Make a Vicks VapoRub Rice Bag and a Free Monster Rice Bag Cover

Everyone knows that a little Vicks VapoRub smoothed onto a kid's chest can help ease a cough and clear up a stuffy nose. But some kids (and some adults too) don't like the sticky stuff smeared on their skin. And some grown-ups are concerned about using a petroleum jelly-based rub.

I recently had a major Mom-lightbulb-moment. I make rice bags for bedtime - usually scented with orange oil, cinnamon stick and cloves. I will sometimes put one on my "I don't like sticky stuff on my skin" daughter's chest to help ease a cough and soothe her to sleep when she's sick. What if I make a special rice bag for sick times and scent it with the aromatics in Vicks VapoRub?

Awesome - if I do say so myself. Cue the chorus and trumpets please. :-)

Here's what to do.

Download this free pattern to make a rice bag. Don't worry, it's super easy - all straight lines and no handwork.

The pattern calls for 2 1/2 cups of rice. Before you put the rice in the bag, stir in 20 drops of eucalyptus oil and 20 drops of rosemary oil. I get my essential oils at Greenlife grocery - which is a division of Whole Foods. They have a health and beauty section off to the side.

Put the rice in the bag and sew it closed. Ta daa!

The smell will be very strong at first - keep it stored in a ziplock bag to help preserve it. After a couple of months it will seem like it's lost its scent, but microwaving will bring it right out again.

Microwave at 1 - 1 1/2 minutes (depends on the strength of your microwave and how hot you like it) and lay it on your child's (or your) chest. The warmth will help soothe a cough, and the aromatics will help clear a stuffy head. No stickiness needed. :-)

For extra comfort - sew up this rice bag cover.

It's a free pattern available over at Sew, Mama, Sew! - designed especially to fit the rice bag in the pattern. Sometimes having a special critter like this monster to help scare their cold away does as much good as the aromatics and the chicken soup. :-)

Happy sewing! And to everyone fighting the cold and flu this season - get well soon!

Best,
Wendi