Sewing Tutorial: Charming Hot/Cold Pack

 Here's another project to use up charm squares: a simple pouch filled with rice or similar grains that can be used as an icepack or heated and used at a hot pack.

The red and panda packs are six charm squares each; the blue one is eight with the "extra" two squares cut in half and sewn in between the full-size squares.

SUPPLIES

Six to eight charm squares

Rice, fennel, or other grain--about half a cup per section

I used rice for this one, and fennel for the others pictured above

DIRECTIONS

Sew the charm squares for each side together into a strip. You should have two strips of equal length when you're done.

One strip done, one nearly there.

Put the strips right sides together, and sewn around the perimeter. Leave room for turning--this will also be how you put the grain in.

Turn right side out when you're done.

Now, pour about half a cup of grain into the pouch, and work them down into the far end, opposite where you left the opening for turning. You'll be sewing the first section closed next, so don't overfill it--needles don't like going over hard grains, and will revolt by breaking.

You'll also be top stitching around the perimeter. Don't overfill!

With the grains between two charm squares, sew along the seam between the two charm squares (or wherever you've decided to close off the first section).

See how the section is loosely filled? This is about how it should look.

Repeat for the remaining sections. Finally, top stitch around the edge, taking care to close the opening. Now it's ready to soothe an ache!

Sewing Tutorial: Charming Trivet

 Have a pack of charm squares and need a project? Here's a way to use six of them to make a little trivet to protect tabletops from hot serving pans.

Three charm squares per side

SUPPLIES

6 charm squares
Batting
Insul-brite
Cutting tools: ruler, rotary cutter, cutting board, and iron

For this trivet, I have two sets of three matching squares

DIRECTIONS

Cut four of the charm squares in half diagonally, making eight right triangles.

One side will have the US flag in the center with the stars on the edge,
and the other the reverse

Now cut the triangles to fit against the uncut charm square: center the right angle on your cutting mat and trim so that the hypotenuse (opposite the right angle) is five inches long. You'll be cutting about an inch off the smaller angles of the triangles.

Does that make sense? Like in the picture.

And cut half an inch off the hypotenuse. Repeat these steps for all eight triangles.

Three inches tall, five inches long at the widest part

    
Now sew four triangles to each side of the two remaining charm squares, right sides together.

I have my needle in the default position, and the fabric lined up with the foot.

Iron both sides flat.

And of course, square up the sides if needed.

Layer the two pieces with the batting and Insul-brite: both pieces of fabric right sides together, then batting, then Insul-brite.

Or Insul-brite then batting; doesn't matter

Stitch around the edges, leaving room for turning. Flip right side out, iron, then top stitch.

Stitch along the seams too; it holds the layers together better and looks nice.

Trim any loose threads, give it another press, and you're all set!