Lavender heat & cold pads : Staple of our winters & nights

Lavender heat pads : Staple of our winter & nights

How to make your own rice & lavender heat [ads this winter in a few easy steps... and a few pointers if like me you decided to add some hand carved lino prints to the fabric. Welcome to my first "how to" blog. As the days are shortening, mornings & evenings are slowly getting a bit cold, so I had an idea to carry the scent of summer with me, but start bracing for the cold winters.

Heat & Cold pad - Lavender block print

Where did the idea came from?

As autumn approaches, I dread the cold mornings during my commute, school runs, or going to the gym. Everyone has their unique morning rituals! Maybe you walk the dog come rain or shine? That's why I thought of creating something compact that you can quickly warm up in the microwave and slip into your jacket pocket to extend that cosy feeling from home just a little longer. Lavender is well-known for its soothing properties. The combination of the heat pad's warmth and the lavender scent reminiscent of sunny summer days is the ideal way to ease into the autumn season.

How to make one?

Creating a heat pad is quite straightforward. You'll need two squares of fabric stitched together, stuffed with a blend of rice / wheat and lavender. The real challenge lies in block printing on fabric for the first time. If you've read enough blogs, Instagram, and Pinterest posts on the subject, you'll understand it can be somewhat unpredictable. If this is new information, consider yourself warned. I'm here to offer some tips..

Step 1: Prepare your fabric

Selecting cotton or linen fabric is crucial. These natural fabrics ensure that the ink adheres well and lasts longer. It's also important to pre-wash the fabric to remove any shop residues and to allow for any shrinkage.

Step 2: Draft a design with pen & paper. 

I wanted a lavender inspired print to complement the scent but you could use any design you like. Draft it on transfer paper using 3B/5B pencil (thick) and then rub the back of your design whilst laid onto the lino block. It will transfer the drawing. It is not so important for flowers, but remember that as you stamp drawings are mirrored, so any writing will need to be drawn mirrored in order to print in the right direction.

Step 3: Take the plunge and carve

I have experimented with various lino materials, ranging from traditional grey hessian-backed lino to pink speedy carve lino. Based on my research, the pink speedy carve lino is superior for fabric printing.

With your sharpest tools, or a starter kit from Esdee as in my case, carefully carve your design, removing all extra material and do regular checks. It is easier to carve more if you are not happy, than to try and put some back on. I often use a Sharpie to go over my block as I carve to ensure the design is clear, contrasting, and detailed enough. Alternatively, you can perform some test prints on paper while carving. 

Step 4 : Print & Patience

I have tried a few different printing ink since I started:

• Speedball Fabric paint for block printing works really well if you have the patience to wait the recommended drying time (roughly 7 days) ;

• Speedball Fabric Screen Printing Ink is more runny but gives really good coverage. It is dry to the touch quite quickly but then needs to be heat set by ironing for a few minutes.

When I started with this design, I didn't have a press (though I've treated myself since). For small designs like the size of your palm, a hand barren or the flat side of your had works quite well to apply pressure and ensure the design is well transferred onto the fabric.

For a larger design, think tote bag format, I would probably rely on a press to ensure the ink is transferred evenly all across the fabric. When I started I also relied on my kitchen rolling pin! Anything you have that can help you to apply even pressure. It is quite difficult to obtain consistent prints with a hand barren but I find this is part of the magic and beauty of 

linoprint. Each print, each rendering is different. 

Step 5 : Assemble the heatpad

After much drying patience ( recommendation from Speedball for their fabric ink is to wait 7 days for it to dry fully), sew together and fill with a mixture of rice, wheat and lavender and here you have it, 10 beautiful bags!

Finally, enjoy your heat pad

Pop it in the microwave for a min or two and enjoy the heat and soothing smell. Lie in the sofa, close your eyes and dream of summer days in La Provence or UK Lavender Fields...

If this was all too much and you'd rather buy ready made bags for now, please head to the shop. Any questions, please leave a comment and I'll get back to you asap.

Thanks

Anne