I have been asked to make heat packs for a preschool in Sydney to use during a meditation and relaxation group time so I have been busy researching different ways to make the heat packs. I am actually surprised with the amount of different fabrics and methods you can use. For example, you can use corduroy which will last well, though cotton breathes well in the microwave (and is one of the safest fabrics to use with heat) or you could even purchase a special wadding which can be microwaved and use it as a lining. I decided to go for the less expensive option and use cotton.
The problem with using cotton is that the fabric is so thin usually the heat seeps through it quickly and
A - loses heat fast so the heat packs don't stay warm for very long; and
B - may be too hot for small children to handle as the heat can escape faster than thicker fabrics.
So we decided to also make some covers for the heat packs, though obviously we can't use cotton for the cover as it wouldn't insulate very well and there wouldn't really be much point in having covers. So I went for a light flannel - this way the fabric breathes, lets the heat escape slowly and is thicker so offers more protection from the heat at the same time.
Here is a sample heat pack I made to test out sizing. The owl fabric is flannel and is slightly bigger than the insert so fits the heat pack snugly.
I have stitched most of them together, though need a little more fabric to finish off the last of the flannel covers. I am not filling these ones as postage for weight would be a fortune, so the preschool are filling the packs once they arrive in Sydney. I am thinking of selling some of these on the side too, so stay tuned.
P.S.. The new machine is awesome . . . Just in case you were wondering :)
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