Tutorial: How to Make Simple Stretch Hand warmers (with thumb holes)
This tutorial will teach you how to make cozy hand and arm warmers that keep your fingers free to type or do whatever you need to do. These arm warmers are made using remnants of stretch knit fabric so they can fit snuggly around your arms. You can download the pattern for free using the link below and follow along with the step-by-step instructions.
This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. That being said, I encourage you to use your local sewing shop whenever possible, or to look for supplies second hand.
Supplies Needed:
Pattern includes:
(all of my patterns include 1/2″ seam allowance)
Step 1
Fold the arm warmer in half and sew
Fold the arm warmers in half with right sides together. Stop sewing and backstitch at the dots to leave a gap in the seams for the thumb hole. After sewing, turn the arm warmers right-side out.
Step 2
fold the upper and lower bands in half and sew into a loop
With right sides together, fold the upper and lower bands in half and sew to create loops. Leave a small 1/2 inch gap on one side of each band so that you can insert elastic later (see image below).
Step 3
Fold the bands in half lengthwise
Fold all of the band in half lengthwise and press the crease. The hole (from the previous step) should be on the inside of the band. From here, the side with the hole will be the wrong-side and the sewn side will be the right side of the band pieces.
Step 4
sew the bands to the top and bottom of the arm warmer
Position the bands with the arm warmer so the lower bands are on the thumb side. With right sides together, line up the bands around both sides of the arm warmer and sew. After sewing, press the bands away from the arm warmer.
Use a zigzag or lightning bolt stitch here. This will allow the seam to stretch without snapping the thread.
Step 5
insert elastic through the holes in the bands
Cut four 9 inch pieces of elastic and insert each of them into the upper and lower bands. Sew the two ends of the elastic together in a loop, and sew the holes in the bands closed.
Using the elastic here is not meant to gather the fabric like a casing typically does. Instead, it will stretch with the fabric and help keep the bands from stretching out and becoming too loose over time.
Finished!
