Sew a Rice Heating Pad (or Cooling!)

Learn how to sew a rice heating pad that words for hot or cold therapy. The unique heart shape helps the pad stay on where you need it.

Every once in awhile somone in my family gets a little injury and needs either hot or cold therapy. We have cold packs that we use here and there, but I needed something more flexible in shape and temperature. I decided to sew a rice heating pad that works to both heat or cool.

I chose a heart shape so that it could fit over a face with space for the nose. It also sits will on an elbow, knee, or ankle because the inner point can go around and hold it in place. You can use any shape you want, but if you want to use a heart I used my free heart shaped pillow sewing pattern!

What is a rice heating pad?

A rice heating pad is a reusable bag or pad filled with uncooked rice. It can help with muscle pains, stiffness, or swelling. The rice retains the heat or cold for about 30 minutes. Either warm it up in the microwave or cool it in the freezer.

You can also add essential oils if you want it to smell differently or add different benefits.

Can a rice heating pad be used for cooling?

Yes, you can use a rice heating pad for cooling. Put it in a ziploc bag and put it in the freezer for 2 hours. The chill will last about 30 minutes.

Why should I use cotton fabric and cotton thread?

Since you will be warming up the rice heating pad in the microwave, you need to use cotton fabric and cotton thread. If you use anything else it can melt in the microwave.

Why do you put rice in a heating pad?

Rice is great at insulating either heat or cold so it’s great for a heating pad. Rice releases the temperaure slowly so it’ll last long enough to give relief.

Rice is also great because each grain is so tiny, it can conform to the shape of what it’s resting on. It will go around curves on your limbs so you get a full exposure.

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How to use a rice heating pad

Heating

1. Heat the pad in the microwave for 60 seconds.
2. Flip the pad over.
3. Heat for another 30 seconds.
4. If it’s not hot enough, heat for 15 seconds until it’s the desired temperature.
5. Test the temperature of the pad before using. It shouldn’t burn your skin when you touch it.
6. Do not overheat and scorch the rice!
7. Enjoy for 30 minutes.

Cooling

1. Put the pad in a ziploc bag and close.
2. Put the pad in the freezer for 2 hours.
3. Use the cooling pad for 30 minutes.

How to Sew a Rice Heating Pad

Supplies

• Free heart shaped sewing pattern
• Quilting cotton fabric
• Cotton thread
• Uncooked rice and funnel
• Sewing tools
• Sewing machine

Do you just want the pattern and tutorial as a PDF? Get the pattern and tutorial for just $5. You won’t need to access the internet every time you want to make it. Or get the Pattern Bundle with ALL the PDF tutorials!

Cut out two pieces of quilting cotton using the heart pattern or any shape that you want.

Pin the two pieces of fabric right sides together.

Sew around 3/8 inch from the edge. Leave a 4 inch hole for turning and backstitch when you start and when you stop.

*Tip: it’s easiest to have the hole on a straight edge. Do not put the hole over a curve or corner.

Clip any inward points or curves.

Trim the corners to reduce the bulk.

Notch the outward curves or use pinking shears to trim.

Turn the shape right side out through the hole. Use a point turner to poke out the points and curves.

Insert the small opening of a funnel into the hole. Slowly put rice into the funnel so that it falls into the pad.

Fill the pad about 3/4 of the way full. This is up to you. Having a pad that is really full might make the heat or cold last longer, but it’s gets stiffer as it gets fuller. Having a pad that is hardly full makes the heat and cold dissipate quicker.

Carefully pinch the hole edges together. Edgestitch across the hole to close it. Be careful not to spill any rice!

If your rice pad is too full, then you can handstitch the hole closed with a ladder stitch.

You finished!

You can see how the heart rice pad is conforming to my hand when I pick it up. I wanted my rice heating pad to be really malleable.

If you make something using this sewing project, I’d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag #heatherhandmade and tag me!