EASY Scented "rice-socks" With Scrap Fabric

Whenever someone tells me that they don't know what a "rice sock" is, my first reaction is always one of disbelieving shock. Then I go on to do my best to explain what this superior anomaly is.

Rice socks can be used for any number of things, ranging from a comfort stress object, to being used for hot and cold therapy, placed in a drawer or closet; and my personal favorite, (I beg pardon men) a quick way to sooth and/or ease period cramps.

These are relatively small, and easily hand held, so these are more "hand warmers" or "stress balls" than anything. It was a fun, relaxing craft to do, and a great way to use up some spare fabric pieces you might have laying around but felt bad getting rid of.

If you don't know how to sew, thats okay! Throughout this Instructable I will be giving detailed instructions on how to do what, including pictures and dialogue for you to easily follow along!

I will also pull out several very optional things that can be passed up if unwanted. This is just meant for a cozy fun-time!

Things you might want to have are:

1: Scrap fabric (try for as much Cotton as you can, no synthetic fabrics because they can melt)

2: Thread color of choice (Optional: for decoration and labeling I used two shades of Green and Purple thread)

3: A small needle

4: Scissors

5: Pins

6: Rice

7: Optional: Essential oils of choice (I used Pine and Lavender)

Having worked with so many types of fabric, I have very quickly learned that one can never be too prepared. As a result, I have made it a habit to double thinner fabrics that I am working with, as well as doubling my thread.

In the picture above, the plaid fabric will be on the outside of the rice-sock, and the black on the inside. My reasoning for this is that my plaid fabric is very stretchy and thin, whereas the black is not so much. Not only will this add more integrity in the build itself, but it will also be more protective for sensitive skin if it gets too hot/cold, or if an essential oil accidentally bleeds through the fabric.

So I cut the plaid fabric into the shape and size that I wanted, then made squares from the black fabric the same size, as shown above.

I have doubled my string here, as in I threaded my needle then drew the "working end" down to meet the "lazy end", and show above how to tie them together.

In the pictures I use the terms "Working" and "Lazy" ends. The Working End of any line/string/rope/thread is simply the end that you are guiding the most, while the Lazy End just kind of sits there and doesn't move much, if at all.

An overhand knot is probably one of the simplest, most well known knots of all time. It's a "normal knot", basically the same knot you use to start tying your shoes.

Make a loop loosely around your forefinger, pinch it together between the thumb and index finger on your other hand. When you've slid the loop free, move the working end behind the loop you just made and pull it through its center. If your loop is higher on your line than you would like, you can easily slide it farther down your string. Just know that it will get smaller the farther along you slide it!

With any remaining string after your knot removed, place your two pieces of fabric on top of each other and push the needle through one of the corners.

Whether you pull the string all the way through or not is up to you, but if you find that the knot isn't holding, there are two things you can do.

You can either make the knot larger, if possible, or you can push the needle back into the fabric as part of your first stitch, then slip it between both threads and gently pull it all the way taut. This is also a habit of mine. The knot will lock around the thread, and you are automatically given the starting stitch.

Backstitching, or a form of it, is an intermediate level stitch but one of the stronger ones that I have come to rely on the most. In the first picture, I have showing what the finished stitch will look like on the outside, and then how to do it.

Push your needle through the fabric as far away from the first stitch as you want the length of your stitches to be. I don't recommend making it too long, as the stitch will become looser and less reliable, and will be more susceptible to falling apart. When you have pulled the thread all the way through, place the needle close to the end of the first stitch, but just above it. I do this because if placed in the same end point as the former stitch, the fabric will stretch you'll end up with holes in your fabric where your stitches are.

To finish the stitch just complete this same back and forth process, and soon you'll slip into an easy rhythm!

When you've reached either the end of your string, or the end of the perimeter, it's time to tie off your string so that it doesn't unravel.

I always use two to three knots over each other, because one knot will easily unravel and fall apart.

You can do this by picking a few stitches (in the back, not the front), and push your needle under these stitches. Pull the needle through until there is a loop, then push the back of the needle through this loop. Once the needle is pulled all the way through, you have your first knot!

Do this same process again, pushing the back of the needle through the loop. The reason that I push the back through first instead of the tip, is so that if I don't have enough string to pull the whole needle through, I can just cut the thread off of the needle, pull the needle out, and still have the second knot.

Once the knots are made, cut the remaining thread a short space above the knots.

Whether you choose to embroider both sides is up to you, but I just embroidered one.

I took a medium shade of green for the stem of the lavender flower, and threaded my needle, using the same double thread technique. This time, it's not used so much for strength as it is to make the color pop out more.

I picked where I wanted my stem to start, and made the first stitch the same way I made the first backstitch as shown in Step 3. You can continue to backstitch the direction you want your stem to go, but if you want a bit of a curve in your stem as I have showing, simply do the following.

When your needle is on the outside, push it in as you would for another backstitch, but don't pull the thread all the way through. With your needle now on the underside of the patch, find how far and where you want your stem to curve, then push the needle through in that general area. Move the thread through the loop, and then gently pull it all the way taut.

Then push the needle back through as close to the last place you pushed through as possible. This will make the stitch holding the curve out almost invisible.

Now you are free to continue the length of your stem, and if wanted, you can make leaves the same way you did the curve, just making the two ends of the loop practically on top of each other.

Lavender flowers start out dark at the base, then get lighter the farther up the flower they get.

I am using two shades of purple, and so I started out with the darker one. I threaded my needle with the doubled thread, then pushed it through the middle of (or pretty close to) the stem. Pull your thread all the way through, and then push the needle back through that same opening, and pull it slightly out the back.

Don't pull it all the way through! Leaving a loop, move out at an angle away from the stem, about the angle you want your first petal to be, and go for as long as you envision it. Push the needle through this area, and then move it through the loop before you gently pull the whole of the string through so that there are no loose ends.

Repeat this process for both sides, making the distance that you move away from the stem shorter the higher up you go. Almost halfway up, I switched to the lighter purple and continued this same process to the very top.

Once you are done decorating the outside of your rice-sock, flip both squares over, and pin the outsides of them together. That means the "pretty side" should be on the inside and unable to be seen, while the backs of both pieces should now be facing out. Once this is done, pin them together so that they don't slide around.

Now that the sides are securely pinned, use the same backstitch we've used this whole time to sew the two sides together.

ONLY SEW THREE OF THE SIDES, LEAVE THE FOURTH SIDE ONLY HALF, OR ALL THE WAY OPEN!

This part is very important, otherwise your wonderful creation will not be able to be seen!

Once you are done stitching the outside together, reach into the small space you left open and flip your project inside out.

Now your design is on the outside, and you've got a nice looking edge to your rice-sock!

To match the lavender on the rice-sock, I took some small scrap pieces of fabric, and put ONE DROP of lavender essential oils on it. Make sure you have a protective surface under the scrap fabric, and try not to touch it as much as you can help. Once that is done, place the scraps into the rice-sock.

WARNING: Essential oils are very strong, so more than one drop is typically not needed. Avoid contact as much as you can with your skin, as the oils can burn you!

Now that you have that finished, fill the sock about three-quarters with dry rice, then fold the open ends together and sew them shut!

Make as many as you'd like, and try out new and different scents! Some other scents such as Chamomile, Sandalwood, Bergamot, Jasmine, Citrus, Eucalyptus, and Ylang-Ylang are perfect for different kinds of aromatherapy, and can be used to lower anxiety, stress, and depression. It can also influence calm and tranquility, which also improve mood and relaxation.

This was a calm, mindful craft for me to do, and I hope you had as much relaxed fun as I did! I would love to hear and/or see what you come up with, design and scent wise, and might even be tempted to try out a few of your ides for myself! I hope that this was easy to understand and follow through with, and your feedback is always welcome and appreciated!