Stay-Put Rice Pack HOT or COLD

I love this rice pack.  Measuring about 4 1/2" by 24" it has six compartments that keep sections of rice trapped so that you can wear this over your shoulders or elsewhere, and the heat/cold will stay where it is needed.  I have made these for several friends, but only recently started adding in the compartments.  Heavier materials such as this stretchy denim are a great choice as they last longer than simple flannel.  (The kids in my house like to wiggle the rice out of the holes in our old flannel rice pack... we had to say goodbye to that one!)  I place this in the microwave for 1 - 2 minutes for heat that lasts a surprisingly long time.  The kids like to take theirs to bed with them to help fight the winter cold.  I've even thrown these in the freezer and find them very helpful for a quick and gentle means of icing a little ones "owies". 

HOW TO MAKE IT:
I cut one big piece of fabric, if possible, measuring 11" by 25".  I fold it, right sides facing, the long way, aka "hot dog fold" and sew the short ends in place.  I then turn it right side out and decide where my compartment lines need to go.  I'm not a perfectionist, so I often just fold the thing in half and mark the middle line.  Then I add two additional lines on either side of the middle.  I stitch these down, sometimes twice. 

ADDING THE RICE:  Here's where things get a bit wonky and perhaps you can find a better way to do this?  Let me know.  I have my rice sitting next to the sewing machine with a measuring cup marked to the right amount that will fill each compartment to about 2/3 full.  I tend to prefer sewing the first compartment partially shut and then I funnel in the rice.  After shaking the rice away from the seem, I close up the top of that compartment.  Then I fill the next ones in the same manner.  Finally, that raw sewed up edge needs to be folded over twice and stitched down the entire length.  A zipper foot on the sewing machine helps a bit here.

Blessings!