We live in Upstate New York, and winters are cold. One Christmas, I received a microwave warmer as a gift, and it was amazing! The only thing was, it contained corn, which eventually started smelling burnt. I did a little research and decided to make my own rice warmers. The rest is history! Everyone in our family has one, including the kids, who love it when I heat up their warmers.
In the colder months, which seem to stretch on forever here in the Northeast, I use a my microwave rice warmer on a daily basis. My kids liked to use mine, so I made smaller versions for them, which they love during the day, after a bath, and before bedtime. I love snuggling with mine on a cold winter night. These also make great gifts!
I prefer rice over other fillings. I have owned homemade corn warmers that became burnt or put off a strong smell. Rice seems to hold heat well and is easy to work with, plus it is fairly cheap.
Materials needed:
~ White rice (I used 32oz for this project)
~ Fabric (I used a 14″x16″ piece of fuzzy fabric)
~ Sewing machine
Directions:
You can make any size warmers you like, from hand warmers that fit in your pockets, to large warmers that will cover your lap.
Measure and cut your fabric. Your piece should be a little bit larger than twice the size that you want your finished warmer to be. I like using two layers so that there is a slightly thicker layer of fabric.
Fold your fabric in half.
Sew along two sides. In the photo below, the fold is at the bottom, and I sewed along the right side and top.
At the left side, I folded the edges over, so that when I turn the bag inside out, the edges are clean.
I have like to do a double layer of fabric when I use thinner material.
Turn your rice warmer bag right side out, and fill with as much rice as you like.
Sew carefully along your final edge, about 1/4″ or more from the edge. You’re done!
Alternate version: You can also make this bag by sewing most of the edges while the bag is inside out, leaving about an inch open. Turn right side out, use a funnel to fill the bag with rice, and then sew closed the small opening.
Optional: measure your rice into portions, and sew the rice into channels. I have done this with some of our larger rice warmers.
Microwave your bag in increments of 1 minute or less.
Enjoy!
Would love to try this