Handicraft - Wheat Pack

We had one wheat pack for our household of nine so I asked our 13 year old to make a new one. 

It's a very easy project which took him under an hour all up with the help of a sewing machine.

You'll need:

A rectangular piece of cotton (soft corduroy is a good choice) or linen material  about  24 inches x 16 inches, depending on what size you want the pack to be.

About 2 pounds/900 grams of wheat - I paid $1.60 for a kilo at a Lebanese grocer.

What to do:

Fold the material in half lengthwise, right sides together and sew both of the long sides

Then sew the end but leave about a 2 or 3 inch gap so you can turn the it the right way round and also so the wheat can be poured in. (Use a funnel or a jug with a spout to make pouring easier)
It's better not to overstuff them so they can be moulded to fit wherever you are going to place them.

Once the wheat is inside, sew up the gap you left.

To use, put the pack on a plate in the microwave with a 1/2 cup of water beside it (helps the wheat not to dry out) and heat for 2 minutes.

This one was put to immediate use as an aid to piano practice.

They can also be used as cool packs - wrap them in plastic and place in freezer until needed.

They are helpful to relieve stomach cramps, aching muscles and putting on the spot over a migraine (just make sure it's cooled a little first) - this works a treat for a member of the family who gets these from time to time.

We just used material we had on hand but they make a neat gift done up in some attractive fabric with a little card attached with instructions on its use.

There are some precautions with their use:

Don't overheat - they can ignite, like lots of other things, if you zap them for 20 minutes instead of 2!

Overheating is more likely with a wheat bag that is old and has been over-used.