Cold/ heat packs, wheat bags, rice bags, hand warmers Design Ideas

Today I'm experimenting with couple of felting techniques like needle felting and felting appliqué. My design idea is to create unusual, unique personalized hand warmers or if you prefer cold/ heat pack or rice bag, wheat bag. I really like the product from WormeWoole on Etsy they are really cute and I think something like that will go very nicely with my products that are Muffs hand warmers and bags MKT Design muff bag owl. So I experiment and here is my journey:

Hand stitched felt shapes Owl fox and more filled with rice....

Very nice shape and all. BUT... heats nice and stays warm for long time, cooling: bad... doesn't stay cool, felt prevents it from getting really cold even if in freezer couple nights.. Other issue is hand stitching, looks lovely but takes really long time with the details and all.
Conclusion: Price point too expensive, doesn't stay cold:(

Needle felting: Felt on felt: tried to needle felt my pre cut shapes to a larger piece of felt...ok attached nicely it isn't that sharp as the hand stitched shapes and the greatest disappointment is: try pulling on the edge of attached piece to see if is secure and guess what? it all came out... No No for needle felted owl design on my heat packs!:( what a shame

BUT.. here is a pleasant surprise... tried a loose merino wool floss or other and love the thing you can do with it.. like a letter and you wont be able to pull this out;) Will need to incorporate that in my design... I've tried to write something...
-unfortunately my skills aren't advanced enough and one letter that was nice I've made by mistake :P heh

 

and love the simple 3D shapes, had some flower shapes cut out from felt and decided to play with it too.. and have a look-see... started from the middle and got pretty little 3D flower sticking out... this will be nice for e.g. hair clips or hair bands or something?
Conclusion:needle felting maybe nice for some but for me isn't working unless the 3d shapes. who knows future projects??..

Last but not least machine sewn felt shapes: ok I think it looks good, I've tried appliqué on bigger piece and also cut out shape and can manage to make both with pleasing results...

 

 

how to make them into a heat/cold pack?

 

 

attached them to a 100% cotton fabric, one with nice designs and voila! cotton is better for cold packs and felt at the front better to keep warmth. Plus got unusual and personalized designs.

 

Conclusion:Job well done, if I may say so myself;)

Now need to make a variety of stock and include them in my Etsy and Folksy shop!

Owls

For the last weeks, months or so I got crazy about owls!!! Don't know what's whit them but they are so adorable in all form. Currently I have owl earrings, owl ring, owl bracelet. Cannot get enough of them!

As a designer I saw an opportunity there. If I love owls so much and could get a hand on some owl accessories that must mean there should be more owl funs out there! After much deliberating and designing I came up with stunning owl design! I started my business making muffs- a hand wormers that were worn in the winter by lovely Victorian ladies. unfortunately you don't see them so often now. I've made few different styles over the past couple of years. They include pocket that can store all your essentials including wallet, they keep you worm and best of all you will never loose your gloves any more!! MKT Design website

OK. My business history aside, Owls! So here it is an Owl adaptation of muff bag, hand warmer.

Get an Owl for yourself