How To Make Hand Warmers

These heart shaped hand warmers are super easy to make. Plus, who doesn’t love anything heart shaped and miniature in size?

It is crazy to think that I first shared this post 10 years ago. To see the original post, please click here.

The last few weeks have been particularly cold, even here in Atlanta. Why not make a bunch of these hand warmers for all your loved ones? I live in Atlanta and the weather has been quite cool. My son plays a lot of soccer, so these hand warmers are perfect to pop into a pocket and hit the outdoors.

Materials Needed:

1. Cotton fabric – this is a great scrap fabric or fat quarter project
2. Sewing machine and sewing supplies
3. Different thread colors
4. Bag of rice
5. Pen and paper
6. Iron and ironing board
7. Funnel

Need help looking for fabric? Try the Fat Quarter Shop. I buy most of my fabric at this online destination.

This is the perfect place to start if you don’t have fabric in your sewing stash and/or want a sample of different fabric colors or patterns. Try one of their precut bundles, here are a few that I really like:

• Fat Quarter Bundles (one fat quarter is 18″ x 21″)
• Fat Eighth bundle (one fat eighth is 9″ x 21″)
• Jolly Bars (one piece is 5″ x 10″)
• Layer Cakes ( one piece is 10″ x 10″)

Let’s get sewing!

Here are the sewing steps:

Step 1 – First, draw a small heart shape approximately 4″w x 5″h. Cut out 2 hearts for each hand warmer.

Step 2 – Second, place the fabric pieces right side together and pin. Place into sewing machine and stitch together with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Leave a 1/2″ – 3/4″ opening for the rice.

Step 3 – Next, press seams with an iron. Clip into seam allowance at curves and trim bottom tip. Also remember to clip into the “V” at the meeting point of the top curves.

Step 4 – Turn right side out.

Step 5 – Roll and turn the opening seam allowance under 1/4″.  Press again with a hot iron.

Step 6 – Place funnel into opening and pour rice into heart. Leave enough room to have rice jiggle around. Do not overload the heart.. This is important, as you need enough room to place the heart into your sewing machine and stitch the opening closed.

Step 7 – Last step, pin the opening closed. This holds the rice in place while closing the opening. Machine stitch closed. Remember to back stitch at each end.

That’s it? Now, you have cute little hearts to warm your pockets. Why not place a few in your partner’s pocket on Valentine’s Day?  

Important Note / Disclaimer:

All microwaves heat differently, so be sure to read your microwave directions for times + settings before heating these little guys. Stay near your microwave and keep an eye on everything going on inside the microwave. These little hand warmers can get hot, so be super careful with how long to heat them for. Be extra careful when you take out of the microwave or hold them or place into a pocket.

***DO NOT: Chose metallic fabrics for this project and double check the settings on your microwave before beginning this project.

Need another sewing project??

Don’t want to make hand warmers? Use this tutorial as inspiration and make heart shaped bean bags, heart shaped scented sachets or cute little heart pillows…

Need another heart shaped projects – Try this one – Heart shaped burp clothes tutorial

Happy Sewing.