Hi........I made a lot of these as Christmas gifts one year.along with soup in a jar. What I did was use rice. Regular old fashioned rice,not the instant,lol! I made a tube shape to go around the neck and hang down some to your chest,for chest colds,etc, with 4 pockets in it. I cut it out of cotton fabric, sewed the tube,then sewed the end shut,and put in a cup of rice,and sewed that shut, keep going til all 4 pockets are filled,and sew the top shut, Did it all on the sewing machine so it was fast. Heat it up about 4 or 5 minutes,and it stays hot a long time. Or put it in the freezer for a cold pack. My friend was given one with what looked like black-eyed peas as filler.

Thanks much. I thought I could use rice but wasn't sure if it was a special kind. The amounts are a help too. Mine is made from flannel. It works great just to keep warm. Last night it was -19 so feels really good. Warms my whole body!!!

June

I used rice in the ones I made. It was too difficult to find wheat. I used the cheapest rice I could find, seems like it came in 5 pound bags. Just don't warm up too hot !

I think what I remember back in my craft show days. Was they used flax....

I remember whatever it was, it holds scent better. I think because it doesn't have a strong scent of it's own.

The more you use rice, it starts being smelly because it is getting cooked.

Flax (if that is right) is very inexpensive. I went to a seed store..Kind of an old farm store we have here in town...where the farmers can get big bags of corn and such to plant. I ordered a 50 lb bag for about 15 dollars...it was the only size they had.

A side note about the little store..Every Saturday people who play instruments take them there and they "jam" country music. Most are very old people but a lot of younger one are showing up...if you get there early you get a chair. If you are late you sit on a couple bags of seeds...LOL...It takes you back to grandma and grandpa's days...

patti

Weeeelllllll! I just might be in that Grandma stage or close to it......anyway...Flax isn't grown around here much any more. Doubt if the elevators even have any. We have 3 very large elevators here but it is mostly corn and wheat....ethanol, you know.....but it is worth a try.
Didn't think about the "cooked" rice. Another question. What do you use to put a scent in it?

June

I never put a scent, but you'd need one for body and bath I guess? I've had my rice neckwarmers for 4 or 5 years,and they;re still good. If you're going to scent it, just put the rice in a ziploc bag,and add just a drop or two,and then mix it up good,maybe leave it in the bag a while for the rice to absorb the scent. or better yet,maybe buy some dried lavender and mix it with the rice. Michaels and Hobby Lobby both sell dried lavender,and it's a relaxing scent.

I make eye pillows from satin. I fill them with a mix of flax seed and a few tablespoons of dried lavendar. I purchase both at the natural food store by the pound.

When warmed, the smell is soothing. I've had wheat and rice bags and I know what you mean about the smell.

Found this idea -

"I filled each with one full 20oz Dixie cup of rice. Then I added a one-serving packet of tea, a half a Dixie cup of rice, another packet of tea, and another half Dixie cup of rice.
The tea I used was peppermint and chamomile, but any fragrant tea may be used, or none at all if you prefer, it's just to make it smell good."

I use shelled field corn. It lasts a loooooong time, unless the mice get to it like they did the ones I had in the camper. It doesn't smell bad when it's warmed, either. I don't like the way rice smells in them. I paid $6.50 for 50# at our feed store a few weeks ago. Save lots of gallon milk jugs to put left over corn in! I have 6 gallon jugs with more left in the bag, after I made 2 neck tubes and foot warmers. I made two long bags with tubes in the center with empty 1/2" edges(next time make wider borders!) Filled them 1/2 way, stitched across so they would fold, filled the rest of the way. Stitched shut, folded in half, stitched the sides to make a pocket for my feet! The wider borders is so the corn tubes aren't as close to the presser foot of the sewing machine when you try to sew the edges together. I now have lots of left over corn to make more warmers for gifts! I knit with a lady on Thursdays, who, due to medications, is constantly cold. I made her a pillow type for her feet or lap, and a tube for her neck.

I do not put scent in anything I make. I am tooooo sensitive to scents, some of which will cause an asthma attack. So I don't know if you can add scent or not. Maybe include a small seperate packet of lavender or something inside, if you want it scented.

Also, if you use them a lot, especially if the air is dry, put a glass of water in the microwave with it when you heat it once in a while. It will add moisture to the corn, and you won't burn it with constant use, as it does dry the corn out if you nuke it repeatedly in one day. I had two in the camper, and it was really chilly out. I kept reheating them both that day, as dad & I were both cold. It started to burn the corn. Now you know how I learned that trick!

Oh, and with the extra corn, you could always feed the squirrels if you don't want to store it for a long time.

Tami

wow this forum hasn't had any action in a while but here goes...I've made these with Jasmine rice and they smell awesome, I make the hot pad version with washcloths just fold over and machine sew the three sides leave a hole for filling I used about 2 cups of rice. then finish sewing. I keep one in the freezer at all times.

I have milled flax seed, I wonder if I could use that in a neck warmer.. whatcha think?