This is a repost of a fun craft from 8 years ago and perfect for this chilly weather!
It’s our last week of Workshop Wednesday! I can barely believe July is almost over, much less that we’re that much closer to Christmas. But I’m that much closer to being ready for Christmas!
This is a great stocking stuffer idea that you can whip up in no time at all. But you can also make some for yourself! Especially if you use my templates and printables!
So let’s get started on making some Homemade Hand Warmers!
Gather some felt that will work with your hand warmers.
For my templates I have a heart, a football, a ball (basketball, softball, soccer…), and smaller circle, and a top hat. The smaller circle and top hat are for making a snowman!
Click here to download the templates.
Cut out the templates then use them to cut out the felt.
You will need 2 pieces of felt of the same shape for each hand warmer, one for the front and one for the back.
Go ahead and add any extra embellishment you want to add to the felt.
For example: I added white felt to the top piece of my football.
Anything you add will need to be completed by sewing. No glue allowed in this project due to heating the handwarmers!
Match up your two pieces of felt and begin stitching them together.
If your pieces don’t match exactly (see the arrow above!) just trim them down after sewing the two pieces together.
Leave a small area unstitched so you can add the filler.
We’re going to fill the hand warmers with rice!
Make a funnel out of a piece of scrap paper and add the rice a little bit at a time.
Use your finger to push the rice into all of the nooks and crannies inside the hand warmer.
Once its filled (it will take a few tablespoons of rice), go back and finish stitching the hand warmer closed.
For my heart, I finished the stitch outside the felt by tying the thread into a bow and double knotting it so it won’t come apart later after being handled.
I think the snowman may be my favorite! He’s just too cute. I may have to keep him for myself!
You do want to be sure you have two of each (one for each hand!). Of course for the sports themed ones you could mix and match them.
I made some cute printables to include with the hand warmers with directions on how to use them if you decide to make some as gifts.
You definitely want to warn people not to warm these longer than 60 seconds. It will burn the rice and stink up the house… Trust me!
Also, depending on how full you stuff the hand warmers will affect how long the rice will hold the heat.
I used a corner rounder and a little ink to dress up the edges of the printable.
I’m excited to whip up some more of these in other shapes! And, of course, to USE them because it is so darn chilly right now!
>> See where I party! <<
AMAZING!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING…
Why do people keep saying that they will be great in their pockets? What pickets? Aren’t they for inside of mittens?
hmmm? For people that do not wear mittens BUT do put their hands in their coat/ jacket pockets.
When my mother was a little girl walking to school, every morning my grandmother would hard boil 2 eggs, to keep in her coat pockes to keep her hands warm for her walk to school and at snack/lunch time she would eat the eggs.
We are making these, only heating for 30 seconds. Finding rice to be stinky (not burned tho)…..any suggestions? Have added essential oils and loose tea with little success in reducing stink. Using jasmine rice….does long grain or instant smell different?
Hmmm, I used instant rice, Katie, and we did not have a smell associated with it (only if cooked too long and burned). I would suggest trying the instant.
These are so cute, but I’m having trouble accessing the instructions document to print it out…can you repost it somewhere or link directly to a PDF? Thanks!
Hi Kara! I have updated the post with new download links and instructions. It should all work well now! 🙂
Just curious, my hand stitching looks messy, anyone run these up on a sewing machine with success?
Hi Amy! There is no reason you couldn’t run these through your machine. Just stop stitching about a half inch from where you started to leave room to insert the rice. You will probably have to finish it off with some hand stitching though.
My hand stitching looks like a 10 year old made it, could these be run up on my machine?
I made these with fleece and when I took them out of the microwave, they’re wet! Really wet. Is it the fabric I’m using?
Oh no, Sarah! I’m not sure why that would have happened. I did a little research and found that synthetic fleece would be a no-no to put in the microwave (it can melt!), but cotton fleece should be okay. Did you have the warmer in a baggie or anything that cause the warmer to absorb moisture?
These are so much fun! Can I ask what fonts you used for the labels? I love them!
I have a large bag that I keep rice in for aches and pains. Such a cute idea to make smaller ones for your pockets!! I need to make some for myself because I always have freezing hands and feet! And I think the snowman one is my favorite too!!!!
I love these – such a fun idea and just GORGEOUS!!
Lowri 🙂
What a sweet, easy gift. I will definitely be making these for my perpetually cold-handed mother-in-law 🙂
I’d love to have you come link this up on my blog hop: http://www.hideousdreadfulstinky.com/2012/08/eat-make-grow-thursday-blog-hop-1.html
Thank you so much for sharing with us at Someday Crafts. I will be featuring your tutorial tonight on our blog. Please stop back and and grab a Featured at Someday Crafts Button for your blog. Thanks for the inspiration!
What a fantastic tutorial – and a great gift idea! Thanks so much for the printables too!
Football season is approaching fast! Although…these would make great Christmas presents! Thanks for posting!
These are really cute! I love the snowman!
Visiting from the Whatever Goes Wednesday linky party. 🙂
These are adorable!! Hope you can link them up at my trendy tuesday party going on right now!! http://www.sweetlittlegals.com/2012/07/trendy-tuesday-10.html
O so cute! and a fun idea!! totally pinned em!:)
xo
ash
These are so cute! And what a great idea for a Christmas gift.
I would love it if you would share this at the Smart Solutions linky party. You can link up here:
http://theprudentpantryblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/prudent-projects-and-smart-solutions_27.html
Have a great day!
Those look so cute! Didn’t realise it was just rice inside those things. Will definitely be making some handwarmers for Christmas presents!
wow!! lovin these!!!
would love it if you could share these on my link party Serenity Saturday @ http://www.serenityyou.blogspot.com
These will be perfect for my MIL for Christmas! Thanks for sharing the pattern and the great tag!
Michele!
these are so stickin’ cute!
just darling.
xo
kellie
I just discovered your blog and I love it! These are absolutely adorable!
http://www.lovepomgranatehouse.com
Oh how cute and what a great gift idea! Thank you for the printable and templates – I will be making these for the winter! LOVE them.
Oh my goodness – How cute are these?! I love the idea – and I know just who to make them for! Thanks so much for the templates and the printables too – that makes it super easy!
I’ve made larger of these, rice bags we call them, to heat and put on aching body parts when a heat pad won’t do.
Yours are cuter though!
These are such cute ideas for stocking stuffers…or for my daughter’s classmates…or both!
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂