Corn Bag Ice/Heat Pack Tutorial:

I haven't been working on my blog too much the past couple of days, because I have been sewing and making things.  I am trying to use up what I have laying around before I go out and buy more fabric.  I am out of muslin, and that is driving me nuts, because I use it a lot.

I wanted to make some corn bags, which you can freeze or heat and use for compresses.  I usually make the inside bag from muslin and put a flannel cover over the top, like this one:

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, Kathy Matthews

I looked around, and I still had lots of brand new tube socks that I bought last year to make into dolls.  I cut the ribbing off of the top of the tube sock and then cut it in half.  They looked to me like a good size to place across your forehead. The half with the toe is mainly done.  This is what the other half looks like (I'll need to stitch across the bottom first):

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, Kathy Matthews

 I filled the sock bags with around 4 cups of this dried whole corn that I bought at the feed store.  Corn works best because it won't burn in the microwave and won't break down. 

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, Kathy Matthews

By the way, I love these red plastic Folgers coffee cans.  They really keep stuff fresh.  I buy this coffee for work.  It tastes fine, but I love fresh ground coffee at home ... a simple pleasure and indulgence.

Anyway, these containers kept this corn fresh for over a year.  They are also great with homemade playdough (though I put the playdough in Ziplock freezer bags first).

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, Kathy Matthews

 The white tube socks are just right for a child's ice/heat pack.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, Kathy Matthews

 After I put in the 4 cups of corn, 

I sewed the other end on the sewing machine.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, Kathy Matthews

 Here is a stack of some of the bags.

Next, I will put them into the microwave 

to get any extra moisture out.  Depending upon the amount of corn in the bag, this takes 3-5 minutes each.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, Kathy Matthews

I put one inside a flannel cover so that you can see how they will look.  I need to make covers to actually fit the tube sock version.

I am making 28 of them, just because I had 14 tube socks.  (I ended up making 3 full length ones too, just use up the last of my corn.) 

These will make nice, useful gifts.  I learned about how to make these bags from the following comprehensive website, Microwave Corn Bags if you want to know even more details.  What I did on here is just an adaptation of her work.

Have fun,

Kathy

  

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