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Finished handwarmers on blue background
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DIY HAND WARMERS

Warm their hearts by warming their hands! These DIY hand warmers are made using your Cricut Maker and iron on. The perfect stocking stuffers for the whole family.
Keyword: Hand Warmers
Author: Cori George

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • The seam allowance for this project is 1/4".
    Note about fabric: when making hand warmers, you'll want to choose a fabric that retains heat. The best options for heat retention are fleece and flannel. Cricut Maker can cut both!
    Open and Customize the Hand Warmers in Cricut Design Space
    Start by opening the Cricut Design Space file I've created for you. You'll see there are two sizes of hand warmers—5" for adults and 3.5" for kids. You can resize these if you'd like.
    Cricut Design Space: Open DIY Hand Warmers File in Cricut Design Space
  • If you'd like to choose a different design for your hand warmers, click Images on the left and search for "warm"—a bunch of cute designs come up in the results!
    Cricut Design Space: other options for images to put on DIY Hand warmers
  • Next, you can personalize your hand warmers.
    For this project, the names for our family were typed in using the font Close to My Heart - Artfully Sent. The names were then resized and colored white. When you're sizing the names, make sure you take into account the 1/4" seam allowance.
    Cricut Design Space: Add MOM text
  • Cricut Design Space: change font and color
  • Cricut Design Space: add the other names
  • Once you have everything ready to cut, hit Make It in the upper right. Click Make It in the upper right and you'll be taken to the Prepare Screen.
    Now you'll want to click the "mirror" slider for the white iron on layer. This will ensure that our decals face the correct direction when ironed onto the hand warmers.
    Then click Continue!
    Cricut Design Space: Prepare screen with iron on vinyl mirrored
  • Cut Your Iron On and Fabric
    On the Make Screen, you'll set your material. Depending on which layer pops up first, you'll either:
    Put your iron on shiny side down on the LightGrip cutting mat, set your material to iron on, and insert the Fine Point Blade.
    Put your fabric right-side down on the FabricGrip cutting mat (using the brayer to smooth it down if needed, set your material to the fabric you are using, and insert the Rotary Blade.
    Make sure that you change the blade and material between cuts!
    Cricut Maker cutting white iron on vinyl
  • Hands using a brayer to put red flannel on Cricut mat
  • Weed Your Iron On Vinyl
    Next we're going to "weed" the negative space from around our iron on images. There is an extensive post about Weeding Iron On Vinyl, which you'll want to read—tons of tips and tricks to making it easier.
    Hands weeding iron on vinyl
  • You'll also want to use a pair of scissors to separate the individual iron on decals.
    Hands using scissors to separate iron on vinyl pieces to cut apart
  • Adhere Your Iron On Vinyl
    It's easier to adhere the iron on vinyl before you sew your project. Place your image down on your piece of fabric, and use your EasyPress or EasyPress Mini to adhere the iron on to the fabric. Make sure you remember there is a 1/4" seam allowance.
    Hand using Easy Press MIni to adhere iron on vinyl
  • Sew Your Hand Warmers
    Time to break out the sewing machine! Place your two pieces of fabric right sides together, sewing around all all four edges, leaving a gap of about 1.5" on one side for turning and filling your hand warmer.
    Hands sewing around the edge of the DIY hand warmer
  • Clip the corners.
    Hands clipping the corners of the inside-out DIY handwarmer
  • Turn your hand warmer right side out and press (the Cricut EasyPress Mini works so well for this!). You may want to cover the hand warmer with a piece of cotton fabric to protect the iron on vinyl.
    Reversed hand warmer being ironed with EasyPress Mini
  • Using a funnel, fill the hand warmer with rice.
    Hands using funnel to fill the DIY handwarmer
  • Then tuck the edges in and pin the hole closed.
    Hands pinning the hole closed on the hand warmer for stitching closed.
  • Sew a 1/8" seam to close the hole.
    60 seconds in the microwave gets these hand warmers up to the perfect temperature for cold hands! Tuck in a coat pocket for a walk, or use to warm up after being outside in the cold. We've heated them up dozens of times and that iron on vinyl is still perfectly adhered! Really impressed.
    These DIY hand warmers also make a perfect stocking stuffer. Make one for each member of your family and show that Santa cares about warm hearts AND warm hands!
    Finished handwarmers on blue background