Directions to Make a Neck Pillow

White rice is a common pillow filler.

A neck pillow prevents your head from falling too far to either side as it supports your neck. It's a useful travel item that will help protect your neck from aches and pains as you try to sleep while sitting up. Before your next trip, you can make your own neck pillow. It should be full enough to support the weight of your head and should curve around your neck well enough to prevent your head from bobbing. This neck pillow, filled with rice, can be heated in a microwave or kept in the freezer.

Things You'll Need

• Heavyweight paper
• Scissors
• Fleece material
• Needle
• Thread
• Ruler
• Plain white rice

Instructions

1. Cut out the shape of a neck pillow--in a slightly larger version that you want the pillow to be--from the paper. The C-shaped paper should fit around your neck.

2. Trace the outline on a piece of fleece. Cut it out. Repeat with another piece of fleece.

3. Place one piece of fleece over the other so that the right sides of both are touching each other.

4. Sew a straight stitch 1/4 inch from the edge of the fabric all the way around the fleece pieces, leaving an opening of 2 inches.

5. Push both ends of the pillow through the 2-inch opening to turn the pillow right side out.

6. Fill the neck pillow with plain white rice.

7. Hand stitch the 2-inch opening closed and trim or tuck in all excess threads.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider adding essential oils to the rice before putting it in the neck pillow. The essential oils will add an aromatherapy effect to your pillow.

References

• Kids Sewing Projects: A Neck Pillow Project
• YMIB: DIY Aromatherapy Pillows