Sew a large heating pad that covers both the shoulders and the upper back, is comfortable, keeps you warm for a long time and does not slip. Scroll down to see how to get this DIY heat pack pattern for free.
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DIY Heating Pad Pattern
Has your back ever hurt? Or the shoulders? I love this cozy warm heat pack. It doesn't fall off all the time, it holds heat for a long time since it's big. And it covers the entire sore area of my back and shoulders. All the store bought pads were too small and the towel I folded and heated kept falling off. So I decided to make my own microwave heating pad. A large and with sleeves - look!
Relax with a weighted DIY rice heating pad for your back and shoulders that you can sew with this heating pad pattern. Scroll to the bottom of this tutorial to see how to get it for free.
But first, save this tutorial asPinterest via THIS linkor the image below so that you have it when you need it:
These great DIY heating packs are perfect for relieving sore muscles, relieving back or shoulder pain, or just relaxing after a long day. It fits well on your upper back and shoulders and gives you maximum coverage.
And I like to think that I can always do another one. So I saved my template online, so you can use it too. As usual, I took photos all the time, so you can also take one for yourself. (Scroll down to see how to get the pattern for free.)
You can microwave it as a DIY heating pad or stick it in the freezer and they make great DIY cold packs too. You can save it somewhere nearby, e.g. Amthis handy storage bagthat beautifies every living room and at the same time offers a great hiding place for your rice heating pad 🙂 - Do you know mine?Allina Muster?
The size of the large Diy heat pack
The finished size of the heating pad is approximately 17 inches wide and 19 inches tall (43 cm x 48 cm). The narrow straps are 10" (25 cm) long and ensure that the backpack does not slip.
Rice Heating Pad DIY Pattern Sewing Supplies
- Cotton fabrics (prewash!): 4 fat quarters or
- half a meter of cotton for the inner layer (it can be muslin) plus half a meter of cotton for the outer layer
- dry raw rice 6 cups (1.5 kg) + 2 cups dried lavender*
- A funnel
- sewing machine, needle, thread, pins or sewing clips,
- Scissors or rotary cutter plus cutting mat
- printableheating pad pattern
Weight of this Diy thermal pad
*I initially added 8 cups of rice and found it too heavy. For this reason, I suggest using up to 6 cups of rice and adding 2 cups of dried lavender or other light, dry filling that is microwaveable. Increasing the number of compartments also reduces the amount of filling required. (See step 5) The finished DIY heat pack will not be fully packaged. And it shouldn't - read the note below.
If you add 6 cups of rice plus 2 cups of lavender, the total weight, including fabric, should be about1,75kgCherry pits are lighter than rice, see the bottom of this post for more information on other heat pack filling options.
Now we go with the tutorial:
How to sew a DIY heating pad for the back and shoulders - steps
Please note that since this pattern does not have a removable cover, you will need to pre-wash the fabric. It cannot be washed once sewn.
Step 1 - Print the pattern and cut the fabric
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This heating pad is sewn with 2 layers of cotton since it is large and I wanted to prevent rice from finding a way.
Using the pattern, cut 4 pieces:
- 2 of any cotton you have (it won't be visible, it can be muslin)
- 2 of outer fabric (they can be padded cotton, they can be 2 different ones, I have thoseSchönHampton Garden Collection by Lila Tueller) I thought my eyes deserved a little pampering too 🙂
Step 2 - Stack the 4 parts
Lay the pieces out on a flat surface in this order:
- inner layer
- Outer fabric with the right side up
- Outer fabric right down
- inner layer
Hardor attach sewing clips. It doesn't matter which way the inner layers are oriented, they are not visible.
Step 3 - sewing step
Sew around with a ⅜" (1 cm) seam allowance, leaving 4" (10 cm) openingsat each short end.Use a strong stitch: sew twice or use a triple stitch.
Trim the seam allowance, trim the curves andnotch the cornersin the seam allowance for easy turning.
Step 4 – Turn the Right Side Out
Turn the right side out pushing the entire fabric.only through ONE opening. (Don't try to twist one side through one hole and the other side through the other hole. It won't work.) Use one to push the ends out.Point turning toolor other blunt object such as a knitting needle. Don't use anything sharp, as it could poke holes in the fabric. Also, now is the time to squeeze.
Step 5 – Stuff and Sew the Bottom 'Wide' Section
In short, this is where you start pouring the mixture into the bag, making fans as you go.
Because this heat pack is large, you'll need to divide it into several compartments to keep the filling in place. She sews them one at a time, using a funnel to add only a portion of rice at a time, and then "seals" them with her sewing machine.
Begin withpour about ¾ cupthe stuffing through one of the openings at the top.
Then make sure the mixture is spread evenly over the bottom (lift and shake a bit).Set aside the rice and cook.Your first "folded" seam.
How far apart do the seams have to be?
I sew about a 7-inch gap using my seam guide at first and checking the gap later, but I suggest you make your seams closer to the 2-inch gap. The more fans you make, the more evenly the rice will spread. Don't go narrower than 2 inches (5 cm).
I planned to use my seam guide, but then I saw only 2-3 inches (5-7 cm) between seams. You can of course draw lines with a chalk marker, but small differences do not affect functionality.
This is an optional divider pocket layout. I did fewer subjects, but this would be the ideal:
Tips: Avoid getting rice under your presser foot
As you sew, be sure to remove any bits of rice and lavender to avoid breaking the needle. feel free to usePinto push the rice before sewing, like this:
Continue sewing, adding another ¾ cup of rice at a time and sewing the area closed; repeat for all "wide" pockets. You can use a little less rice for the top one (counting the fifth from the bottom). The pockets don't look full and they shouldn't.
STEP 6 - FILLING AND SEWING THE TIGHT SLEEVES of the Diy Rice heating pad
Slowly work toward the top of the heating pad on one side only, until you reach the top of one side. In the narrow area of the sleeve, add only 1/2 cup of mix per compartment.
Step 6 - Top stitching
When you get to the top, topstitch the top opening close to the edge twice:
Repeat with the other narrow sleeve and you're done.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
How to use homemade heating pad
Use warm, place on a clean, dry plate, and microwave for 1 minute. Depending on the power of your microwave, then again for a minute or two if necessary. I never use increments of more than 1 minute, usually 2 minutes is enough. I never warm up more than 3 times per minute (3 minutes total); you don't want the smell of burnt rice.
Also, a reader just shared a clever idea with me. The point is to prevent the rice from burning: you can put a half-filled coffee cup in the microwave along with the heating pad. The rice does not burn and the steam penetrates the package giving you moist heat that is always better than dry heat. Thanks Barbara!
What filler can you put in a homemade heating pad?
You can make your own microwave heating pad with different organic fillers. Options include:
- Tonperlen
- flax
- cherry pits
- walnut shells
- whole corn
- wheat and more.
You can even add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your filling. These cushions are a beautiful gift idea for your loved ones and of course for yourself.
How much padding for this great DIY rice heating pad?
PLS NOTE: This rice heating pad is not designed to be super filled because firstly it would be too heavy and secondly it would be too difficult to sew. The compartments only fill ½ to ¾ full, making it convenient. This also allows it to fold neatly and easily fit in the microwave.
Due to the weight, fill this large DIY heating pad with no more than 6 cups of rice and some light filler like lavender. I initially added 8 cups (1.8 kg) of rice and found it to be too heavy (although yes, you can buy similar back warming pads in stores that weigh more than 4 pounds). For this reason, I recommend mixing the rice with a couple cups of lavender, it will make your microwave heating pad fuller, but not too heavy. Lavender is light and with its beautiful scent it takes this project to a new level. Fragrant heating pad sewn with a beautiful print - the best combination!
If you enjoyed this tutorial, please share, like or tell your friends. Or save the project asPinterestThis is how you can use the tutorial any time you want:
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