How to Make an At-Home Heat Pad

Homemade heating pads can be made in any size or shape and are perfect for sore joints and muscles. For a sore back, make a large heating pad to fit your entire back.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric or towel
• Scissors
• Pins
• Thread and needle or sewing machine
• Uncooked white rice or other filler
• Microwave

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Instructions

• 1

  Cut two pieces of fabric to the size of heat pad you want. You can choose any cotton fabrics, or use a towel. If you choose a towel, you do not need to cut it in half, just fold it in half.

• 2

  Lay the fabric with right sides facing each other. Pin the edges and sew the two fabric sheets together leaving a 2-inch gap on one side. Remove the pins as you go. If you are using a towel, choose a side that looks better to you and pin those sides facing each other.

• 3

  Turn your newly made pad inside out so that the right sides of the fabric are showing. Use the 2-inch gap to pull the fabric through.

• 4

  Fill your pad with your choice of filling. Choose from uncooked white rice, oatmeal, wheat, feed corn, buckwheat hulls, beans, flax seed, beans and cherry pits. Fill the fabric to 3/4 full.

• 5

  Sew the opening closed. Make sure the filler is on the other end of the pad while you sew. Test to make sure that the filler will not spill out when you are done sewing.

• 6

  Microwave the heat pad for 1 to 2 minutes on high before use. Test to make sure the pad won't cause burns.