Five Ways to Reuse Fleece

Homemade fleece clothing is warm, colorful and soft, and often leaves large, usable scraps of the fleece fabric. Instead of throwing away patches and scraps of extra fleece fabric, turn them into fun and usable craft items for yourself or as gifts for the holidays.

Hats Fleece hats are simple enough for the most novice sewer to make. Take a rectangle of fleece fabric that fits around your head and sew it into a tube. Gather one end of the tube and wrap yarn or thread around it to hold it in a bunch. This becomes the top of the hat. Fold up the other end to create the brim of the hat, and add a pom pom or tassel at the top for a design touch. Heating Pads Cut two squares or rectangles from fleece fabric and sew around three sides, creating a soft pouch. Fill the pouch halfway with dried corn or rice. Hand-stitch the open side shut. Place the filled pouch in the microwave for a minute or two to heat the filling. You’ll have a flexible heating pad that stays warm for up to half an hour. Fringed Scarf Cut a long rectangle of fleece to match your coat or hat. Snip the short ends of the fleece in a series of cuts to create a fringe at each end. Fleece won’t unravel, so this no-sew scarf is ready to go. Dog Bed Cut two large squares of fleece and sew around three sides and halfway down the fourth. This creates a pouch with a large opening. Fill the pouch halfway with cedar shavings, like the kind used in hamster cages. Hand-stitch the remaining opening and fluff up the resulting cushion. You’ll have a soft and convenient dog bed that repels any wet dog odors. Reversible Blanket Cut two squares of fleece that measure 3 feet across and down. Cut a 3-inch square from each corner of both pieces of fleece. Make a fringe all around the outside of the squares by cutting from the edge inward 3 inches. Lay one piece of fleece on top of the other. Match up the fringe strings, matching one top string with one bottom string, and tie them together in a square knot. Knot all the strings around the entire edge of the square. You’ll have a double-sided warm blanket, suitable for covering your baby during the chilliest winter weather. Use the same color fleece on both sides, or choose two different prints for a reversible throw.