- 1). Cut a 5-by-13-inch rectangle from your fabric and then cut two additional 5-by-8-inch rectangles.
- 2). Turn down a short edge of one of the smaller rectangles. Press it with the iron. Repeat. Top-stitch the fold to create a hem. Repeat Step 2 for the other small rectangle.
- 3). Lay the larger rectangle pattern side up on a table or flat surface. Place one of the short rectangles, also pattern side up, on top of it, with the unfinished short side to the left. Line up the shorter rectangle so that its short side lines up with the short, unfinished side of the larger rectangle. Verify that the hemmed end of the shorter rectangle is about 7-1/2-inches away from the right end of the larger rectangle. Pin the unfinished sides together.
- 4). Place the remaining, shorter rectangle pattern side up on top of the pinned rectangles so the unfinished short side is on the right, unfinished side of the larger rectangle. Verify that the hemmed edge of the top rectangle is 7-1/2-inches from the pinned left side of the other two rectangles. Pin the top rectangle to the bottom two.
- 5). Thread a needle and stitch around the rectangles, allowing for a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Reinforce your first straight stitch with a second, zig-zag stitch, also around the entire, three-rectangle unit. Trim corners and turn the rectangles inside out so the patterned side faces out. Use the tip of your scissors or sewing needle to push out the corners. Press with the iron. Expect the finished cover to look like a pillow sham, with an opening in the back into which to slide the rice bag.
- 6). Cut two 5-by-13 inch rectangles from the white muslin. Thread a needle with white thread and stitch the rectangles together along both long sides and one short side. Use a 1/2-inch seam allowance to make the inside, white bag slightly smaller than the outside, patterned cover. Go over the three stitched sides with an additional zig-zag stitch to reinforce the seam.
- 7). Fill the white bag with short-grain rice, leaving some slack in the bag so the grains can be manipulated to conform to parts of the body and muscles. Sew together the final, unstitched short side and place the rice-filled bag inside the cover.
- 8). Slide the rice-filled inner bag into the cover. To use, heat the bag, with or without the patterned cover, in the microwave for one minute. Remove the cover and wash as desired.
previous post
next post