Still in the Valentine’s mode. For this year’s third annual Hearts & Crafts event at work we made heart-shaped pocket hand warmers! These are so fun and useful, and you can make and use them not just at Valentine’s time.

Materials and tools:

• Cotton fabric
• Rice
• Sewing needle
• Thread/embroidery floss
• Scissors
• Funnel or spoon
• Pinking shears (optional)

Cut two squares or rectangles of relatively the same size. We cut ~4-inch x 4-inch squares. Stack one on top of the other with inside sides facing each other. Fold both squares in half and cut a half heart shape along the fold.

Unfold. Thread the needle with the embroidery thread. You’ll use a little more than the perimeter of the heart. Create a double knot at the end of the thread, then begin to sew a running stitch starting from the inside of the heart (i.e. wrong side of the fabric), that way you can hide the knots. Make sure the stitches are fairly small and close to each other. Since we are filling the hearts with rice you want to make sure the rice does not fall out.

Continue sewing until you have about an inch or so of opening left. Fill with rice (you can use a funnel or a spoon to fill the heart), then continue to sew and tie a knot to secure the heart. Trim any excess yarn. Optional: Use pinking shears to add a decorative zig-zag finish (and to prevent excessive fraying).

Co-worker action shots!

To use as a pocket warmer, place the hearts in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. The heart should stay warm for about ten minutes or so. Use them in pockets or just hold on to them. So warm!

Yay!

See Hearts & Crafts 2016 and Hearts & Crafts 2017, too!