Wheat Bag, part 2, the completed item

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Wheat Bag, part 2, the completed item
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cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 9:51 am Post subject: Wheat Bag, part 2, the completed item

I now have the wheat bag! A real doddle.

Measured around two 1kg bags of wheat, and made a simple cloth bag to hold that. Stithed it up in her sowing machine on three and a half sides, turned inside out, filled with wheat, and sewed it up by hand.

Then took a nice bit of fleece, and cut a strip to go a around the wheat bag two and a bit times long-ways. Hemmed both short ends, turned ut upside down and wrapped it around the wheat bag. Carefully pulled the wheat bag out at the side. Then I stiched up the seam (on a big zig-zag stitch to allow a bit of stretch) and turned the whole thing inside out, so it's like a pillow case, with the flap on it to hold the bag in place.

Four or five minutes in the microwave makes the wheat piping hot, and the fleece allows the heat to escape slowly.

This is an immensely simple craft project. The wheat cost me something like one pound twenty, the fleece probably less than a quid (I seem to have more than four fifths of the big bit I bought for a fiver left over), the stripy white fabric for the bag itself was a remnant we got ages ago for a quid, and I used around a third of it.

A little bit of lavender oil goes well with the wheaty smell, and it stays warm for ages.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28237
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 9:55 am Post subject:
I smell a "Have you tried" article jema

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 10:05 am Post subject:

Cab, I was looking up these on the internet the other day, after your post, but I didn't find anything really enlightening to add, apart from:

- two or three places saying that you should put a cup of water in the microwave with the bag to keep it moist and prevent it catching fire..

- and that you shouldn't overheat it, as with the continuing heat from the microwave if you put it under the covers it could conceivably carry on heating and catch fire

Not sure those are much use, as I'm not certain about putting a cup of water in the microwave, and the second is common sense. But you might want to look at them for that have you tried article you're writing...

https://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/herbal/msg0914335115849.html

Actually now I look again the advice about the water was from a farm that makes and sells them:

"Just letting you know that we grow wheat that is used for wheat bags. We are the largest suppliers of wheat for this use in the UK. A quick tip if you are heating wheat bags in the microwave. Put half a cup of water in with the bag when you are heating it. This keeps the wheat damp. It also makes it smell a little more like baked bread, and the smell of any herbs in the bags stand out better."

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 10:22 am Post subject:
The wife did manage to set fire to one of hers, there was a pool of butter on the floor of the microwave though...

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 10:54 am Post subject:
So avoid butter, make sure that I'm not using the microwave completely dry (although in truth, a whole kilo of wheat oughtn't be a a problem) and don't overheat... All probably sound advice!

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 10:59 am Post subject:
That sounds like my kind of sewing project. (ie apporximate!) I'll add that to the list of things not to do until I have finished college!

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 1:28 pm Post subject:
The fleece cover is a good idea, probably more comfortable than cotton, and would retain any heat for longer.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 4:02 pm Post subject:
Sarah, yes, that was the plan. It also makes it kind of 'huggy', which I thought might be nice.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 4:03 pm Post subject:
Wouldn't that make it prone to static?

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 4:29 pm Post subject:
We sleep under a fleecy blanket whenever the weather turns cold. Sits snugly under the duvet, insulates really well, and has never given us a problem with static.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 5:03 pm Post subject:
any pics available?

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 5:16 pm Post subject:

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 5:18 pm Post subject:
You don't want to see pictures of us under a fleecy blanket. At least not of me. It isn't a pretty sight!

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 5:19 pm Post subject:
I deliberately refrained from posting there, might as well have just waded in....

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Thu Dec 02, 04 5:20 pm Post subject:
Not like you................

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