Flax Seed: How To Make Soothing Comfort Packs

Have you heard of the hot/cold packs made with buckwheat, rice, or other grains? They really do work wonders on tired neck muscles, cramping backs, etc., however, there are a few specific differences wer seed flax is lighter weight than the average grain used for making hot/cold packs.

The small seeds will mold around body parts more easily than larger grains. Flax seed’s high concentration of oil means that the pack will hold heat longer, especially in a pocket or under a blanket. Because other grains contain more water they dry out quicker than flax’s oils meaning that the flax pack has a longer life.

My favorite mix for hot/cold packs is to add 1-2 tablespoons of lavender flower seed to every 3 cups of golden flax seed in a glass measuring cup with a pour spout. Relaxing with the flax’s heat and lavender’s fragrance is a special treat at the end of a long day.

Many people find lavender’s scent especially desirable for evenings because it promotes restful sleep. Bear in mind, though, that the brown flax seed has a strong scent that can be a little overwhelming when heated and stick with the popular golden flax when making comfort packs.

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Sewing a cotton square or circle from tightly woven (not gauzy) fabric, leaving a one-inch opening is the best way to begin making the sacks for flax hot/cold packs for soothing comfort.

Also, a loosely formed heart shape is a great neck soother, and a long narrow sack can be wrapped around a knee or ankle. Be careful to use a microwave safe fabric that will not catch fire when heated.

Corduroy fabric is a bonus because it holds the heat in the pack really well. I do not like to use a sock for this project because it is possible for the grain seeds to work their way out of the knitted fabric.

Use a funnel to slowly fill the fabric sack to approximately three-quarters full. Stitch up the one-inch opening. Then make a little pillow case for the filled sack to help keep the sack itself clean. For a child, making a pillowcase out of soft fleece with a velcro closure could be very nice.

No matter what the pillowcase fabric may be made of, do not put it in the microwave to heat with the flax pack. Heat the flax pack sans the pillow case. Remember, too, that flax seed sacks should not be allowed to get wet.

Both flax and lavender have high oil concentrations so only a little microwave heating is necessary. Good care should be taken during the heating process. Experiment with heating by extending the time in small increments.

In my microwave I heat a hand-sized flax and lavender hot pack for twenty seconds on one side and twenty on the other for long lasting heat. Anymore and my hot pack’s flax grain oils are burned. Start with ten-second intervals to test your microwave’s strength.

❤ Three Tips To Remember:

• Be sure not to overheat any flax seed hot pack.

• Remove pillowcase to heat.

• Do not wet flax seed pack but wash only the pillowcase.

Hope you enjoy the warmth and fragrance of your first flax seed sack so much that you are inspired to make more. You can experiment with making some other styles using different fragrances, original shapes, and various pillowcase fabrics.

A wake up call with citrus to keep you warm on a frosty morning’s walk, a cinnamon and ginger fragrance for warming up with a good book--the possibilities are really interesting to think through when you consider the benefits of fragrances in our lives. Just be sure to have fun making, using, and giving them!

While my favorite way to use one is for soothing warmth, don't forget a flax seed pack when cold is needed to help reduce inflammation. Storing one in the freezer is a good idea in case of an injury. The healing benefits of flax seed packs, hot or cold, make keeping them on hand an excellent idea.

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