How to Make Moist Heat Pads With Corn & a Placemat

Use moistened corn packs to ease common aches and pain.

Corn bags, which use heated corn, can help you ease aches and pains, as well as keep you warm when you have to be outside on a cool day. If you have old cloth placemats lying around, use these to make corn bags for yourself and to give away as gifts. Use decorative colors, designs and embellishments and give these bags to your friends who might need some warmth or pain relief.

Things You'll Need

• Placemat
• Feed corn
• Paper towel
• Freezer-size storage bag
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Piece of fabric, size depending on the size of your corn bag

Instructions

Making the Corn Bag

1. Find a placemat that is approximately 9 by 22 inches. If your placemat is larger, cut it down to this size. If none of your placemats are that large, you can make a smaller corn bag.

2. Fold the placemat in half lengthwise. The piece should measure 9 by 11 inches.

3. Sew three sides together, but leave one end open in which to pour the corn. Turn the bag right side out.

4. Pour about 4 cups of whole corn into the bag. Do not overfill the bag. If your placemat is smaller, you will need less corn. Use feed corn and not cracked corn or popcorn. Search for feed corn at an animal or bird feed store.

5. Sew the final side shut. Sew over the seam at least twice to prevent the corn from leaking out.

Sterilizing the Corn

1. Place the corn bag on a wet paper towel in your microwave and heat it for three minutes.

2. Cool it completely. Shake the corn bag.

3. Place the bag on a dry paper towel in the microwave for another three minutes. If the bag has retained any moisture from the first microwaving, then place it on the dry paper towel again and microwave until the bag is completely dry.

4. Put the bag in a large freezer storage bag.

Adding a Cover

1. Add a cover to your corn bag to make it aesthetically pleasing. Choose any fabric you like. The end cover turns out looking like a pillowcase. Cut out a piece that is big enough to cover your corn bag. Add an inch to your bag's length and double its width. If you ended up with a 9 by 11 bag, cut a piece of fabric that is 18 by 12 inches. Hem the fabric's edges.

2. Fold the fabric in half widthwise. Sew the cover together, but leave one end open so that you can put the corn bag in it.

3. Heat the corn bag for two to three minutes in the microwave.

4. Wet the cover with hot or warm water. Wring it out.

5. Place the corn bag in the pillowcase-shaped cover, and put the moist heat pack on your painful area.

References

• Quilt Bug: Microwave Heating Bags