Winter sewing projects: 14 cozy things to make

The best winter sewing projects are small, warm and useful: a hot water bottle cover, flannel pants, a soup bowl cozy, a cushion for the sofa or a sweater for the dog. Here are 14 ideas with real times and levels from the Sewzy app, from a 30-minute eye pillow to a 3-hour puffer bag. Four of them are free.

TL;DR

• Fastest: Eye Pillow and Sleep Mask, about 30 minutes each.
• Best free start: Envelope Cushion, about 40 minutes, no zipper.
• Coziest: Animal Bottle Cover and Long Cuddle Plush.
• Biggest project: Puffer Bag, about 3 hours.
• Near heat, such as the microwave or the stove, use 100% cotton only. Polyester melts.

Which winter projects can I finish in an evening?

Everything here takes 3 hours or less, and the first eight take an hour or less. The times are the ones listed in the app.

What can I sew to stay warm?

1. Animal Bottle Cover

A soft sleeve with bear, cat or bunny ears, in fleece, minky, sweater knit or boiled wool. It takes ⅜ to ½ yard. Fill the bottle with hot water, never boiling. The hot water bottle cover guide has the sizes and safety notes.

2. Barrel Pants in a warm fabric

Free, in XS to 3XL. The pajama pants guide shows how to sew them as flannel PJ pants for long winter evenings.

3. Eye Pillow

A fat quarter of each fabric makes two pillows. It is a quick way to use up soft scraps, and the eye pillow guide covers the filling.

4. Sleep Mask

Handy for naps on short winter days. A fat quarter of silk, satin or cotton makes the outer and lining, and the sleep mask guide goes through child and adult sizes.

5. Hooded Towel

Bath time is colder in January. This one comes in baby, toddler and kid sizes, with cotton terry, bamboo terry or waffle toweling, and bear ears on the hood. See how to sew a hooded towel.

What can I sew for a cozy home?

6. Envelope Cushion

Free, with no zipper, in 16, 18, 20 and 24 inch sizes. Velvet or a medium-weight linen changes the look of a sofa for the price of ½ to 1 yard. Follow the envelope pillow cover steps.

7. Reading Pillow

A pillow with a book pocket and a handle, in kid, standard and large sizes. Corduroy feels right for winter. See how to sew a reading pillow.

8. Long Cuddle Plush

A long, huggable plush in minky, fleece or velboa, about 19, 30 or 38 inches long. It takes ¾ to 1⅜ yards of 58 inch fabric. It makes a big, soft gift for a child or anyone who likes to cuddle up.

What can I sew for winter cooking?

Soup and casserole season needs kitchen sewing. All four of these rely on cotton, because polyester can melt near heat.

9. Bowl Cozy

Free, in five sizes from 8 to 17½ inches. Use 100% cotton fabric and 100% cotton batting only. The bowl cozy guide has the full steps.

10. Potholder

Free, in 7, 8 and 9 inch sizes, with Insul-Bright and cotton batting inside and bound edges. See how to sew a potholder.

11. Oven Mitt

Three sizes, with Insul-Bright as the heat barrier. It is an intermediate project because of the curves and thick layers. See how to sew an oven mitt.

12. Casserole Carrier

For the potluck season, in 8 x 8, 9 x 13 and 10 x 15 sizes. Every edge is bound, so it looks neat from all sides. The casserole carrier guide explains the layers.

What can I sew to wear outside?

13. Puffer Bag

A quilted bag that matches a winter coat, in Mini and Tote sizes. Nylon, ripstop, velvet or corduroy all work. See how to sew a puffer bag.

14. Dog Sweater

Sizes run from 3XS to 3XL, in sweater knit, polar fleece or French terry. Measure the back, chest and neck first, then follow how to sew a dog sweater.

Two more ideas: if you do not want to sew at all, try a no-sew fleece tie blanket. If you dress a lawn goose, see the winter porch goose outfits.

What fabric should I use for winter sewing?

Common mistakes with winter sewing

• Using fleece near heat. Fleece is usually polyester. It is fine for a bottle cover, but never for a bowl cozy or potholder.
• Skipping the prewash. Flannel and cotton can shrink, so wash them before you cut.
• Ignoring the nap. Velvet, corduroy and minky look different in each direction. Lay every pattern piece the same way up.
• Too many thick layers at once. Use a longer stitch and a bigger needle for canvas or quilted layers, and sew slowly over seams.

Where should a beginner start?

Start with the free Envelope Cushion, then try the Bowl Cozy. The cushion teaches straight seams and careful pressing, and the bowl cozy adds darts and quilting basics. Both make good gifts. For more first projects, see easy sewing projects for beginners, or browse the free sewing patterns and home sewing patterns.