Rice Pack

Rice Pack

These are rice packs (my "achey muscle packs"), that I saw on a TV craft show, and are a big hit for my family. The old athletic injuries, the new athletic injuries (when it is time for the heat, and not the ice packs), and.my husbands arthritis in his hands and shoulders. It feels very much like the warm sand packs they use in the physical therapy. I will be making more, and giving them as gifts to the guys, with this poem attached.

"Here's a pack for your muscles
To the micro you will hustle
You will need this pack to heat
Then you'll see the pain retreat."

You will need scraps of flannel, to make a simple bag shape of about 6 inches by 18 inches, and for the wrap around the leg ones, about 6 1/2 inches by 22 to 24 inches, finished measurements.

With wrong sides together, stitch around 3 sides of the fabric, leaving one of the 6 inch sides open. Turn bag right side out. Stitch 3 rows down the long length of the bags about 1 1/2 inch apart, to form "baffels" to keep the rice from settling down in a big, uncontrolable clump.

Take regular uncooked (works better, they say) rice and place into the baffel sections till about 1/2 full or slightly more. Too much will make the pack unwieldly and too hard. Then fold over the open end a couple times and stitch shut. (I use a funnel to put in the rice).

To heat the bag, put in microwave oven about 1 minute. Each micro is a little different, so the temps will vary, but be sure to not overheat the pack to avoid potential burns. If it feels overly warm, leave it on the side for awhile, till it feels gentle heat, not too warm.

One other word of warning.....the rice pack will smell like popcorn cooking the first few times <G>.

Take care,
Elaine Lazarow