Rice heating bag and removable cover (and all from scraps!)

Do you have one of these?  Is it just about least attractive thing you own?  (That beaten up cutting mat I insist on photographing is a close second.)

I never realized how gross our rice heating bag was until the other day when I woke up with a super stiff neck and wore it around the house all day.  It's basically a sock with some cheesy plastic rope on the ends.  Not cute. 

So I whipped up a much prettier one in no time at all.  I still look like a nerd with a heating bag around my neck, but at least it's slightly more stylish.  What's even better?  I made it entirely out of scraps. 

Here's what I did...

For the actual heating bag, I had some ticking stripe fabric left over from pillow cases I've been making.  I cut a strip 10 inches x 23 inches.  That's how long my Bed Buddy is, counting the handles.  I think the mattress ticking makes for the perfect inside, and the extra heft of the decorator fabric works well. 

I folded it in half lengthwise and sewed down the long side and one short side with itty bitty, short stiches so the rice wouldn't escape. 

I turned it rightside out, poked out the corners and filled it with rice.  A 2 pound bag was just right...I used nearly the entire bag.  It only needs to 3/4 or so full to still bend.  (I love how the rice is called "fancy."  No plain rice would do!)

I then tucked in the the other short end and sewed it shut.  Heating bag complete!

Next for the cover.  I gathered up all kinds of scraps and pieced together two long strips, 6.5 inches x 24.5 inches each.

I hemmed a short side of each of the pieces and sewed two 10 inch ribbons onto each piece, 2 inches in from the outside.

I then pinned the two pieces, rightsides together, and sewed the 2 long sides and unhemmed short side.

I turned it rightside out, poked out the corners and stuffed in the rice bag.

Tie the ribbons and that's it!  I might still look like an old lady walking around with my heating bag around my neck, but at least it's a lot cuter than it used to be.  To heat it, stick it in the microwave, 1 minute at a time, until it's the right temperature.  Be careful and don't burn yourself.

A little note:  I always pre-wash and dry my fabric to try to eliminate any future shrinkage.  If you don't wash and dry your fabric ahead of sewing it, I would add an inch to the dimensions of the cover.  You don't want it to shrink in the wash and then be too small for the rice bag!

Another little note:  I said "rice bag" about a million times in this post.  Doesn't "rice bag" sound like a mean name to call someone?  Like "What a rice bag!!" or  "Hey! That rice bag just cut me off!"  It could catch on...