These repurposed denim coat-pocket-sized hand warmers are perfect for kids or adults alike! And they’re easily made using repurposed denim scraps, long-grain rice and a few drops of essential oil.
A few seconds the microwave and then tucked into coat pockets, they offer comforting warmth on a cold day.
(Note: Links preceded with * are affiliate links. If you click and buy something I could receive a tiny commission.)
RancherMan & I wanted to make coat -pocket sized hand warmers for our grandchildren to keep their little hands warm during the chill of winter.
But first I needed to decide a few things:
I thought about flannel or fleece material for their soft fluffy qualities. And I also considered using felt to be sewn rustically with fun contrasting-colored embroidery thread.
But in the end, I decided to repurpose the rugged denim fabric from RancherMan’s old worn jeans.
I love that durable denim material. Plus our grandson can feel comfortable carrying these hand warmers in his pockets because denim is plenty manly!
Making these repurposed denim hand warmers was an easy project for RancherMan & me. And they make a great gift idea too!
Pocket-Sized Hand Warmers (Child sized @ approximately 4″x4″)
By cutting the fabric into 4″ x 8″ sizes I was able to fold the fabric over and only sew 3 sides.
Plus the finished size would be about 4″ x 4″. (less the seam of course). That would be the perfect size for our grandbabies’ hands!
But soon cutting this much material with scissors began frustrating RancherMan.
Then I remembered that we had these *Black & Decker electric scissors. So I charged them up & told RancherMan to give ’em a try.
He swapped out the manual scissors for the electric ones and was amazed! They cut through the fabric like butter. All he had to do was push the button & guide the scissors.
He exclaimed “Dang, this is like a power saw for fabric!” LOL
I pinned the fabric right-sides together and sewed a small 1/4″ seam along the edges, leaving about 1.5″ at the end to fill the hand warmer.
Using the rounded end of a metal kabob I pushed the inside of the hand warmer through the hole I’d left so the right sides were now facing out. I’m left with a sewn square with a small 1.5″ opening.
Using a funnel with the tip placed into that small hole I scooped up 1/2 cup of long-grain rice and poured it into my hand-warmer.
Then I tucked the unsewn edges inside, pinned them together and back to the sewing machine to sew that tiny section shut and VOILA!
Since these child-size pocket warmers were such a hit with the grandkids, I made several slightly larger pocket-sized hand warmers for myself & other family members and friends.
With a blue permanent marker pen I’ve decorated the hand warmers in different ways; the grandkids’ initials, an outline of a tractor for my father, a dragonfly for my mother, a cute snowflake etc.
All of the decorative design was simply done with a blue permanent marker pen.
To warm them just pop these little warmers in the microwave for a few seconds. Then tuck the heated hand warmers into your jacket pockets.
IMPORTANT: Microwaves vary & you don’t want to burn little hands!
A touch not hot enough is MUCH better than TOO HOT!
These pocket warmers usually stay toasty for about 20-30 minutes, perfect for walking to the bus stop or heading out to play on a chilly day.
Some of the rice in these hand warmers were scented with essential oil. I poured some long-grain rice into a container & added about 10 drops each of lavender, lemon and peppermint essential oils.
Then I stirred the rice and closed the container to let the rice take on that delightful aroma for about 24 hours.
Lap Warmer: I also made a larger 10″ to 12″ sized warmer for my sweet always-chilly mom. She would warm it in the microwave, set it in her lap and cover with a lightweight lap throw while she was sitting in her chair.
The lap throw kept the warmth close to her and the larger lap-warmer rice bag offered her slow, comforting heat on those chilly days.
She loved that lap warmer so much that I’ve since made several as gifts, and one for myself too!
Y’all know RancherMan & I like to make homemade gifts. To us, it’s just so much more personal.
We’ve made many different homemade gifts over the years, they’ve all been well received.
But these cute and functional denim/rice warmers were loved & provide warmth and comfort during those cold months.
~TxH~
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A few seconds the microwave and then tucked into coat pockets, they offer comforting warmth on a cold day.
Table of Contents
- Choosing Fabric To Make Hand Warmers
- How To Make Denim Hand Warmers
- Fabric-Cutting Shortcut Tip
- Sewing Denim Pocket Warmers
- Filling Denim Hand Warmers With Rice
- Personalized Designs Using Permanent Marker
- Microwave Rice-Filled Pocket Warmer For Heat
- Scenting The Homemade Pocket Hand Warmers
- Other Denim/Rice Warmer Idea: Lap Warmer
- We Prefer To Give Homemade Gifts
- Repurposed Denim Crafts
- Our Favorite Crafts & Projects
- See All Crafts
(Note: Links preceded with * are affiliate links. If you click and buy something I could receive a tiny commission.)
Choosing Fabric To Make Hand Warmers
RancherMan & I wanted to make coat -pocket sized hand warmers for our grandchildren to keep their little hands warm during the chill of winter.
But first I needed to decide a few things:
- What kind of fabric should I use?
- What shall I use to fill my pocket warmers?
- Should I scent them or not?
I thought about flannel or fleece material for their soft fluffy qualities. And I also considered using felt to be sewn rustically with fun contrasting-colored embroidery thread.
But in the end, I decided to repurpose the rugged denim fabric from RancherMan’s old worn jeans.
I love that durable denim material. Plus our grandson can feel comfortable carrying these hand warmers in his pockets because denim is plenty manly!
How To Make Denim Hand Warmers
Making these repurposed denim hand warmers was an easy project for RancherMan & me. And they make a great gift idea too!
Pocket-Sized Hand Warmers (Child sized @ approximately 4″x4″)
- Cut repurposed denim into a 4″ x 8″ strip for each hand warmer
- Fold ends together inside out & pin
- Sew open edges except the final 1-1/2″ with a small 1/4″ seam
- Turn hand warmer right-side out through opening
- Fill hand warmer with 1/2 cup rice, scented with essential oil if desired
- Tuck open section so that final edge is straight
- Sew open section closed
By cutting the fabric into 4″ x 8″ sizes I was able to fold the fabric over and only sew 3 sides.
Plus the finished size would be about 4″ x 4″. (less the seam of course). That would be the perfect size for our grandbabies’ hands!
But soon cutting this much material with scissors began frustrating RancherMan.
Fabric-Cutting Shortcut Tip
Then I remembered that we had these *Black & Decker electric scissors. So I charged them up & told RancherMan to give ’em a try.
He swapped out the manual scissors for the electric ones and was amazed! They cut through the fabric like butter. All he had to do was push the button & guide the scissors.
He exclaimed “Dang, this is like a power saw for fabric!” LOL
Sewing Denim Pocket Warmers
I pinned the fabric right-sides together and sewed a small 1/4″ seam along the edges, leaving about 1.5″ at the end to fill the hand warmer.
Using the rounded end of a metal kabob I pushed the inside of the hand warmer through the hole I’d left so the right sides were now facing out. I’m left with a sewn square with a small 1.5″ opening.
Filling Denim Hand Warmers With Rice
Using a funnel with the tip placed into that small hole I scooped up 1/2 cup of long-grain rice and poured it into my hand-warmer.
Then I tucked the unsewn edges inside, pinned them together and back to the sewing machine to sew that tiny section shut and VOILA!
Personalized Designs Using Permanent Marker
Since these child-size pocket warmers were such a hit with the grandkids, I made several slightly larger pocket-sized hand warmers for myself & other family members and friends.
With a blue permanent marker pen I’ve decorated the hand warmers in different ways; the grandkids’ initials, an outline of a tractor for my father, a dragonfly for my mother, a cute snowflake etc.
All of the decorative design was simply done with a blue permanent marker pen.
Microwave Rice-Filled Pocket Warmer For Heat
To warm them just pop these little warmers in the microwave for a few seconds. Then tuck the heated hand warmers into your jacket pockets.
IMPORTANT: Microwaves vary & you don’t want to burn little hands!
A touch not hot enough is MUCH better than TOO HOT!
These pocket warmers usually stay toasty for about 20-30 minutes, perfect for walking to the bus stop or heading out to play on a chilly day.
Scenting The Homemade Pocket Hand Warmers
Some of the rice in these hand warmers were scented with essential oil. I poured some long-grain rice into a container & added about 10 drops each of lavender, lemon and peppermint essential oils.
Then I stirred the rice and closed the container to let the rice take on that delightful aroma for about 24 hours.
Other Denim/Rice Warmer Idea: Lap Warmer
Lap Warmer: I also made a larger 10″ to 12″ sized warmer for my sweet always-chilly mom. She would warm it in the microwave, set it in her lap and cover with a lightweight lap throw while she was sitting in her chair.
The lap throw kept the warmth close to her and the larger lap-warmer rice bag offered her slow, comforting heat on those chilly days.
She loved that lap warmer so much that I’ve since made several as gifts, and one for myself too!
We Prefer To Give Homemade Gifts
Y’all know RancherMan & I like to make homemade gifts. To us, it’s just so much more personal.
We’ve made many different homemade gifts over the years, they’ve all been well received.
But these cute and functional denim/rice warmers were loved & provide warmth and comfort during those cold months.
~TxH~
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Tagged in
Repurposed Denim Crafts
- Pocket-Sized Hand Warmers
- Repurposed Denim Pocket Coasters
- Game Bags Made From Repurposed Denim
- Repurposed Denim Baskets
- Cute Denim Purse-Styled Casserole Carrier
Our Favorite Crafts & Projects
Outdoors & Garden
- How To Build A Birdhouse Using A Fence Plank
- Make A Dragonfly Rock Garden Accent
- Painting Rocks To Look Like Strawberries
- Fun, Customized Cornhole Game
- MYO Backyard Tossing-Game Bags
- How To Paint A Texas Flag Gate
Home Décor
- Arrowhead Cross Collage In Shadow Box Frame
- Rustic Reclaimed Barn Wood Headboard
- Old Barnwood Wall Photo Feature
- Homemade Barnwood Mirror
- Cute Flannel Pillows Using Flannel Shirts
- Make An All-Natural Air Freshener
Misc
…and many MORE!
See All Crafts
C’mon by & sit a spell! Come hang out at our Facebook Page. It’s like sitting in a front porch rocker with a glass of cold iced tea. Lots of good folks sharing! You can also follow along on Pinterest, on Twitter or on Instagram.
If you’d like to receive an email each time a new blog post goes live it’s EASY to
subscribe to our blog