Corn Sak For Your Aching Back

Tomorrow is my brother Mark's birthday.  Last weekend when we were in the mountains, he had driven up with his family, but immediately turned around and drove back home because his back was hurting so badly.  He pulled it a few days prior.  He is still ailing, but better.  I made one of these corn saks to add to his birthday gift.

I had to call his wife Monica to make sure I had not already given him one of these.  A few years ago, I made a bunch of these.  I use mine all the time.  I especially like to heat it in the microwave for a good 5 minutes or so, then go put it at the foot of my bed, under the covers.  Then I take my shower, and when I get into bed, and the foot of the bed is roasty toasty warm.  The bag stays hot for a very long time.  It is filled with whole corn.  The corn does not go bad.  And the bags can be heated over and over again.  I also like to add a bit of dried lavender to the bags for a nice fragrance.  When the bag is heated you can smell the lavender. Mmmm.  But I usually only do that for the ladies.  I used to jog in the early wee hours of the morning, and I would heat the bag and set in the seat of my car on the drive to the park.  Not to mention how nice it is for aching muscles too.
All of the bags I have made in the past I have done out of fabric from my stash or that I purchased just for the particular person I was making it for.  Use a fairly durable cotton fabric for best results.  Flannel is nice too.
But this time, I purchased a package of three Christmas cotton tea towels.  I used one of them for Mark's bag.  I cut off the end to make it the size I wanted, and then used the end piece I had cut off, as a handle for the bag.  I have not done this before, and I LOVED the result.  Then I jotted down this little poem to tuck inside the gift bag so he would know what it was, and what to do with it.

For the corn, go to a feed store and ask for whole corn.  Unfortunately, it only comes in a 50# bag.  But it is only about 10 dollars for this.  After opening the bag, be sure to store the rest in snap lock bins or something with a lid to keep it dry.  I happen to live in an area with lots of horses and animals so the feed stores are nearby.  These make a quick and easy, as well as a practical gift.  Try it.   I hope my brother likes his.