I was planning a large campus event called Relaxation Night and trying to think of things to put in free goodie stress relief bags when a co-worker mentioned to me about some homemade heat packs she saw on Pinterest. She mentioned they were made from felt. While I thought this sounded like a great idea I was not about to make 75 of them in a couple of days. However; I was eager to try making some and decided over Thanksgiving break I could make some for a small termination token to all of my group clients to hopefully help them to remember the importance of taking time to take care of themselves in a busy chaotic world.
I ended up making 30 packets. I spent around $11 dollars total. I decided to use fleece instead of felt or cloth because I thought it would be more soft and comforting. I purchased some fleece inexpensively at Craft Bits and Pieces and bought a large bag of rice. I used pinking shears to cut the edges, sewed around leaving a small opening for a funnel and then hand-stitched the rest of the small opening closed after putting the rice in. In addition, I used oil scents almond, sweet pea, and lavender that I mixed in with different batches of the rice. I even talked my dad into helping me mix the rice and funnel it into the bags while I was visiting for Thanksgiving! Quality time together! The little label I made with extra linen I had and a permanent marker. I tested it out and it works well putting it in the microwave on low for one minute. Hopefully my group members will like them. Here's a tutorial online on Pinterest I found after I created mine; http://www.brassyapple.com/2009/03/diy-therapy-sacks.html.
