A weighted neck warmer comes in handy when you want that extra dose of cozy as you relax and unwind. This DIY project couldn't be simpler, and is made from none other than leftover scraps of fabric. It's also ingeniously weighted with rice — so it stays put.
One side of the warmer features two opposing patterns, and the other side is all one fabric. The sky’s the limit when it comes to how you could lay out the design of this piece. Why not use eight patterns for the more detailed side? It's a deceptively simple project, too. All you do is measure and cut one large piece of fabric and a series of smaller ones. After a bit of very simple stitching and filling with the scoops of dry rice, voila! You’ve got a neck warmer you’ll reach for when you need draft protection and pampering.
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Materials
- Fabric remnants
- Cutting mat
- Ruler
- Rotary cutter
- Straight pins
- Tabletop ironing board
- Iron
- Bag of rice
- 1/3 cup scoop
- Plastic cup
- Sewing machine
- Fabric remnants
- Cutting mat
- Ruler
- Rotary cutter
- Straight pins
- Tabletop ironing board
- Iron
- Bag of rice
- 1/3 cup scoop
- Plastic cup
- Sewing machine
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Cut out three pieces of fabric using the cutting mat and rotary cutter. Eight should be 3 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches, and one should be 28 inches by 6 1/2 inches.
1. Cut out three pieces of fabric using the cutting mat and rotary cutter. Eight should be 3 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches, and one should be 28 inches by 6 1/2 inches.
2. The smaller pieces should be made from two types of fabric with different patterns, so four pieces in each pattern.
3. Gather two of the small fabric pieces in different patterns. Place one on top of the other, with the right sides exposed, and pin the top horizontal longer edges together.
4. Take a third small piece and pin it to the bottom horizontal edge of the small fabric piece that’s on top. Make sure the patterned sides face each other.
5. Continue pinning the pieces together like this, until you have eight pinned pieces with patterns that contrast abutting each other. The pins should be visible on the underside of the fabric.
6. Sew these small pieces together, removing the pins as you go.
7. Set up the tabletop ironing board and heat up the iron.
8. Thoroughly iron both sides of the fabric strips you sewed together.
9. These sewn-together strips should be the same length and width of the piece of fabric that is 28 inches by 6 1/2 inches.
10. Place the sewn-together strips on the work surface with the top side facing up.
11. Put the large fabric piece on top of the sewn-together strips, right side facing downward and the fabric back facing upward.
12. Pin all of the edges of the two pieces together, but leave an opening on one of the ends for the rice you will insert into the scarf.
13. Sew the edges together but remember to leave the opening on the end.
14. Turn the piece inside out so the right side is exposed.
15. Iron both sides of the piece, paying particular attention to the edges so they’re flat.
16. Put one scoop of rice into the cup and carefully pour it into the opening on the end of the scarf.
17. Gently move the rice down the length of the scarf so it ends up settling at the closed end.
18. To ensure that the rice stays put, pin the edge of that sewn piece along the edge that it shares with the next of the eight small pieces sewn together.
19. Sew the pinned section, removing the pins as you go.
20. Repeat steps 16 to 19 on the remaining seven small sewn-together sections of the scarf.
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21. Pin the edges of the open end together and stitch them shut.