DIY Projects & Crafts Therapeutic Pillow You can make your own therapeutic pad—for your neck, shoulders, or back—with cleaned and dried cherry pits, which absorb heat. By Martha Stewart Editors Martha Stewart Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Website An article attributed to "Martha Stewart Editors" indicates when several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The Martha Stewart team aims to teach and inspire readers daily with tested-until-perfected recipes, creative DIY projects, and elevated home and entertaining ideas. They are experts in their fields who research, create, and test the best ways to help readers design the life they want. The joy is in the doing. Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 28, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: BRYAN GARDNER Heated pits can relieve sore muscles, headaches, and cramps. Before using, microwave the pad until hot, one to two minutes (do not overheat—it can be flammable). The pad also works well as a cold pack: Simply cover it with a resealable plastic bag and chill it in the freezer. For more ideas, scroll through our entire collection of favorite sewing projects as well as bath and spa gifts. What You'll Need Materials Natural fabric (Moda Muslin, in Natural, starting from $6.60, purlsoho.com.) Patterned fabric (Liberty of London Tana Lawn Danjo Pink Fabric, $38.40 per yd., purlsoho.com.) Dried cherry pits (The Cherry Pit Store Dried Cherry Pits, $10 for 4 lb., cherrypitstore.com.) Sewing needle and thread Sheet of paper (optional) Instructions Stitch together two pieces of all-natural fabric, leaving a two-inch opening. Turn the fabric rightside out. Add pits until it's two-thirds full (a nine-by-six-inch pad should hold about one pound of pits), then slip-stitch the pad shut. (Tip: Use a paper cone to funnel the cherry pits inside.) To make a pretty slipcover in a patterned fabric, you can choose one of three simple finishing styles—a slipstitched closure, an envelope-backed closure, or a zippered closure—which all provide nice options for this sewn-from-scratch pillow project. For this streamlined style, the cover is closed with an invisible seam after inserting the pillow form. Because the closure is permanent, the cover is appropriate for this therapeutic pad.