A Guide To Making Home Made Lavender Neck Wraps

By Krystal Branch


Lavender neck wraps effectively relieve pain and tension in sore muscles. Lavender is a herb which can be used to soothe joint and muscle pain. When filled with grain or rice, these herb-infused microwaveable pads conform to the muscles, thus providing greater relief. Many retail and online stores sell these products, but they can be made at home as well. The following steps provide helpful instruction in assembling one of your own.

There are various fabrics you can use for this purpose. Old shirts, towels, wash cloths or socks work nicely. Avoid using materials that contain metallic threads as these can ignite when used in the microwave. A large thick sock is a good choice, since it is already tubular and sewn around the sides.

Measure your neck. You could use a fabric tape measure and mark 0.5 inch extra to cater for the seams. For those unable to measure their neck, use the standard size of 20 inches (52 cm) and 5 inches in width. These are the measurements you will use to cut your fabric.

The chosen fabric is filled with long-grain rice, oatmeal, flax seed or barley. For those using rice, avoid the instant type as it will cook when placed under heat. Choose lavender mixed with other essential oils or spices to attain the scent of your choice. Lavender is not just for the scent only, but also, therapeutic purposes. Leave the mixture in a large bowl for one to two days and stir it regularly for the scent to mix evenly.

Use the measurements taken earlier to cut your fabric into the desired size. Make allowance for the seams. Those using a sock or towel need not go through this step. In case of a fabric with both inner and outer sides, cut into rectangles both the cover and lining material. Make the lining about 0.5-inch smaller.

You will need to fold the material and hold the seams with pins to allow you sew comfortably. You could fold it lengthwise, with the inner side facing out. Sew the length and one end leaving the other open for filling. An alternative is to leave a one-inch opening at the seam of the second end. You could use a machine or a needle and thread. Sew tight stitches that will not allow small grains of rice to pass through.

When using an inner and outer bag, leave an open end in the latter. This is opened regularly when heating the inner bag. Use the one-inch opening to turn the material right-side-out. Pour the scented grain into the inner bag using a funnel to halfway or three-fourths full. This makes your wrap conform properly to the shape of your shoulders or neck. You could sew a zipper on the opening to use it when opening and closing your sack.

The inner bag is heated using a microwave for 90 seconds or till it is warm enough. You can warm at intervals of 30 seconds. The warm bag is then wrapped around the sore muscles on your neck or shoulders for about 20 minutes. Repeat the process until you feel relieved. The fabric on lavender neck wraps ought to be washed and the grains replaced after every three to six months depending on your frequency of use.




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