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How to make old art new again

May 9, 2013 by Charlene

How to make old art new again. And make it coordinate with new room colors. And do it quickly, easily and at almost no cost. That was the challenge in our dining room makeover.

I found this picture at a garage sale a few years ago. Someone was selling off the almost new contents of their office, including artwork. This reminded me of a spot in one of our favorite hiking areas, a place called Highbanks, in the spring time. When I got it home, the title of the piece is “Spring”. It’s pretty good sized – 48 inches by 38 inches – and very heavy. For a while it hung in the living room. However, a perfect spot opened up when we did the dining room. Except the mat colors made it look way too heavy for the light, airy and meditative vibe I was going for. Plus I didn’t think they really conveyed “Spring”.

So I unceremoniously turned the picture upside down on the dining room table and began to disassemble it. I had pictures of the process but when we changed computers last fall, a whole bunch of photos came up missing. (Yes, the mat colors above were edited in.) So you’ll have to imagine the process. It was very simple actually.

I experimented with the color swatches for several days, trying different combinations to pick up different portions of the picture. I really liked the one that picked up the orangey color, but again the over all effect was not the serene feeling I wanted. Finally I decided to go with the wall color and the color of the adjacent hallway. They didn’t jar or call attention to themselves and blended with both the wall color (since it IS the wall color) and the colors in the picture.

I carefully removed the dust cover so I would be able to reuse it. Some are stapled on, the better ones are glued and a little tricky to get off in one piece. A sharp thin knife helps. Then I slipped out the mats, being very careful not to let them bend and become nicked or creased. I placed them on a tarp on the garage floor, which was the only work place big enough to hold them both flat.

Then . . . .the secret to new mats that are quick, easy and no cost. Drum roll please.

The very same paint that was used to paint the walls. Yes, just latex paint. I used a small roller just wide enough to cover the entire mat and quickly did a light coat of their respective colors to seal and prime the mat itself. When that dried in about 30 minutes. I came back with another coat. Thirty minutes later a third light coat. I let them dry over night to be sure they were thoroughly dry and would not stick to one another or to the glass.

I carefully cleaned the inside of the glass (and missed one fingerprint at the bottom that no one else can see but that screams at me!). Then I reassembled the entire thing, following exactly the same steps as in disassembling except in reverse. The hardest part was getting the dust cover on straight and in one piece, but even that was fairly easy.

There were so many options for color choice, but I like this one because it flows with the strong wall color and does not compete with the wall or the picture. That lets the print speak for itself. It does that and quite clearly too. When my friend saw it, she exclaimed “Oh, that’s the spot in Highbanks where my husband I go hiking.”

I don’t know if the artist even knew Highbanks existed when he painted it. But it was great to know that the print elicited the same thoughts of hiking on a beautiful spring day in at least two people.

I like art that speaks to people!

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Filed Under: Home DIY Tagged With: craft, Doing, home decor, Home decorating and makeovers, how to, picture mat, wall art

How to determine where to place a chair rail

April 25, 2013 by Charlene

A chair rail adds interest and polish to any room, bringing instant character and definition. The term may have originated from the Shakers who used rails with pegs to hang chairs so floors could be easily swept. Many people think they are intended to protect the wall from backs of chairs that were pushed up against it and they do sometimes serve that function. However as far back as the Romans, wood pieces have been most frequently used to divide walls for design and architectural interest.

But how do you know where to place the chair rail on the wall? Is one place better than another? I am so glad you asked!!!! Because there are answers.

Ancient Greeks searched for mathematical formulas to determine the perfect number, perfect chord, and points of perfect balance in their work. Renaissance architects and artists build on the Greek search for perfection. They decided that the relationship of five to eight created this perfect balance. This translates very easily when working with an eight foot high wall in the average house.

To determine chair rail placement according to the classic principles, it works this way mathematically:

8×12 (number of inches in a foot) = 96 inches

96 inches divided by 5 (the pleasing ratio) = 19.2 inches

No dining chair is that short so a chair rail installed at that height is pointless

But — two units are 38.5 inches.

Measure that distance up from the floor.

That’s where the chair rail belongs. You can make 38.5 inches the top or bottom or middle of your chair rail. You can see that measurement falls just above the high point of the chair rail in our dining room. As long as you keep the rail close to that ideal distance, it will be most pleasing to the eye. In turn, you also create a more pleasant room.

This is called the golden ratio or the divine proportion. It was used in the construction of the Pyramids, the Parthenon, and Notre Dame Cathedral. Artists use this principle in their work. A notable example is DaVinci’s painting of the Last Supper where the table top height horizontally and the amount of space taken up by Christ in the center of the painting vertically both fit into the golden mean. (That art history class finally paid off! Hurray!!!!)

If for some reason a chair rail at that height will not work in your space, here’s an alternative that is also used by photographers and artists on the fly because it is easier and faster than figuring the golden ratio. Many builders also use it as a default measurement for installing chair rails. It is the rule of thirds. A space divided into thirds is also pleasing.

An eight foot wall divided into thirds would be: 96 inches high divided by three equals 32 inches. The top of the chair rail would also be pleasing at 32 inches if you need to go shorter than the golden ratio measurement. Alternatively, if the style of your house will handle it, a chair rail installed at 64 inches from the floor would also be within the rule of thirds. A chair rail this high often has a plate rail installed at its top. Not coincidentally that is the perfect location for artwork on an eight foot wall.

We chose the Golden Ratio in deciding where to place the chair molding in our dining room make over. You can read about the faux tray ceiling here and wallpaper removal here. Coming next is how we installed the chair rail and, in part 2, how we installed the picture frame moulding below the chair rail.

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Filed Under: Doing, Home DIY Tagged With: Chair rails, dining room, DIY, Doing, home decor, Home decorating and makeovers, how to

8 things to know about how to remove wall paper

April 11, 2013 by Charlene

The first house we owned was a three story Victorian. The second and current house is a two story Seventies Special. What do they have in common? Wallpaper. Although wallpaper is a trend that comes and goes, it is still a classic solution for rough walls or providing an accent. What goes up, must eventually come down. Here’s what I’ve learned about how to remove wall paper:

1) The Victorian had plastered walls. First narrow wood strips called lathe was nailed to the stud, a rough coat of plaster was then applied. When it dried, a finish coat of plaster was laid over the top and polished smooth by a skilled craftsman. Properly applied and maintained, it produced a durable surface. To remove wallpaper we found hot water and a clean garden sprayer were most effective. Working in four foot squares, Wheels would saturate a section, going over it until it was wet and almost dripping. Then he would move to the next section and begin to saturate it.

After about five minutes I would begin to test the first section, using a putty knife to see if I could separate the paper from the plaster wall. Let it set too long and you could damage the plaster so focus and repeated testing was key. When wallpaper paste softened sufficiently, paper would peel easily away without damaging the plaster. Often the paper would come off in big chunks and all that was necessary was to wash the glue off the plaster and wipe it dry. We could do a wall in an evening and were confident in our ability.

Then we moved and our experience grew in depth and breadth.

2) We prepared for the project the same way. Remove furniture from the work area. Shove it to the other side of the room, in other words. And put down drop cloths. Remove electrical faceplates. We acquired a little gadget that looks like a mouse only it with spiky gears on the bottom instead of the roller ball. The spikes of the scorer pierce the wallpaper so liquid can penetrate and soften the adhesive. These are all good things.

3) Successful wallpaper removal depends on something over which you may have no control, especially if you are not the first owner. Primed wallboard. If you find yourself trying to remove paper from unprimed wallboard –it can be done (see #4) but you have my sincerest sympathy! Best is preventive. Never, ever, ever put wallpaper on wallboard that has not been primed and/or painted.

4) Strippable paper only means that the top layer can be pulled off. You will still be left with a layer stuck to your wall. It was a snow day and nothing was moving when we decided to work on the powder room. The wallpaper also was not moving, so we filled all the pans we could find with boiling water and put them in the closed room. Bytes dived in with a putty knife when visibility had been reduced to zero by steam and began scraping. It worked.

5) Not all adhesives are created equal. Our next project was the kitchen soffit – 20 feet in length 12 inches wide. That paper came off inch by painful inch over many long days. It was probably made by Wall Armor. We tried every trick we knew or ever heard about then Bytes googled for more. But lessons learned:

6) There are many options for a solution that will soften adhesive. Fabric softener is one. Mix equal parts of fabric softener and very hot water in a spray bottle. Vinegar and very hot water in equal measurements mix in a spray bottle is a second option. For these solutions, spray about a four foot square and let it set for five minutes before scraping it off. These may or may not work on a particular adhesive, but you won’t know until you try. Another option is a commercially prepared adhesive softener. There are several different brands. Follow the directions on the label. These, also, may or may not work.

7) Listen to the crew. That below the chair rail paper in the dining room was also made by Wall Armor. And stuck down with NASA rocket glue. Bytes and Wheels were not swayed by my “I don’t want to spend money on equipment that will just set in the garage forever between uses” argument. One hour and two feet of semi-cleaned wall and they were off to the home improvement store. And they came home with a wallpaper steamer.

8) The right equipment makes the job so much easier! This little $50 wonder made the dining room project so much easier. We turned around and used it again a few months later in the office makeover. It uses all the most successful factors from all the other methods we’ve used –strip the top layer of paper off, score the remaining layer, apply steam in a controlled area to quickly soften the adhesive without damaging the wall underneath. If you do run into a tough patch, the adhesive softeners give the boost needed to get the paper off. The wallpaper steamer has saved so many hours, so much frustration and effort!

Add water to the steam unit. Steam moves up the hose to the applicator (on the left). Place the applicator over the wallpaper to be removed and hold it in place until the adhesive loosens. Scrape off the paper and adhesive (on the right). Repeat until done. Wash wall with sponge and warm water. Ready for a new look!

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Filed Under: Do It Yourself, Doing, Home DIY Tagged With: Do It Yourself, Doing, Home decorating and makeovers, how to, makeover, remodeling, Remove wallpaper, wall treatment, Wallpaper

Party Dress for 18 inch Doll

February 14, 2013 by Charlene

This gorgeous party dress was intended for Samantha who was retired from the American Girl lineup several years ago. Samantha is a dead ringer for a little one I know and I was thrilled to find a Samantha doll in excellent condition for the little sweetie pie a couple of years ago. The dress is true to the turn of the century historical period Samantha depicted — but it is classic style that any modern doll mama would love her 18 inch doll to have! The original source of this pattern is the delightful AGPlaythings. In addition to this and other clothes for Samantha there are a number of free pdf patterns for other retired dolls on this site. If you or someone you know loves AG — check it out!

I followed the pattern, but made some changes in the directions. Some sewing methods have changed since the patterns were issued. And you know me — always tweaking to make things faster and easier. Here’s the way I constructed the Party Dress:

I wanted to make the dress with material I had on hand. Rather than buying flat lace I used a ruffled lace from my stash and pleated it around the neck opening on the front bodice.

I made two dresses — one right after the other –and photographed both so let’s hope we don’t cause confusion with the pictures. Don’t ask me why this one has pins around the neckline at this stage! What I wanted to show you was the way the lace was trimmed to fit the armhole and then captured in the shoulder seam when the back and front of the bodice were stitched together. I finished all the seams with an overcast machine stitch.

Next apply the collar. Use a smaller ruffled lace to sew at the bottom of the collar front. Follow the pattern directions to attach the collar and finish the inside by hand. Attach a hook and eye or snap fastener on the collar. Smaller girls may ignore these fasteners, but the older girls will use them if they are easy to manipulate.

I had some of this ribbon in my stash. It has a white satin ribbon stitched along the gathered edge to help the lace stand away from the fabric to which it is applied. Perfect for the sleeve lace because it creates the puffy stand up look for the lace. I turned the lace under on the ends but did not stitch them as this was intended as a play dress. For a collector’s dress, you would want to hand finish with a small rolled hem.

You can see that the sleeve cap has a single gathering thread. In a full size pattern for child or adult there would be two lines of stitching, but for the small doll patterns I only use one. It is adequate for the job and more likely to be fully covered in the finished seam than two lines. If you are worried about pulling the gathering thread through, tie a knot in one end ,but I just gather from both ends until the sleeve matches the armhole. Once the sleeve is sized add the lace with the ribbon next to the right side of the sleeve. Set the sleeve in the sleeve opening.

The bodice and sleeve will have right sides together with the lace sandwiched in the middle. Note that the sleeve is set in before the side seams are sewn. It’s much easier to handle the smaller pieces that way. Imagine fitting that small sleeve into the small armhole – especially with slippery fabric! Finish the edges with an overcast stitch.

The pattern calls for a cuffed sleeve which provides a clean polished look and is historically accurate. I made one dress this way.

For the second dress, I hemmed the sleeve and stitched elastic across the sleeve to gather the fabric. It saved quite a bit of time, but also is easier for a younger child to put on the doll. Whether you use the cuff or the elastic the next step is to sew the side seam. Put right sides together, matching armhole seams and stitch the entire length from bottom of the bodice to the end of the sleeve. Use an overcast stitch to finish the seam.

Finish the bodice construction by adding the velcro fastener along the entire length of the bodice. Sewing the full length of the garment helps keep things neater looking, I think, and it is easier for the child to use. It is also more durable for long term use.

Hem the skirt first. Backwards to usual garment construction I know, but so much faster. I used a decorative stitch in a contrasting color to hem. Also finish the center seam. I chose NOT to stitch the skirt together in the back and just hemmed each side making a double turned hem as wide as the hook and loop fastener that I planned to use. After the skirt is attached to the bodice add hook and loop fastener the entire length of the skirt. The single line of straight stitching across the top of the skirt in the photo is the gathering thread.

Pull the gathering thread from both ends, gathering the fabric evenly, until it is the same size as the bottom of the bodice. Stitch the skirt to the bodice and finish the seam with an overcast stitch. This is the point at which the hook and loop fastener is added the full length of the skirt as mentioned above.

Embellish the neckline with a coordinating ribbon cut twice the width of the lace. Fold in half and stitch at neckline. Add tiny silk flower. You can add a sash to the dress as well. Samantha and Robin and your doll family will wear with pride!

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Filed Under: Doing, Sewing Tagged With: 18 inch doll, 18" doll, AG doll, Doing, doll party dress, how to, Sewing

How to Make a Christmas Garland in Six Easy Steps

December 4, 2012 by Charlene

Garlands are so versatile for Christmas decorating! They can lay across a flat surface, like a mantel, hang from a railing, swoop around door frames, window or mirrors — and more. The best part is: Garlands don’t have to be disassembled for storage. Next year, open the storage container and there is a glorious ready made decoration just waiting to bring you cheer!

Step 1 — Choose the foundation

Choose size and type of garland you want. This one is eight foot long, quite full and is frosted. If your garland is not prelit, and you want lights, work the string of lights into the branches. Make sure the plug in will end up on the correct end for where you plan to use the garland! Put most of the lights in toward the center of the garland and just a few on the tips.

Step 2 — Create a Framework

Select three colors and three design elements.

The largest sized design element will be the dominant element so what ever color you choose for it will also be the dominant color. When you are finished adding items of that size and color, they should be visible in 60 per cent of the garland. In our example, the dominant element is poinsettias and the dominant color is white. I counted the white from the frosted greenery as part of the 60% because it shows up more in real life than in the photos.

The second choice will be the – surprise — secondary color and element. Round Christmas balls are an easy element choice. They “go with” any theme and come in an array of colors and sizes. The individual pieces of this element are smaller than the dominant pieces – the mama bear of our triad. Visually this choice will make up about 25 – 30 percent of the finished project.

And the third color will be the accent – the one that makes the others pop! It will be about 15-20 percent of the color visible in the finished garland – not counting the background green. The element pieces will be the smallest in size of the three types of elements.

Step 3 – Preparation

Gather all your materials in one spot. (I like to work standing up at a counter.) Snip all stems, remove hangers from glass bulbs, get rid of price tags. You can do these thingsas you go along, but it is faster to do them assembly line style.

Step 4 – Measure

Divide garland into fifths. (You may want to do this on the floor so you have plenty of room.) For an eight foot garland, one fifth is 19 inches. Place one of your dominant elements at each of these points.

Step 5 – Create

Here is where your creativity can take over! Working with just one segment, begin to lay out, the different elements. Place them all over the width of the garland – not just in a straight line down the middle. Work first with the dominant color. Repeat the dominant element in the segment as you like, in uneven numbers counting the “marker” placed in step 4 on your left. Because this color forms 60% of the finished product, you can add a smaller second element in your dominant color to create interest.

The key is to keep them all the same color and tone. The example uses white snowflake as a lacy contrast to the solid looking poinsettia. Or use different sizes of the element – add small poinsettias in between the larger ones, for example. Place the dominant elements so they relate to one another visually– your eye moves easily from one to the other. From there, you decide when enough is enough!

Drop in the secondary element and color, so that it is about half of the visual“amount” in the segment as the dominant color. Again you can vary things as sizes, finishes (matte or shiny), clusters instead of singles. In general, use only one variation in order to avoid a cluttered look – especially if you used variations in the dominant color. The accent color can also vary, but less so than the other two colors. If you repeat one accent at regular intervals, adding a random variation is more pleasing to the eye. If you want your accent to fall only at random, it’s better to stick to just one element with no variation.

Step 6 – Assemble

When you have achieved a look that you like in one segment, use a hot glue gun to fasten each element to the garland. Be sure to use a low temp glue gun. High temp means just that – up to 400 degrees! I learned “first hand” (pun intended) how it can temporarily remove a fingerprint! Low temp is uncomfortable on the skin, but can be peeled off without burning and, in sufficient quantity, provides all the holding power necessary. Keep fluffing the garland as you go along, so it doesn’t become flattened and one dimensional as you add the design elements.

Loosely repeat the pattern you developed in each of the four remaining segments. You don’t have to measure – just eyeball. This gives a feeling of movement and freedom in the finished garland. Then add one or two totally different elements in pleasing color, shape and proportion to the garland — just to break all the rules! You can alter the basic look from time to time by tucking in ribbon, strings of beads, feathers, mesh, or other things. Just keep in mind the 60 % proportion for the dominant color. For example, use wide red ribbon to loop around, through and below the garland, so red becomes the dominant color and white becomes the secondary color.

Finished – at night

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Filed Under: Craft, Doing, Holidays Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas decorations, craft, Doing, garland, Holidays, home decor, Home decorating and makeovers, how to

New cushions in five easy steps

June 22, 2012 by Charlene

Boring beige. Tired and sad looking. The cushions came with the chairs when they were brand new six years ago and had served well – but time for buh-bye! We eat almost every meal outdoors on the deck when the weather is nice. We needed something a livelier than beige and a bit of pattern to contrast with the dark furniture. A trip to the fabric store turned up the perfect pattern with soothing colors in an outdoor fabric. Here’s how to make new cushions for your outdoor chairs in five easy steps!

1. Measure your chairs. Choose a pillow form that most closely matches the size of your chair. Mine was 20 inches by 20 inches and each chair required 2 forms – one for the seat and one for the back. I determined how much fabric to buy by measuring the circumference to get 40 inches plus the inch of ease for 41 inches. Then adding ¾ inch for a hem on each end plus two and 1/2 inch overlap (you’ll see what this means further down) for a total of 45 inches. The width I needed was the pillow size plus an inch of ease AND two seam allowances – about 22 and a half inches. Fabric comes in different widths, but the outdoor fabric I chose was 60 inches wide. Each cut measured 45 inches by 22 ½ inches. No matter how I placed my cuts I needed 45 inches wide and 45 inches deep for two cushions. Every two cushions meant I needed one and a fourth yards and would have a 15inch x 45 inch piece left.

2. Cut your fabric according to the measurements and plan you made in determining how much fabric to buy.

3. Hem the narrow ends of each piece, using ¾ hem allowance.

4. Lay the fabric on a table right side up. Fold one end toward the center approximately one third of the finished size of the pillow – in this case about 8 inches. Fold the other end toward the center, overlapping the first end by about 2 and one half inches. Right sides are folded in and what you see is the wrong side of the fabric. Measure from fold to fold. The measurement should be the same as the pillow form plus the amount you allowed for ease. Pin the open edges together on one side and then the other.

5. Stitch the open edges together using the seam allowance you determined in step one. I double stitched mine, but you don’t have to do that. Trim the corners by nipping off a triangle from finished seam to outside. This reduces fabric bulk in the corner. Turn right side out, pushing corners out with point of scissors as needed. Insert pillow form into the larger part and then fold the smaller part over so it lays smoothly. Smile happily!!

The smaller back roll cushions were made from the 15 inch leftovers. I just folded a 21 inch piece of fabric in half, right side in and stitched them together leaving a narrow end open. Added handfuls of stuffing material (also available at the fabric store in the same area you find pillow forms). When I had enough stuffing to suit, I folded in the raw edges of the opening and machine stitched them closed. The finished size is 7 inches by 20 inches. Easy peasey!!

A custom, one of a kind look for less!

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Filed Under: Craft and sewing, Do It Yourself, Doing, Home decorating and makeovers Tagged With: cushions, Doing, home decor, Home decorating and makeovers, how to, Outdoor living, Sewing

American Girl 18″ Doll Clothes with pattern and tutorial

February 6, 2012 by Charlene

I walked into the Dollar Store to pick up sandwich bags. As I passed a rack of scarves and hats, this teal and lavendar color combination caught my eye. Hmmmm . . . I also had doll clothes on my mind as there are three little girls on my list that absolutely adore their American Girl and My Generation dolls! I picked up the bags and returned to the rack of hats and scarves. An idea had begun to blossom and as I sorted through the offerings, it began to take shape. A ribbed hat that was pretty stretchy, a big scarf as wide as the doll body and a striped kid’s scarf to tie the colors together. For only a $3 investment, I decided to see what that nubbin of an idea would turn into!

HAT: Sorry –I got so wrapped up in making things happen, I forgot to take a picture of it before cutting. But you get the idea of what it looked like. The 18 inch dolls have a head that is 12 inches around. This hat would stretch that far folded flat which meant it was 24 inches around so I knew it would make two hats. I cut the top of the hat off as shown above, using about 5 and a quarter inches from bottom of hat to make the doll hat.

For the individual hat, I folded the piece in half as shown and then cut the excess off the bottom side so both sides matched. Then I stitched around the open sides with a straight stitch as a way of basting them together. This knit was a double layer so I had to be sure I caught all the edges. Then I zigzagged over the cut edges so the knit would not ravel. And all done!

SCARF: From the striped scarf that measured 22 inches by 5 inches, I made two doll scarves. Fold it half, cut in the middle so you have two 11 inch long pieces, trim the cut ends to match the scarf’s ready made ends and zig zag. Done in one sentence.

JACKET – CUTTING: Making the jacket was a little trickier. The scarf was 8 inches by 54 inches. I wanted to use the finished edge as the edge of my garment. I didn’t have a long sleeved jacket in my pattern stash, but I found a couple of patterns I could alter and mash together. And then to figure out how to maximize the finished edge. I began by using the ends and side to form the front of the jacket.

Fold the scarf in half, taking care to match the corners (or rounded corner) exactly. I matched the front edge of the pattern with the long edge of the scarf and the bottom edge of the pattern with the end of the scarf. Cut out the other two sides — around the neck and shoulders and around the sleeve and side. Do not cut anything on the bottom or front of the jacket.

This is what the finished cut will look like. Note the finished edges do not match the square bottom of the pattern.

Fold the scarf as shown and place the back pattern on the fold with the bottom edge on the finished edge of the scarf.

The cut out piece will look like this — note the finished edge on what will become the jacket bottom.

Fold scarf again so you can cut two sleeves. Place pattern so bottom of sleeve is on finished edge of scarf.

JACKET ASSEMBLY: Match front shoulder seam to back and stitch. Repeat for other side. Match notches on sleeve to notches on armhole in jacket, placing right sides together. Gently ease fabric around curve. Repeat for other side. Beginning at bottom of jacket, place right sides together and stitch a continuous seam to bottom of sleeve. Repeat for other side. Turn jacket right side out. Finish neck by running a zig zag stitch on the edge.

Done. I cut both jackets out at once — but if you want to be really accurate or don’t want to handle that many thicknesses at once, you can cut the first and then cut the second one from the second half of the scarf, following the same sequence as above. Repeat assembly directions for second jacket.

Two outfits, two hours and three dollars.

Jacket, scarf and hat for any 18″ doll.

Download jacket pattern here.

Have fun — you know the little one who receives this cute outfit will!

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Filed Under: Craft and sewing, Doing Tagged With: 18" doll, American Girl, craft, Doing, doll clothes, how to, Kids, pattern, Sewing

Hot or cold pack rice bag – a tutorial

December 1, 2011 by Charlene

Do you ever wonder about the ideas that change our life? Who was the first person to put rice in a fabric container and how did they come up with the idea to heat it? Who found that the same rice bag placed in a freezer would become cold enough to provide therapeutic value? Did they start out with those goals in mind? Or was it some happy accident? However it happened, I am certainly glad it did! I have half a dozen different types of rice bags that I rotate all winter long. Great for warming cold toes, taking the chill off the bed, keeping warm company while reading, soothing aches. (I did mention that I am cold blooded and live where the winters are cold!) Bytes friend even uses one to warm her car seat while she scrapes the windshield!

When my sister came home from the hospital following surgery, a new gifty rice bag was waiting for her. The one pictured above, in fact! Both ice for therapy and keeping warm while inactive were on her agenda. She needed to cover a large area of her petite self. She also needed a way to keep the “load” balanced so the heat or cold was even as well as the weight of the bag. And I wanted her to have a fleece cover that could be washed easily and that would help maintain the temperature, hot or cold.

Make your own extra large rice bag with cover – for gifting or for yourself!

You will need:

1. Tightly woven fabric – about 18 inches by 11. A fat quarter, used by quilters, is ideal. It comes in a rainbow of color and patterns. The dimensions are 18” x 22” so you can get two extra large rice bags from each quarter.
2. Rice – buy the cheapest. I used two pounds of rice to make the extra large bag. The amount needed will vary, depending on how tightly you fill the bags.
3. Optional cover: Fleece remanent about 9 inches by 25 inches and, if desired, trim about 10 inches long.

Do this to make rice bag:

1. Fold fabric in half, matching right side to right side.
2. Beginning at fold, stitch one long edge and the end.
3. Turn the corner and on the remaining long edge, stitch about 2 inches toward the center. Back stitch to lock and cut thread.
4. Begin at fold on the same long edge and stitch about 2 inches toward the center. Back stitch to lock and cut thread.
5. Turn so right side of fabric is out and the seams are inside. Use point of scissors, if necessary to push corners out so they are square. You will have an opening about 7 inches long.
6. To keep rice from shifting in extra large bag, create channels to hold it in place. Find center of the bag by folding it in half, with the open edge on top. Mark fold with pins or chalk. I came up with this technique for subsequent versions and it works much better than my original try. Although I didn’t think to take a picture …. so if the picture looks like the opening is closed differently, it is. But this way I am about to tell you works better, trust me!
7. Begin at the closed edge of the bag, backstitching to lock thread. Stitch along half way marks. STOP one inch from open edge and backstitch.
8. Trim all loose threads, press if needed. This gives a more polished look and makes the bag easier to handle for finishing. But – ahem—skip it if your iron hasn’t seen the light of day for months or is nonexistent.
9. Fill each channel between two thirds and three fourths full, using the opening. If it is difficult to get the rice to go where you want, create a funnel by rolling a piece of paper into an open ended cone and putting the small end into the rice bag.
10. This is the tricky part! Keep rice bag on the table for this. You can either lay it flat or stand it on the closed end. Some bags work best one way; others work better the other. Depends on the Great Lake tides, I guess. Who knows? Tuck edges into the opening, pinning as you go. Space pins fairly close together to keep rice in the bag. Then stitch to close opening – I don’t have any happy tips to offer, except do the best you can to keep the rice pushed back. Just go for it! Closing the opening by hand stitching is also an option, if you prefer.

Do this to make the cover shown at top of post:

1. Lay fleece with 9 inch width across bottom. Fold bottom up about 11 inches. Stitch both sides closed and turn so seams are inside. Press with your hand so cover lays flat.
2. Lay cover with opening at top. The remaining three inches will form the flap when folded at the end of the stitched edges.
3. The top side of the flap when folded is where the trim goes. Pin into place and then stitch down the middle for narrow trim or on both sides for wider trim.
4. Done! Since the fleece tends to cling to itself, I didn’t think this one needed a fastener. You can add one if you choose.

I added the card with an “original” poem and tucked this into Vee’s package with the ruana I told you about here. If you’d like a copy of the poem – which you are welcome to change any way you choose! – Right Click here and choose “save link as”.

You can find three more versions of the rice bag here. There are heart shaped hand warmers, a big wrap around your arm (or leg) version and a version with channels to keep the rice from bunching up in one spot.

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