Easy DIY Hand Warmers Using Upcycled Fabric
I’ve been making these upcycled hand warmers for years, and they’ve always helped me to stay a little bit warmer during winter! From Michigan to New York, I’ve always lived in colder climates, and have never had great blood circulation. This is a quick and easy fabric scrap project; they’re perfect to make when you have a day inside!
Gathering Materials and Tools
For this scrap fabric craft, all you need is a piece of fabric that’s 100% cotton. I like going to thrift stores and checking out their linens and oversized shirts, but you can also use an old t-shirt or garment from your closet! As for the inside, I typically use jasmine rice, but I have friends who use cherry pits, which you can find at your local home and garden store (or save them after eating some cherries!). Because I love bullet lists, here’s everything in list form:
A large piece of 100% cotton fabric
Jasmine rice or cherry pits
A sewing machine (or you can hand sew)
Ruler and marker
Scissors
Funnel OR paper and tape
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Upcycled Hand Warmers
First, you need to decide what size hand warmer(s) you want. You can make them as small or large as you want; my personal preference is 8”x5,” a mid-length rectangle, or ~13”x4,” which is perfect to go around your neck.
Next, use your ruler and marker to draw your preferred shape, and leave an inch of one side blank because you’ll need a hole to add your filling later. If you’re using a sewing machine, remember to leave an extra ½” gap on each side for a margin of error. If you’re hand sewing, you’ll want to use a backstitch to make sure none of the filling (rice or cherry pits) escapes. Here’s a backstitch tutorial from Red Ted Art:
The rule of thumb when cutting fabric is to measure twice, cut once. Once you’ve drawn and double-checked your shape, you can use your fabric scissors to cut it out. Before you start sewing, remember that you’re going to be flipping the fabric inside out, so you’ll want to sew with INSIDE of the fabric facing outward. This is done so the stitches won’t be exposed in the final product.
You can start sewing your upcycled hand warmers on all sides, remembering to leave an inch un-sewn. Once all the sides are finished, you’ll invert the fabric by pushing it all through the one inch hole. It might look impossible at first, but be patient with yourself; it gets easier once you get going. You can use your fingers, a chopstick, or the end of a spoon to help push the fabric through.
Once the fabric has been inverted, use a funnel OR create one by rolling and taping a piece of paper, and slowly pour in your filling of rice or cherry pits into the one inch hole. Remember not to fill the fabric all the way to the top! I normally fill it about ½ to ⅔ of the way, leaving space for the inside filling to spread out.
Lastly, I typically hand sew the hole shut for extra assurance, but you could use a sewing machine for this, too. Once that’s done, you’ve finished your fabric scrap project! PROUD OF YOU.
Using Your DIY Hand Warmers
To use your upcycled hand warmers, pop them into the microwave. I typically heat mine for 1-2 minutes, but this can vary depending on your appliance. I’ve had my hand warmers for several years, and only pull them out in the winter… or they’re also handy when you have cramps, or a neck or body ache.
If something gets spilled, I would recommend hand washing ONLY. I’m not a hand warmer expert, so it might be helpful to do a little more research on that!
TLDR — Article Actions and Takeaways
If you’re like me, and you like to “wing” projects, here are the main takeaways:
These hand warmers are easy to make and you can use upcycled fabric from your closet or the thrift store
Remember to sew your upcycled fabric scrap project INSIDE OUT because you’ll be inverting it once it’s sewn
Remember to leave a one inch hole (unsewn) so you can fill the fabric with rice or cherry pits; you can hand sew or use a machine to fill this as the final project step
If you’re more of a video person, here’s our tutorial:
If you end up making these DIY upcycled hand warmers, be sure to tag us on Instagram, @climateclubfriends. And if you haven’t joined the club yet, you can do that here: