Have you ever gone outside on a snowy day for a snow ball fight? What is usually the first thing to get cold and drive you indoors? Okay, the second thing; your hands. These are really simple hand warmers made fleece and rice. You heard me, rice. You could use any other grain you have on hand, but I have rice, so rice is what I used. This Instructable is to teach you How to Make Sewn Hand Warmers. Let’s get started.

Step 1:

Supplies:
Fleece cut into 4-5 inch squares (two per hand warmer)
Thread
Rotary cutter
Cutting mat
Straight edge
Scissors
Sewing machine
Rice (+/- 6 cups)
¼ c, dry measuring cup

Step 2:

Cut your fleece (my fleece was left over from another project). I laid the sleeve out on the mat and using the straight edge and the rotary cutter, cut out squares, and or rectangles. When you cut out two together, they are a matched set which makes them easy to sew together.

Step 3:

You now have a pile of squares to sew, great! Mass production is a fun, plus you will have some to give as gifts (these would make great stocking stuffers).

Step 4:

Set up your sewing machine with matching thread (you could use contrasting thread if you want). Start sewing ¼ inch away from one edge. *As you approach the other end stop, ¼ inch from the end, back up 3 stitches and come forward three stitches.

Step 5:

Leave the needle down in the fleece. Lift the pressure foot and turn the fleece 90°, so that it is going along the next edge. Put down the pressure foot and sew forward 3 stitches, back up the 3 stitches and then sew forward until you are again ¼ inch from the end. Repeat from * around the next corner. This process will reinforce the weakest parts of your hand warmers, the corners. Leave one end open. Now if you want do all the other squares. I will wait for you.

Step 6:

With one end open, measure ¼ to ½ cup of rice, and pour it into the pocket. You don’t want it too full for you have to sew it closed. Once you have the rice in it, sew the last end closed, being sure to reinforce these last two corners like you did the first two.

Step 7:

Trim threads, and make them look neat! Now to activate the hand warmers, as you get ready to go out in the cold, pop two of these babies into the microwave. Turn the microwave on high for 30 seconds.

Step 8:

When, they come out, pop these hot babies into your pockets. Warm pockets = warm hands. See, you will need more than one set, because everybody is going to want some. Enjoy