I’ve been wanting to make a heat/cold pack for a while. Once I realized how fast and easy it was, I wish I would have done it sooner! These are perfect for soothing aching muscles, cooling relief for fevers or keeping warm on a chilly night… And they make great gifts!

These look so much nicer than any store-bought heat/cold packs I’ve seen. The other great thing is you can customize the size depending on intended use.

There are a number of various tutorials out there for heat packs. I used the one I found on fellow fellow as a starting reference.

Materials:

• cotton fabric
• thread
• flax seeds (I used about 4 cups)
• funnel
• basic sewing materials (machine, pins, scissors, etc.)

Step 1:  cut your fabric to your desired size. I cut mine into two 18” x 7.5” strips (finished size is approximately 15.75″ x 5.75″ x .75″). Place right sides together, and pin. Sew around using a 5/8” seam allowance, leaving a small opening at one end for turning and filling. Don’t forget to back stitch at the beginning and end.

Step 2:  trim your corners and turn right side out. Iron flat.

Step 3:  mark your sections. I started from the center and worked my way out, making 6 sections that are approximately 2 3/4” each.

Step 4:  sew your dividing lines. Be sure to stop each line at least 1” from the sides. You’ll need these gaps to move the flax seeds from section to section. The smaller the gap, the harder it will be to fill.

optional:  you can run a top stitch around the edge to give it a nice finished look. Just make sure to leave your gap open for filling.

Step 5:  use a funnel to fill your bag with flax seeds. Pour in a little at a time and work it down to the bottom section, then the next one and so on, until it’s as full as you’d like.

Step 6:  stitch your opening closed and then complete the top stitching. Trim your threads and you’re all done!

Keep your comfort pack in the freezer for cooling relief, or microwave it for warm relief.

Warming instructions:  warm in microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Shake and microwave another 20 to 30 seconds until desired temperature is reached. (Depending on your microwave, you may need to adjust these times). Take care removing your pack from the microwave as it may be hot.

*Do not leave your comfort pack in the microwave unattended! And do not overheat your comfort pack, as this could cause the flax seeds to scorch.

Looks pretty cozy, huh? Enjoy!

xoxo