Rice Bag

I recently finished making Jon a rice bag for his back and he is loving it.  A rice bag is an easy and wonderful way to help ease muscle aches.  It is not very fancy but it serves a great purpose and I would not have survived the later months of my first pregnancy without one.  Here is how to make one for yourself.

Materials needed:
1 lb or larger bag of rice
about a 1/4 yard of fabric

First decide how large you want your rice bag to be.  Normally when I make these, I make them about 12 inches by 6 inches but Jon wanted his to be larger.  His rice bag is 20 inches by 10 inches which is quite huge, but just what he wanted.  Cut two rectangles that are the same size.

Second, match the right sides together so that the bag is inside out.  Serge stitch three sides completely.  Stitch the fourth side most of the way but leave about an inch to fill with rice.  Turn the bag right side out.

Third, using a funnel, pour the rice into the bag.  The bag should not be completely full as you need room for it to bend and flex.  In the smaller bags, I use approximately one pound of rice but for Jon's huge bag, I used five pounds.  Tip:  If you do not have a funnel, twist a piece of paper into a funnel shape and use that to guide the rice in.

Fourth, stitch the bag closed, making sure that the openings are completely closed.  I serge stitched the entire top of the bag just to be on the safe side.

Finally, heat the rice bag in the microwave and place on your back or wherever you have aches and pains.  Enjoy the nice lasting heat!