Sewing and clothing alteration and repairs

H & M copycat infinity scarf

You will need one skein of thick coarse yarn, and extra large crochet hook, and a extra large quilting needle.

 I used Red Heart Light & Lofty  nubby yarn.  Use a very large crochet hook. You can decide the size.

 Begin by casting on about 15".  I have chosen to go by length instead of how many stitches because different size yarn or hooks will change the length.

Single Crochet on the chain row. At the end of each row chain one on, turn the project and go back the way you came.

 Continue, continue,  listen to something great, or watch a movie while crocheting.  It doesn't take long, but a little while.  Continue going back and forth until the project is 30 inches long.  End by pulling the thread through the loop to create a knot.

 Using a extra large quilting needle threaded with the yarn, sew the two ends together to create a circle.

 And just like that - you have wonderful!!!!!!!!   Enjoy this marvelous day!!!!!!!

Rice Bag 

Sectional Hot or cold pack

Have you ever used a rice bag? They are wonderful.  If you don't know, a rice bag is a bag of material filled with rice.  You can put it in the freezer to make a cold pack or in the microwave and warm it to make a hot pack.  My favorite place for a rice bag is around my neck.  The problem I have had is that the rice all falls to the ends of the bag so none of it stays right behind my neck but falls in front of my shoulders.  My son also gets a lot of neck pain and headaches from a whiplash injury, and wishes he could have heat or cold right where it hurts and have it stay there.  So I made some different varieties of rice bags to share with you.

The first example is of a headband rice bag, made to place around the head like a headband so that the heat stays on the neck, base of brain, temples, and forehead.  That seams to be the trouble spots for my son.

So first I cut a piece of flannel 7 inches by the measurement of around the head.

Put the right sides together and sew one small end and the long end. 

 Turn the bag right side out.

Stitch from short end to short end 1" from the long side. 

 Stitch from short end to short end 1"from the other side.

 Using a funnel scoop regular rice into the slots of the bag. Only fill the bag half way full on each slot.

Fold the unfinished end twice and sew it down. 

Every 4" or so drape the bag over your hand and shake the rice away from your hand.

 Very slowly, so you don't break a needle, so along that space you moved the rice away from.  Carefully check before you sew and move any rice out of the way of the needle.

 Repeat along the whole bag every 4 to 5 inches.

 To make it easy to wear as a head band, I added a 2" elastic at the end with a zigzag stitch.

 Sew the rice bag into a circle by attaching the other end of the elastic.

  Here is what it should look like.

 My son loves it and wears it like this.  It can be worn around the house or even to bed.

 These are just some long rice bags. Do all the same steps.  Remember when filling the bag to only fill it half full.

 This is a small one.  I like this one in the freezer for a cold pack.

 Here is a small one - about 8" and a long one - about 24"

The long one I heat in the microwave for 2 minute.  I put a mug of water in the microwave also to make it a moist heat.  

 When I put the small one in the freezer, I like to fold it up and put it in a plastic bag to protect it.

Then just put it in the freezer for when you need a cold pack.