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Would You Like this Microwavable Pain Relief Ball?

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good medicine microwavable ball

Judith M. is the winner.

I am having such trouble explaining what this is. I don’t think the brand exists anymore, but I want to say it was called a Good Medicine Ball. I reviewed it years ago and never really use it, so I thought it was time to send it on to someone else who might.

What it is is a fabric ball filled with some kind of fine material (it’s not rice or poly beads, I’m not sure what it is but I think it’s scented, too) that you can heat up in the microwave and hold in your hands for relief from the pain of too much knitting or other aches and pains in your hands.

Or if your hands are always cold like mine are, this might be just the thing to warm and soothe them a bit as well.

If you’d like a chance to win this ball, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, June 25. I’d love to know if you have any tips for cutting down on pain from knitting. I just know I need to stretch a lot and take a lot of breaks, but I don’t always follow my own advice!

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

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Comments

  1. Love the color of this
    medicine ball! Sounds
    like it would be a great
    help.
    Carla from Utah

  2. I would love to have this, I have found that my wrists and fingers hurt during and after I knit. I guess it’s because of cutting hair for 17 yrs ????.

    I love knitting and this would be great to soothe the pain away.

    Thank you for the opportunity to win this.

    Pam Hayes

  3. I usually take project breaks. If I’m knitting, then I work on a crochet project, and visa versa. It seems to help. But I
    mostly power through the pain if it’s not too bad.. 🙂

  4. i have a long sausage shaped one of those called a wheaty bag. its brilliant for helping soothe my fibromyalgia pain! but because its full of wheat and i zap it in the microwave i do tend to whiff like porridge lol!!

  5. I’m so bad about breaks and stretching. Sometimes I just soak my hands in hot water and that helps.

  6. Make sure you put a cup of water with it in the microwave when heating up to prevent the contents burning! I have one with wheat and one with rice.

  7. I would love to have this. I had surgery on my elbow. That would be perfect for the elbow.

  8. I went through physical rehab for 6 weeks after a long intense several months of knitting and crocheting. The repeated small movements had caused pain all the way up to my shoulder. Now I am careful to stretch, stop and do “push ups” against the wall, anything that has larger movements to counteract the smaller movements. This would be great to have to put on the shoulder while doing the smaller movements. :>)

  9. I too am guilty of not taking enough breaks. this would make a nice little reminder to take breaks if it sat next to me while I worked,

  10. hi sarah I made a knitted pair of mitts but eliminated the top so it was open. I knitted pockets on the top side of the hand with little flaps and a button closure. then I sewed 2 pouches to go inside the pockets. I fill them with cherry pits which hold the heat very well plus I threw in some lavender. it works great for me and I hope it works for you.

  11. I usually realize after I am hurting that I need to stretch. I never think to do it before starting a project.

  12. My children are boys. We had thousands of what we call bouncy balls around the house when they were growing up, small very hard round rubber balls. On a table, I roll my hand, particularly the thumb area, over them. Feels great and helps my hand pain alot. This was not my original thought. I found it on a knitter site a while back.

    I would love the pain relief ball for my mother.
    She has debilitating arthritis and we are always looking for new pain relief ideas. Looks hand made?

  15. Oh! It would be wonderful to get some nice relief with a gadget like this after a few hours of intense crocheting or knitting! Please pick me!

  17. Weeding, crafting, quilting takes its toll on our hands. This would be heavenly relief! Thank you for this kind offer.

  18. Ironically, I was just thinking this morning I need 10 heating pads so I can put them on all my joints!

  19. I would love to win this ball. My hands hurt after working with wire for jewelry making. Using pliers and hammers take their toll on my hands, wrists and arms.

  20. I would love to have one of these for my cold and achy hands! They are always cold and ache when I crochet and play with polymer clay.

    Thanks so much for the opportunity to win one!
    Denise Dennison

  21. Several years ago I was crocheting while my grandson was bouncing those small 1 inch bouncy balls. They are made of really hard rubber and bounce pretty high but to the point they bounced into my lap and I started rolling 2 of them around in my hands. To my surprise some of the stiffness and aching went away. So now that is what I use to help with the pain. They are really cheap to buy, only a few bucks for a back of 4.

  22. This sounds wonderful! I have RA but am an avid knitter. My mom taught me when I was 6. I’d love to MAKE one!

  23. When my hands start to ache a bit from knitting I switch to crochet or cross stitch and the different movements seem to help ease any pain.

  24. Love the purple! I squeeze soft, squishy balls at regular intervals. These balls are big, thick balloons filled with dry flour! I also will spread Vicks VapoRub or some sort of Capsacian creme on my hands that gives some refief…

  25. I’ve seen something similar for wrapping around your neck, but it’s too cumbersome for sore hands. What a great idea for stiff fingers. I can even envision tucking it between the sheets to warm my cold feet!

Have you read?

10 Knitted Christmas Bauble Patterns for a Tree Full of Handmade Charm

There’s always room for one more Christmas decoration, especially when it uses yarn you already own. That’s my reasoning, anyway. Those little leftover balls that aren’t quite enough for a hat suddenly look much more promising when you start thinking about knitted baubles.

I love the idea of adding a few handmade ornaments to the tree each year. They don’t all have to match, either. A traditional colourwork ball beside a slightly cheeky Christmas pudding feels far more interesting than a tree where everything arrived in the same box.

These knitted Christmas bauble patterns include flat-knit designs, festive characters and detailed colourwork ornaments. Most are free, with a paid collection included for anyone who wants plenty of designs to work through. Some suit newer knitters; others are small projects for practising skills you already know.

Christmas Baubles Knitted Flat

The free Christmas Baubles—Knit Flat pattern from Tat’sgrans Treasures is worth a look if knitting tiny rounds doesn’t appeal. It includes three sizes and charted words such as Peace, Hope, Love and Joy, worked using intarsia. The flat construction is approachable, although the lettering adds a challenge beyond basic stocking stitch. I’d choose this for meaningful gift ornaments, particularly when one of those words suits the person receiving it.

Christmas Pudding Bauble

The free Christmas Pudding Bauble by Amanda Berry has all the appeal of a festive pudding without anyone debating whether they actually like eating it. Knitted flat in DK yarn, it combines shaping, colourwork and seaming, with a little holly topper to finish. It’s best for confident beginners with some experience rather than someone learning their first knit stitch. At approximately 6 cm tall, it would make a lovely tree decoration or an extra treat tied onto a wrapped present.

Rudolf & Friends Character Baubles

The free Rudolf & Friends Ornaments by Claire Fairall bring a playful touch to a handmade Christmas tree. These character baubles are knitted flat, and the instructions include illustrations for assembly and embroidery. Hobbii lists the pattern as suitable for beginners, making it a useful option for knitters who would rather practise finishing details than stranded colourwork. The finished ornaments measure approximately 8 × 6 cm and would also look cheerful tucked into a handmade wreath.

Cute Christmas Baubles With Little Faces

The free Cute Christmas Baubles from Marianna’s Lazy Daisy Days turn small amounts of DK yarn into cheerful character decorations. Worked flat and seamed, they use simple shaping, stuffing and added facial details to create their personality. They suit knitters comfortable with knit, purl, increases and decreases who enjoy a little assembly afterwards. I rather like Marianna’s idea of using them on the Christmas dinner table before adding hanging loops for the tree.

Rudolph’s Nose Christmas Bauble

The free Rudolph’s Nose Bauble from DROPS Design is a useful choice when you want a traditional ball-shaped ornament. Designed in DROPS Flora, it uses knitting in the round with increases and decreases to create the shape. Choose this if you’re comfortable handling a small circumference and want a project focused on construction. I’d make a few in coordinating colours to bring a little consistency to an otherwise wonderfully mismatched handmade tree.

Merry Mints Bauble

The free Merry Mints Bauble from DROPS Design offers another festive option, this time designed in DROPS Cotton Merino. The instructions include working back-and-forth rows and shaping, so it’s worth considering if you prefer that approach to tiny rounds. Read through the construction before starting and pay attention to the instructions for working yarn overs to avoid unwanted holes. This would be a nice project for a knitter who enjoys seeing a shaped decoration emerge from a small piece of knitting.

Caorann Fair Isle Christmas Bauble

The free Caorann Christmas Bauble by Sarah Berry brings delicate Fair Isle detail to a small ornament. It uses fingering-weight yarn and 2.5 mm needles, with instructions sized for an approximately 60 mm bauble insert. Worked in the round, the design includes both written and charted directions for its repeated segments. I’d save this one for knitters with some colourwork experience who want to make a particularly special keepsake.

A Dated 2026 Christmas Bauble

The free 2026 Christmas Bauble by Smaatterier combines the year with two traditional Selbu rose motifs. It’s knitted in the round using stranded colourwork across the middle, with either fibre filling or a suitably sized plastic bauble inside. The charted design is listed as intermediate and finishes at approximately 6.5 cm tall. This is a lovely choice for marking a first Christmas in a new home, a family milestone or simply another year of making things by hand.

Colourful Christmas Balls From Two Strands

The free Christmas Balls by Mary Ann Stephens are full of colourwork detail, with optional touches such as duplicate stitch and nupps. The designer also discusses I-cord hanging loops, which give the ornaments a pleasingly substantial finish. These are better suited to knitters comfortable following charts and managing several colours than complete beginners. Follow the updated download directions in the post to find the patterns on the designer’s current website.

ARNE & CARLOS Christmas Ball Collection

The paid Twenty-four Christmas Balls 2024 collection by ARNE & CARLOS includes a basic ball pattern and 24 different motif charts. The ornaments are worked in the round using stranded colourwork, with a linked tutorial to help you follow the process. Although the designer lists the collection as beginner level, I’d be comfortable knitting in the round and making increases and decreases before starting. This is the pick for someone who wants a whole collection of coordinated ornaments rather than just one small project.

Choosing Yarn for Knitted Baubles

Small decorations are tempting stash projects, but check the yarn weight before diving into that leftover basket. A thicker yarn can make a much larger bauble, while changing the yarn in a fitted cover may stop it fitting the recommended insert.

For colourwork, choose shades with enough contrast for the motif to show. Two lovely colours can look surprisingly similar once they’re knitted together, especially on something this small.

Smooth yarn also makes it easier to see your stitches. Save the fluffy, sparkly and slightly mysterious leftovers for a pattern where you’re confident they’ll work.

Getting a Nicely Rounded Finish

If your pattern uses stuffing, add it gradually and spread it evenly. You’re aiming for a rounded ornament without stretching the stitches so far apart that the filling shows through. For designs worked over an insert, check the diameter and follow the instructions for when to put it inside.

Give the finishing a little time, too. A neat seam, securely woven ends and a tidy hanging loop help a small decoration feel properly finished.

I’d start with a pair for the tree and one to give away. Of course, once you’ve laid out all those yarn colours, “just three” may become a rather flexible arrangement.