Baggin' Beans

I had a spare 30 minutes yesterday, so I whipped out the sewing machine to complete a custom order of bean bags for my husband's baseball team.  My husband uses the bean bags to teach catching fundamentals to 6-8 year olds.  Some are playing ball for the first time, and others just need a little training on the proper way to catch.  My hubby has them take off their glove and throws them a bean bag in different locations so they can learn to move their glove arm the right way to catch a ball.  Why bean bags?.......Because kids aren't scared of getting hit with a sack of beans.

I went to my trusty scrap pile and found this sturdy material.  I made two different sizes of bags.  The bigger ones are cut from 6"X6" squares. ( The little one was just 4" square. )  I sewed them right sides together with a 1/2 " seam.  Next I made a 5"X5" muslin sack to sew the pinto beans into.  Then I put the muslin sack of beans into the outside "shell" of camo fabric. I think it makes the bean bag a little more durable....because we all know that 15 young kids can terrorize anything in a matter of moments. 

And because I had extra time left, I decided to make two hot packs for my husband and I.  I happened to have two scraps of fleece from a project I made a while back, so I sewed the rectangles into two long tubes.  Then I sewed up one end, filled them with wheat berries to the desired fullness, and sewed the other end of the bag up.  NOTHING TO IT!!!

These hot packs can be heated up in the microwave for about 2 minutes, and they hold their heat for over an hour.  I like to wrap them around my neck when my shoulders are sore, but they can be used anywhere.  They're also great for warming up the kid's beds in the winter months.  They can be filled with rice, corn, or wheat, and you can add lavender or other scents to them.

I think they would make a very inexpensive gift for someone recovering from illness, or anyone living in a cold climate.  And they couldn't be easier to make! These will be the perfect beginning sewing project for my oldest daughter.