using a plain fabric as this will be inside the outer removable cover.
- Neaten one end of each of the 16cm x 53cm pieces using your overlocker or zigzag stitch.
- Change to straight stitch. Fold over the neatened edge and stitch down. This creates a neat edge for the wheat to be poured into.
- Place the two 16cm x 53cm pieces right sides together and stitch along the three remaining sides using your overlocker (one step) or straight seam with neatened edges.
- Turn inside out and iron. The top is left open for the bag to be filled with wheat!
DONATE SOME TO A CHARITY
These heat packs can also be donated to charity. If you want to contribute to a great cause, the charities listed below accept handmade heat packs. Just send your creations in to the mailing address provided.
Are you a charity that would accept this item? Contact us to have your details added here.
Queensland
Zaeli Grace Inc
Attn: J. Murray
12 Hooper St
Birkdale QLD 4156
Australia
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Comments (1)
Overlocker thread is usually Polyester so sewer be
26 August 2022Made mini heat packs used cotton created instruction sheet using printer and cotton fabric and freezer paper BUT then decided to cover all seams using overlocker only after doing all of them did I realize my mistake. Overlocker thread is polyester I cursed at my eagerness to get it right: then I trimmed off overlocker stitching and used machine to zigzage to reinforce and cover edges too. Also would be handy to provide here an instruction label for people to print out on carding or fabric to go with heat pack if gifted. There is also printable cotton sheeting that has peel away backing sheet that comes off AFTER printing finished that could be possibly used for labels. Bags I did were part of charity sewing group project so had to get it right.