How to Make and Heat a Bean Pillow

Dried bean pillows make nice gifts.

When you have an injury or have a chill, a bean bag pillow offers a simple way to take care of the discomfort. These pillows are easy to make and heat. A few benefits of using beans is that they retain heat, are inexpensive and last a long time. These easily heated pillows also help you avoid bending over to plug in an electric heating pad, which could be painful when suffering from a muscle spasm or other injury.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Scissors
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Funnel
• Microwave
• Covered stock pot
• Water
• Steamer basket
• Oven

Instructions

Making the Pillow

1. Choose natural fabrics that can withstand heat. Woven or knitted fabrics are both suitable for bean pillows. Double knit cotton fabric provides softness and flexibility, while woven fabrics come in many colors and designs. Washable fabrics allow you to launder the pillow -- which they may need occasionally -- on a short, delicate wash cycle.

2. Pick out the kinds of beans you want. If your grocery store sells beans in bulk, you will likely save money choosing ones sold in this manner rather then opting for smaller bags of beans. Avoid large beans, like Lima beans, as they are less comfortable to rest against than smaller beans.

3. Lay the fabric on a work surface and cut it to size. You will need to double the length and add a 1/2 inch to each side for a seam allowance.

4. Pin the sides of the pillow together, and then sew them together with a sewing machine, leaving about 4 inches open. Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam you make to keep the seams from breaking open.

5. Turn the pillow inside out and use the funnel to pour the beans inside the pillow. When the pillow feels full enough to you, pin the top together, tucking the raw edges of the opening inside the pillow. Sew the opening closed with either the sewing machine or hand stitch, and trim any loose thread.

Heating the Pillow

1. Put the pillow in a microwave. Set the timer for a few minutes at a time to avoid making the pillow too hot to use, dropping the time interval to a minute as the pillow gets warmer. Mix the beans around in the pillow before using it as microwave ovens tend to heat unevenly.

2. Place a few inches of hot water in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Put a steamer basket in the bottom and lay the pillow on it. Cover the pan tightly and steam it until the beans are as hot as you would like them. This may take a few minutes. Using this kind of moist heat on muscle injuries helps them relax.

3. Turn your oven onto low. Place the bean pillow on the rack and let it heat until you find it comfortably warm.

Tips & Warnings

• If you enjoy the scent of lavender or cinnamon, add some to the beans before you sew the pillow shut. When you heat the pillow, the aromas release, providing more comfort and relaxation.

• Beans take hours to absorb water and the more the beans are heated, the more they will lose whatever little water they might contain or pick up during a wash cycle.

• Do not use an overly hot bean pillow. You could burn yourself.

• If you intend to give your pillow as a gift or won't be using the pillow right away, heat the beans before you make the pillow to kill any insect eggs or larvae.

References

• Make Play Dough: How to Make A Bean Bag
• Spine Health; How to Apply Heat Therapy; Vert Mooney, M.D.