Simple Winter Sewing by Paisley Hansen

Brrrr ... it's cold outside. It seems we are always looking for ways to beat the chill, from warmer clothes to soft, snuggly socks and blankets. This winter, why not warm yourself (or a loved one) up with a simple DIY fabric project?

Personal Heated Pouch

 

Snuggle up to this rice-filled sack. Once it has been heated in the microwave, it is perfect for soothing sore muscles, or slide it between your sheets to warm your bed before jumping in at night. These instructions will teach you how to make a simple 11x6 inch pouch. However, the directions can easily be modified to create a pouch in any shape you wish. For this project you can use any cotton or fleece fabric. Fleece is especially nice because its ends don't fray when cut, making it easier to sew.
To make the pouch, you will need:

• ½ yard of fabric (this amount can make several pouches)
• 2 lb dried rice per pouch
• Scissors
• Sewing machine or needle and thread
• Straight pins (optional)
• To get started, simply cut two 12x7 rectangles from your fabric.
• Place these pieces together so that the faded sides of the fabric are on the outside. At this point, you may want to pin your pieces at a few places to hold them together.
• Leaving a ½ inch seam allowance, sew around the perimeter of your fabric , but be sure to leave a 3-inch hole in order to turn your pouch inside out and fill it with the rice. Knot the ends of your stitching to keep it from coming undone.
• Turn the pouch inside out. In order to push out the corners, you could use the flat end of a pen or pencil. Once you have turned your pouch inside out, the darker side should now be showing. Fill your pouch with rice. You will likely use the entire 2 lbs.
• To close the hole, tuck the edges inside creating a smooth edge similar to the rest of the pouch. You can sew the hole closed by sewing machine or by hand. Be sure your stitches are small enough to keep the rice inside.
• To heat your pouch to snuggly perfection, simply place the pouch in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes and enjoy!

Fringy Scarf

This cheery scarf takes very little sewing and gives you lots of adorable fringe to keep you colorful and warm. Because it‘s so simple to find fleece online in a variety of colors and themes, this scarf can be made for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day or even for your favorite animal or sports team.
For this project, you will need only:

• ¼ yard of fleece in your favorite color or theme
• Sharp scissors
• Sewing machine or needle and thread
• To get started, simply cut your fleece into 3 strips – 5 inches wide by 5 feet long (4 feet if it is for a child).
• Stack the three strips evenly on top of one another.
• Once you have your strips stacked, sew a single line, by hand or sewing machine, down the entire length of the strips in the center. Be sure to knot the ends.
• Using your scissors, cut 1-inch slits from the outside edge to ¼ inch away from the sew line. Cut these slits on both sides of the sew line through all layers of fleece.
• After you have finished cutting slits from top to the bottom, simply fluff the fringe and you’re all done!

Enjoy the satisfaction of a little more warmth this winter using something you created with your own two hands.
About the Author: Paisley Hansen is a freelance writer and expert in health, crafting and fleece fabric. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading a good book.