Reusable Handwarmers

These reusable handwarmers can be heated and placed in children’s’ pockets to keep their hands warm on a wintry day. You can make them in any size and shape you like, but it’s important you use safe materials. Because they’re warmed up via microwave, you’ll need to use microwave-safe materials that won’t smolder, melt, or catch fire. Cotton, flannel, linen, and wool are all safe to use - polyester, rayon, and the like are no nos! If you don’t have a microwave (like me!), you can heat them on a wood stove or radiator. If you go this route, just be sure to keep an eye on them for safety. As always, I love scrappy sustainable crafts and encourage you to upcycle materials when possible. If you have an old flannel shirt or felted wool sweater (that you accidentally put in the dryer!), this is a great way to repurpose it. Makes 2 hand warmers.  

Materials

small piece of carboard

chalk

100% wool felt, cotton, or cotton flannel 

100% cotton embroidery floss 

1/2 uncooked rice 

4 tbsp dried lavender buds (optional)

Chalk or pencil

embroidery needle (or any needle with a large eye)

scissors 

pins 

pinking shears

Directions

1. Place the rice and lavender in a medium size bowl.

2. Trace a shape (circle, square, or heart) on a piece of cardboard to use as a template. Your handwarmers can be as big or small as you like, just make sure they’ll fit inside your coat pocket!

3. Place the cardboard template on top of the fabric, trace it with chalk or a pencil, and cut it out with a pair of scissors. Repeat three times so that you have four pieces of fabric – two for each handwarmer.

4. If you want to embroider a special design on the handwarmers, do so now before continuing onto step 5. 

5. Measure an arm’s length of floss, thread your needle, and knot the end. Starting in between the two layers, push your needle up through the top piece of fabric and pull the thread through until the knot is snugly against the underside. 

6. Stitch around the edge of both layers using backstitch (or a sewing machine). If you’re not familiar with backstitch, you can watch this video to learn how to do it. Keep your stitches close together to prevent the rice and lavender from falling out. 

7. Continue stitching around the perimeter of the material, stopping when you get an inch from where you began. 

8. Using a small funnel (if you don’t have one, you can roll up a piece of paper to make a makeshift funnel), pour the rice/lavender mixture inside the hand warmer. 

9. Once filled, continue stitching around the material until the handwarmer is closed, then tie off the thread between the two layers of fabric and snip it close to the fabric. 

10. To use, place the handwarmers in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute (or on top of a radiator for 30 minutes). Then place one in each of your child’s coat pocket to keep their hands warm. 

Enjoy!