Guest Post by Vanity: Christmas Gift Under $1

Christmas is my FAVORITE time of year and I love to give presents to everybody.....but my budget doesn't allow me to. This year I decided I was still going to try, but I didn't want to give crap either. Ive made hot packs for my back for years and I absolutely love them, so I dug around in my closet and found some left over fabric from doing my girls room. Then I ran to my local store which happens to be Wal-Mart and grabbed the biggest bag of rice I could find for the best price.....the store brand ended up being my best bet. The entire HUGE bag was only $10.47 plus tax.


These are our goal. Each hot pack cost less than $1 each and I made enough to create 30 presents.

I begun by getting all my necessary ingredients together.
Sewing machine
Funnel (I used a post card all twisted up), Scissors
Pins
Rice
& Fabric of your choice





There are all shapes of Heat packs that you can make....the ones for your back, neck, shoulders etc....but I especially like to make the personal pocket ones and heat them up to stick in mine and my children's coat pockets first thing in the morning. They would also be great for bus riders or even dad going hunting or working outside. I start by cutting the shape out that I want for each heat pack. I go back and forth from cutting to sewing to filling because I get board easily but some of you might be a tad bit more organized than me :).

After you cut your desired shape (these being the kids personal pocket warmers) you turn the two pieces where the good side of the fabric faces in towards each other. This is so that when your done sewing and you turn them right side out you have a prettier product and very little sewn edge.

I proceed to sew all the way around until I get about an inch from making the complete rectangle and I stop, leaving an inch of un-sewn fabric. (this is the place you turn it right side out) I also like to clean up the edges with the scissors so its not so bulky.

I do several up to this point before I go to the next step. After I have about 5 or six I will take a pencil and use the eraser side to help me flip them right side out.  The pointed side of the pencil will help with the corners once you have it all flipped.

Your next step is to fill....a funnel is so much better than the redneck way I did it and be prepared for the rice to get away from you.....or maybe I'm just clumsy but I had rice everywhere. Fill the pack up to where you have about an inch or so of loose fabric across the top because if you fill it too much then its not comfortable and it will not conform to your back or neck, or wherever your choosing to put the pack.

After filling I use my sewing machine one last time to close that corner. But I use a cute stitch so that I don't care that it shows. And viola, you have an awesome Christmas gift under $1 each.  When I wrap them I give a little note with them on how to use.

How to use your hot packs: Large or medium heat for 2 minutes in microwave. Small 1 minute. If they still aren't hot enough go up in 30 sec increments so as to not burn the rice inside (believe me it stinks). Do this a few times until you learn how your Hot pack and your microwave get along :) ENJOY AND STAY WARM!!!!!