Easy Patchwork Sewing Project: Rice Pack

Use up some of your fabric scraps making this fun and easy rice pack! Tara Rex shows you how you can piece together this great sewing project to either use for yourself or give as a gift. Begin with the basics of patchwork, which as Tara shows is fairly simple, straight forward, and stress-free! Tara shows you how to get started putting pieces together to form strips, which then get turned into larger blocks to make up the front of the rice pack. After your patchwork is large enough Tara shows you how to create the shaping that allows the rice pack to sit comfortably on your shoulders, and explains how this area can be altered to fit different sizes. Tara then explains which areas to stitch so the project can be turned right side out and filled with rice. She even shares an idea of how you can make your rice pack extra relaxing with essential oils.

Patchwork projects are great ways to use up a bunch of different fabrics that you wouldn’t normally use together in a project, however there are a few things you might want to keep in mind when selecting them, especially with a rice pack. If you plan to only use your rice pack as a cooling pack by placing it in the freezer, then most fabrics will be fine. However, if you plan to use your rice pack warm by placing it in the microwave, avoid fabrics that have any kind of embellishment on them, such as sequins. You are only warming your rice pack for a couple minutes, but it’s not worth creating a spark or melting anything!

Also, consider the thread you are going to be using when constructing your rice pack. Whether you are using it warm, cold, or both, the drastic temperature changes can have an effect on the thread. Choose a cotton thread for this sewing project, as it will be stronger and last longer than a metallic or rayon thread.