Microwavable Mitten Warmers

I know it's a little late in the season for this kind of thing (winter ended just a couple of hours ago here in North America), but I've just finished whipping up some reusable, microwavable, mitten warmers. They are handy things for keeping your fingers toasty while cycling, walking, skiing, and such in cold weather. I have my friend, Ben, to thank for the idea. He's been commuting to work by bike all winter long and a couple of weeks ago he made a pair of these for himself so he could keep his hands warm.

It's a really simple idea. Basically they are just little bags of rice made from scrap cotton fabric. After a minute or so in the microwave, you just pop them into a pair of mittens. They'll continue to give off heat for over a half hour!

My brother-in-law, Orlando, provided me with the funky fabrics & the basmati rice. However, most importantly he lent his expertise with a sewing machine - I've never been able to get a sewing machine to work properly, myself.

I came up with several different styles of these warmers, each pair easier to make than the previous ones. I photographed each step and posted it all at instructables.com in the hopes of winning one of 25 T-shirts they are giving away this month!

RICK