DIY Hand Warmers

Today, we’re making DIY hand warmers! I hadn’t sewn in nine years, so when I saw this contest, I wanted to challenge myself to sew something from scratch. I found a sewing machine on Facebook Marketplace, gathered some cotton fabrics, and got started. This project took me about 4 to 5 hours to make all six hand warmers, though it can definitely be done faster—I’m just a slow worker! The more I made, the quicker I got. This was such a fun project, so follow along to see how I did it!

Here’s everything I used to make my hand warmers:

1. Sewing machine
2. Cotton thread
3. Cotton fabric (or other microwave-safe fabrics like linen, flannel, or wool)
4. Scissors (Fabric scissors are ideal, but I used three different types of scissors to cut my thread—anything sharp should work!)
5. Zig-zag scissors (optional)
6. Rice (for filling)

The first step is choosing the fabric for your hand warmers. It’s important to use only microwave-safe fabrics like cotton, linen, flannel, or wool. Since these will be heated in the microwave, we need to make sure the fabric won’t catch fire! Avoid synthetic fabrics, as they may melt or burn.

Once you have your fabric, sketch the shapes you want for your hand warmers. You can draw directly onto the fabric—just make sure to have a front and back for each design. You can draw on just one side, but keep in mind that you’ll need two pieces for each hand warmer. I started with two hearts and a star!

Next, cut out your designs, leaving extra space around the edges for sewing. I folded my fabric before cutting, so I could cut both the front and back at the same time. The drawn outline serves as a sewing guide when stitching the two sides together. If you have zig-zag scissors, you can use them to help prevent fraying, but regular scissors work fine too!

If you want to add faces to your hand warmers, now is the time to do it! I used black thread to sew simple eyes and mouths onto mine. How you sew the eyes is totally up to you, but here’s how I did it:

1. Thread a needle with black thread by pulling the thread through the needle’s eye.
2. Fold the thread in a U-shape, with the bottom of the U in the needle.
3. Tie a knot at the top of the U—this keeps your stitches secure.
4. When hand-sewing the eyes, make sure to sew on only one layer of fabric at a time.
5. If you drew a guideline on one side, use that inside-facing side to start sewing. That way, when you tie off and trim the excess thread, it will be hidden inside the hand warmer.

Important: Make sure to use 100% cotton thread, as synthetic threads may not be microwave-safe. If you’re using a different type of thread, double-check that it’s safe for heating!

Now, it's time to sew the two sides of your hand warmer together!

IMPORTANT: No matter which method you choose, leave a small opening unsewn so you can fill the hand warmer with rice later.

There are two sewing methods you can use:

Method 1: Hidden Seam Method (Flipped Inside Out After Sewing)

1. Place both fabric pieces with their outer sides facing inward (so the pretty side of the fabric is touching).
2. Sew along the outline, leaving a small section open.
3. Once sewn, flip it inside out so the stitching is hidden inside.
4. This method gives a clean, seamless look, but when closing the last opening after filling with rice, you’ll need to hand-stitch it shut for an invisible finish.

Method 2: Exposed Seam Method (Seams Left on the Outside)

1. Place both fabric pieces with their outer sides facing outward (so the pretty side is visible).
2. Sew along the outline, leaving a small section open.
3. The excess fabric around the edges will be visible, creating a more rustic, handmade look.
4. To close the final opening after stuffing with rice, you can sew it normally with the machine, since the seams are already visible.

Both methods work, so it’s up to your style preference!

If you used Method 1 (hidden seams), now is the time to flip your fabric inside out. Once flipped, your hand warmer will have the outer fabric facing outward, and the sewing lines hidden inside.

In the last picture, you can see a comparison between the two methods:

1. Method 1 (Hidden seams) The stitches are invisible.
2. Method 2 (Exposed seams) The stitches and edges are visible, giving a more handmade look.

Now, it’s time to fill your hand warmers with uncooked rice! I used Japanese rice, but any uncooked rice should work just fine.

When stuffing, make sure to fill every corner to prevent empty spots. However, don’t overfill—leave enough space so you can comfortably sew the opening shut without rice spilling out. If you're hand-sewing (Method 1), you can get away with adding a little more rice since you have more control while stitching.

Now, sew the remaining opening shut to keep the rice securely inside.

1. For Method 1 (Hidden Seams) You’ll need to hand-sew the opening shut. Use the same technique from Step 3:
2. Thread the needle, fold the thread into a U-shape, and tie a knot at the end.
3. Start stitching from the inside-facing fabric layers, using a zigzag stitch to weave the thread through both sides.
4. Keep your stitches small and tight to prevent rice from slipping through.
5. For Method 2 (Exposed Seams) You can sew it shut with a sewing machine like before, since the seams are already visible.

If you forgot to sew some details earlier—like extra facial features or decorations—you can still add them now!

To do this, hand-sew any last-minute details using the same stitching method from Step 3. Get creative with designs, but remember:

1. Only sew through one layer of fabric—the rice is already inside, so you don’t want to sew through both sides and trap rice in weird places!
2. I kept mine simple by adding extra eyes and mouths to some of the hand warmers that I missed earlier.

For hand warmers made using Method 2 (Exposed Seams), now’s the time to trim off the excess fabric.

I used zig-zag scissors to give the edges a fun, decorative look. It also helps prevent fraying! My star-shaped hand warmer ended up looking like a little ravioli, which made me laugh.

Now for the final test—heating your hand warmers!

I started with 15 seconds in the microwave, and it was warm but not super toasty, so I added another 15 seconds, making it 30 seconds total. This gave me the perfect warmth!

Here are some microwave heating tips:

1. Start with 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on your microwave's power.
2. Do not exceed 1 minute—the rice can get too hot, and you don’t want to risk burning yourself.
3. If you want longer-lasting heat, you can try double-layering your fabric next time for better insulation.

And that’s it! Your DIY hand warmers are done and ready to use.

Tada!! You’re done! Here are my finished hand warmers!

This project was so rewarding, and now I have hand warmers to keep me cozy and to gift to my friends. I hadn’t sewn in nine years, so this was the perfect way to challenge myself and get back into sewing. I even bought a sewing machine just for this project, and I’m so glad I did!

If you’re a beginner like me, this is a great first sewing project—and if you don’t have a sewing machine, you can totally hand-sew it instead!

Thank you for following along, and I hope your hand warmers keep you nice and toasty! These also make great gifts or can be used as a belly or stomach warmer on chilly days.

Good luck, everyone!