How to make a heatpad

Materials;A piece of 100% cotton fabric for the lining approx. 54cm x 40cm

A piece of fleece fabric for the outside approx. 54cm x 58cm

1m of ribbon

1 or 2 poppers

1kg Rice

Heat pads can be any shape and size so feel free to change the dimensions of this project to suit your cause. You can make small ones for hand warmers or larger ones, like this, for back pain and snuggling in bed. We have used fleece to keep it soft for snuggling but they can be covered in all sorts of fabrics, especially as the cover is removable and does not go in the microwave.

IMPORTANT NOTE : If you are making this a gift please ensure that you make this clear on the label that the cover is to be removed or do a test in the microwave on a small piece of your cover fabric.

Step 1 – Making the lining bag

  1. Take your cotton fabric you are going to fold it in half so that you have a rectangle that is 54cm x 19cm. Pin the two pieces together and sew along the two short edges using a 1.5cm seam allowance.
  2. When this is done then press in the seam allowances on the remaining side.
  3. Laying your lining bag out horizontally use a ruler and mark lines, approx. 7cm apart, along the lining bag. Make sure to leave a gap of approx.. 3cm at the top and bottom of these lines.
  1. Stitch over these lines to create compartments in the lining bag.
  2. Using a funnel or something similar now pour rice into each compartment until they are all ¾ full.
  3. Carefully pin along the open edge and sew this shut.
  4. Your lining bag is complete and your filling will not all fall to one when in use.

Step 2 – Making the removable cover

  1. Taking your cover fabric cut to size, fold back 1cm, wrong side to wrong side, on each of the sides that measure 54cm. Pin and press. Sew the hem.
  2. Now measure the side of your fabric that is not hemmed. Divide this measurement by 2 to mark the halfway point with a pin. Now divide again by three and mark points 1/3 and 2/3 along, again with a pin. (If can be a good idea to use different colour pins so that you don’t’ get confused). Repeat for the other side.
  3. Cut your ribbon in half so that you have two pieces approx. 50cm long. At one end turn over 0.5cm of ribbon and then turn it over by the same again. Sew in place.
  4. Now place your ribbon at the pin that marks the half way point. Make sure that right sides of the ribbon are facing right sides of the fabric and you have the raw edge of the ribbon overhanging the edge of the fabric by approx 1cm. Sew in place.
  1. Now, using your marker pins, fold down the top third of the fabric and then fold up the bottom third. You should end up with a rectangle a similar shape to your lining bag.
  2. Pin the sides in place. (As a check you can now fold the right hand side over to meet the left and ensure that your ribbons are level).
  3. Sew both sides shut using a 1.5cm seam allowance.

Step 3 – Assembling the heatpad

  1. Turn the heatpad cover the right way through and then slip the lining bag inside.
  1. You may wish to add a couple of poppers along the opening if it gaps a little.
  2. To finish attach a tag to the heat pad with the following wording

“Heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes with a small glass

of water to prevent the rice drying out”.