make an adorable heat pack CRAFT:
These cute canine heat bags are perfect for soothing aching muscles, or use one to simply warm up and rela-a-a-x!
1 Enlarge and print out the dog template provided below.
2 Fold your main body fabric in half with right sides together. Place template on top and draw around it. This will give you an accurate guide for sewing along. Cut out, adding a 1.5cm seam allowance (see pic C). You’ll end up with two full dog shapes.
3 For the belly strip, cut two squares of alternative patterned fabric, each measuring 12cm by approximately 12cm (to cover the depth of the body). On two opposite sides of each piece, fold fabric over to form a neat edge, then iron flat. Pin a belly strip to the middle of each body piece, with wrong side of strip facing right side of body, and sew in place down both neatened sides (see pic A).
4 To make ears, fold your third fabric in half with right sides together, trace around the ear template (below) and cut out, adding about 1cm seam allowance. Also cut a piece of felt for each ear (pic B). This will make the ears of your dog more full. Place the right sides of each ear together with the felt on top. Stitch together, using your drawn line as a guide, and leaving an opening where indicated on the template. Turn ears right way out (the felt will now be sandwiched in the middle) and hand-stitch opening to close. Machine-sew ears in place on the right side of each body piece (see pic C).
5 Cut out two nose pieces from felt and stitch onto body pieces along the curved edge as shown on template.
6 Now you’re ready to sew the body pieces together. With right sides facing, pin in place, then sew around the previously drawn template outline. (Make sure you don’t catch the ears in the stitching.) Leave an opening about 12cm wide along the belly. (If this gap is too small you’ll struggle to get the ears and body out the right way.) Before turning out, cut some “v” shapes into seam allowance around the curved areas of nose, tail and paws (see template). This will help the seams lay flat. Be careful not to cut into your sewing. Turn out the right way.
7 Cut out a circle and arch from felt for each of the dog’s eyes and glue in place.
8 Fill dog with around 750g of uncooked rice, adding a couple of drops of essential oil to the rice beforehand, if you like.
9 Hand-stitch the remaining opening to close. Your puppy pal is now ready to heat.