With all these chilly mornings and wet weather, now is a brilliant time to have a go at making your own heat bag. There is nothing better than curling up on the sofa with a warm, scented heat pack on your lap, or wrapped around your neck to draw out the cold and un-hunch those shoulders.
Start with a piece of thick cotton fabric (such as corduroy or quilting fabric) cut to twice your preferred size. Fold it in half and stitch 2 of the 3 open sides. You can use a number of different things to fill your bag but we like Flax seeds as it retains its warms for a long period and has very little smell. You can find this in most supermarkets. In a bowl, mix together 2 cups Flax seed with 1/2 cup dried Lavender flowers and 10 drops of Lavender essential oil. Then fill up your bag and fold and stitch up the top. Then pop it into the Microwave for 90 secs and your hug in a bag is ready to go. Not a sewing fan? No problem, a log sock such as a (new/clean!) sport sock can be used instead and tied at the top with some natural bakers twine.
Lavender is our best recommendation for stress and relaxation but we have other options too. You could try making a back and joint pain one by replacing the Lavender oil with Eucalyptus and wintergreen oil. Or how about a tummy one for PMT and cramps by replacing the Lavender flowers with dried Rose petals and using Clary Sage and Chamomile essential oils.
They can even be used as cold compresses. Just put them in a zip lock bag and pop in the freezer.