Hot/Cold Pack Tutorial

 I'm a little "under the weather" this week. I have Shingles. Many of you have had them and many more will get them (I'm sorry!). If you had chicken pox as a child, the virus is laying dormant in your body just waiting for a time when your immunity is low because of illness or stress. Then it attacks. The first couple of days, I thought I had a kidney stone! I had such a horrible pain in the kidney area, I couldn't sleep. It wasn't until the skin around my waist started to feel tender to the touch that I started thinking something else could be going on. Fortunately, I got to the doctor when I only had a very small rash starting. I was started on an anti-viral medication that will, hopefully, keep me from getting as sick as I might have otherwise. My rash runs from my spine around my torso to my belly button. . Mine have not blistered yet, so I'm still in the early stages.Unfortunately, my response to pain is nausea and that coupled with some typical other symptoms - chills, abdominal pain, headache, and joint pain -  I have been laying on the couch doing nothing for the last week! Today, I am much better.
One way to relieve some of the pain and itching (mine don't itch yet!) is a cold pack. Here is a feeble attempt at showing you a quick and easy one to make. This one can also be heated in the microwave and used as a heat pack - just don't get it too hot! Warm is all you need!!! I made a removable cover so it can be laundered and disinfected!

1. Cut a strip of fabric that will fit around your waist and overlap some. It should be twice as wide as you will want because you will be folding it in half lengthwise. Sew across one end and down the long open side.

2. Turn right side out and sew across several inches from the closed end. This will leave an area with no filling that can be overlapped.

3. Fill the tube with rice. Do not pack it in. Leave it loosely filled. You want to be able to wrap it around your body.

4. Cut a strip of fabric wide enough to wrap around the inner tube. Turn all the raw edges under and sew them down.

5,. Sew hook and loop tape on the inside of one long side of the outer covering and the outside of the other long side, as shown. I used scraps that I had saved from a different project. This allows you to remove the outer covering and launder it.

 I hope you never need to use one of these, but if you do, it's nice to have one around. Mine is in the freezer now. I have another one that can be popped in the microwave for about 45 seconds or just until warm (Don't get it hot! It can burn you!). Be sure you know when you need a heat pack and when you need a cold pack - they are for different purposes!




 Now on a happy note, Staci at The Confused Quilter has honored me with a mention in her blog and has "awarded" me as a Versatile Blogger! Thank you, Staci! Staci always has wonderful posts! Please check her out.
Okay, you need for me to tell you 7 things about myself. Here goes:
1. I am fairly shy until I get to know you better. Then I'm a little silly! I am terrified of approaching shop owners and of "tooting my own horn" about my patterns. (Not particularly helpful when you own a business!)
2. I absolutely adore my husband of 41 years! I have never even one day regretted marrying him. He keeps my feet on the ground when I tend to get off into "the clouds" with my plans.
3. I like to bake when I'm stressed. I have bread in the oven as I write. I got off my sick bed to make bread. (My heavy duty mixer does the kneading for me, so it wasn't very hard to do!)
4. I enjoy watching old movies! Especially old Christmas movies!!!
5. I love to read. I have a Kindle and I keep it stocked with books! One of my wonderful memories is of a trip to a resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica where my husband and I relaxed on the beach in hammocks under the palms, sipped virgin Pina Coladas (we're not alcohol drinkers) and read our books. I was reading Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's Daughter at the time and I'm sure he had a either a science fiction, James Patterson, or John Grisham book.
6.I enjoy working jigsaw puzzles, but I like the ones that are based on folk art. My family works at least one every holiday season! I will take old ones out and rework them sometimes. I keep a few in the RV in case of rain!
7. I love flowers and trees! I miss living in a forest, but it was worth the sacrifice to be near family. I have baby trees in my yard and lots of flowers. Now I have to live long enough to see them grow up!

You can see pictures and learn a little more about me in Ten Things You May Not Know About Me.


I invite you to check out my sister's blog, Doodling in My Mind. 
(For my British friends, in the U.S. doodle is a verb meaning a type of drawing and it is not a naughty verb! My sister was horrified when she found out there was another meaning to her title!) She is an artist and a high school art teacher. She is the one who pushed me to put my designs in pattern form and then helped me to do it! I would like to pass this award on to her!