Herbal Hot/Cold Pack Treat yourself to a relaxing hot/cold pack with these fun and easy instructions. This herbal hot/cold pack can be heated to help soothe sore and achy muscles, or it can be used cool to help relax tired eyes and ease headache tension. And to spice things up a bit, you can make different fun covers for your hot/cold pack that you can switch whenever you like. Materials: - Fabric. Many tightly woven, sturdy fabrics can be used for this project. The fabric can be as simple as a plain cotton material or as elegant as a fuzzy microfiber material. You will need two different fabrics for this project: one 8 x 20 piece for the outside cover (any fabric you like is fine) and one 7 3/4 x 18 piece for the inside bag (solid-colored cotton is good for this). - Whole Flax Seeds. Flax seed can be found in some grocery stores and in most health food stores. Flax seed does a wonderful job at retaining heat (or coolness) and provides the warmth (or coolness) for this herbal pack you will need approximately 20 oz. for each herbal pack. - Dried Herbs. Add the aroma of your favorite dried herbs to your hot/cold pack Dried herbs can be found in many health food stores and can often be purchased by the ounce. You can experiment with which herbs you use and in what quantities. Spearmint and eucalyptus together make a great combination. In most cases, a small handful of each herb is enough to add a good aroma to your herbal pack. - Essential Oils. If the scent of the herbs isnt as strong as you would like, you can add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil to enhance the aroma. Instructions: 1. Cut the fabric you chose for the inside into a 7 3/4 x 18 rectangle. 2. Fold the fabric in half with the right sides together. 3. Stitch along the two sides to make a bag (1/4 seam). Turn the bag right side out. 4. Fill the bag about 2/3 of the way full with the flax seed and dried herbs; and, if desired, add a drop or two of essential oil. 5. Fold in the unfinished edges at the top of the bag 1/4, and pin them together to close the bag. 6. Stitch along the top of the bag, close to the top, sealing the bag off completely. 7. With your hands, shake the bag to mix the herbs and flax seed together. Set the bag aside. 8. Cut the fabric you chose for the outside cover into a 8 x 20 rectangle. 9. With the wrong side up, fold each of the two short edges down 1/4 and then over 1/4 again, making a finished edge. Pin in place, and press with an iron to make a smooth edge. Sew along the folded edge to hold in place. 10. Fold the fabric, right sides together, so that the two edges overlap 1/2 in the middle of the pouch. Pin in place, and stitch along the two sides (1/4 seam). 11. Turn the pouch right side out. 12. You can now insert the herb/flax bag into the cover. 13. To use the herbal hot/cold pack, heat the pack in a crock-pot until it is warmed through, or heat it in the microwave for 30–60 seconds until warm. Place the herbal pack on stiff, sore, or tired muscles to help soothe and relax. 14. The herbal pack can also be used as a cool pack. To use it as a cool pack, place it in a refrigerator or freezer for 30–60 minutes until cool. This cool pack is great for soothing and relaxing tired eyes and can help with headaches as well. 15. The cover can be removed and washed as needed (depending on the fabric you chose). You may want to make several different covers so that you can switch them to match your mood.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 01:18:41 +0000