Ice Pack Sleeve - A Clever Idea

Okay - this is a gardening blog and this is not a gardening post, but it's such a clever idea I had to write it up anyway!

Our local Volunteer Fire Department and First Responders sent out a call for someone with a sewing machine to stitch 2 seams on face cloths to make sleeves for ice packs.  They didn't care about thread colour, just something to hold an ice pack.  They also said that when they hand them out, they never see them again, so something quick and dirty was needed.  Having recently gotten back into sewing, of course I volunteered!

Our Fire Chief delivered 2 dozen new face cloths to my doorstep and I was set.  I'm lucky enough to have a serger and that makes sewing a pleasure, trimming the seam and binding the edges.

I folded a face cloth inside out and serged the bottom and sides together.  This gave me the sleeve inside out.

I went ahead and stitched the rest of them - assembly line style - and left them to do the finishing when I'd finished the serging.

Then I snipped off most of the tail which would be on the inside bottom of the sleeve and took the tail on the top of the sleeve back into the stitching line with a big needle.

The sleeve was then turned so the stitching seams were on the inside and the ice pack slipped in to make sure it fit.

In 2 short sessions (this was hard work for the serger if not for me!) all 24 were done and ready to be shipped out!

I wish I'd thought of this idea - it's such a simple one.  Face cloths can be picked up very cheaply at thrift stores and can also be found on sales tables in department stores.  You don't need a serger as any sewing machine can sew a simple seam.  And now that I think of it, perhaps this belongs in a gardening blog after all.  I can slap one on sore muscles next time I overdo it!