Wyndmere DIY celebration. We have enjoyed sharing our DIY gift ideas and putting together all the wonderful sales still running on our website through the holidays!

Our last DIY of this series is a rice-filled heat pad. This is one of our favorite gifts for kids, although all ages would love this gift. Just imagine using it with our Aches & Pains massage oil after shoveling snow. Enjoy this wonderful step by step guide to making a cute rice filled pillow that can be warmed and used with essential oils for a cozy new nighttime routine! Pair with our synergistic blend Sleepy Time to give the ultimate gift of coziness.
Here is what you will need

-enough fabric for two 11x11 square and a heart (we used mostly recycled fabric)
-8 cups rice (we used organic brown rice from Costco)
-sewing machine
-thread
-scissors
-marking chalk
-pins

Step 1
To make a 10x10 pillow, cut paper templates into an 11x11 square and an additional 9x9 square. You can cut a heart template any size to decorate your pillow (optional).

Step 2
Place templates onto fabric with pins and trace with marking chalk before cutting your two squares and one heart.

Step 3
Once you have your pieces cut, sew the heart onto one of your squares. You can use a wider stitch than we will use for the pillow, leaving one cm of space between the thread and the edge. You don’t need to hem edges for your heart, it will look cute as it frays!

Step 4
Once the heart is attached to the square, you’re ready to sew the pillow together. Pin the two squares together backward so the fronts are on the inside. That way when you flip it inside out, the heart will be on the outside and the stitches will be on the inside! Make sure to leave a small hole (about 4 inches) for turning inside out and filling the pillow with rice!

Pro tip: Before you turn it right side out clip corners so they don’t bunch.

Step 5
Reuse your square pattern to make a funnel by rolling and taping to ease the job of putting your rice filling into your pillow.

Step 6
Fill. we used around 8 cups rice.

Step 7
Sew the last bit of your pillow closed and add your essential oil of choice. Our favorites include Lavender Garden and Sleepy Time synergistic blends.


Side note: In writing this post, we weren’t quite sure what kind of post it should be. It’s easy to get caught up in presentation and wanting things to always be pretty, neat and tidy. Yet we would feel remiss if we didn’t mention that this task can be easily made by simply filling a sock with rice and tie the end off. With very little effort and a result that is just as effective, just not as cute!