It’s sooo cold here in Sydney at the moment!
I’ve been sewing polarfleece sacks to snuggle up in. They take less than half an hour to make and I find them much warmer than a regular blanket – the bottom is sewn into a pocket that keeps feet extra toasty.
These are very simple to make once you can work your head around boxing the base. I don’t bother with hemming the edges as fleece doesn’t fray, but you could easily do so if you’d prefer a neater finish.
I wrote a detailed tutorial in 2009, but it’s buried in the archives, so I thought I’d repost it here. This was my first (and last) attempt at drawing diagrams with Microsoft Paint. I hope they make sense! The boxing technique is a good one to master – it can be used to add a flat bottom to a tote bag, or a square top to a thermos cosy.
Stay warm, folks!
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Materials :
- 2 metres (or yards, it doesn’t really matter) of good quality polarfleece
- sewing machine and thread (I guess you could do this by hand if you wanted to)
- scissors
- tape measure
Note: I’ve taken photos of a small model I made to show you how to box the corners – hard to explain, but easy once you can see how it’s done. Please note that it’s not to scale (and I don’t have giant hands).
1. Fold the fleece in half lengthwise, right sides together, so that one selvage is on top of the other. Stitch a 60 – 70cm seam as shown, about 1cm in from the selvages.
2. Line up the middle of the fabric with the seam and pin (still right sides together – don’t turn it out yet).
3. Cut away an almost square from each corner – 13cm/5″ wide by 14cm/5.5″ high. Note: you’re cutting through two layers of fabric.
4. Now stitch across the bottom, using a 1cm/½” seam allowance.
5. Now we need to “box” the corners. Open one of the squares and line the bottom seam up with the opposite corner of the square you cut out. Here are lots of photos (not to scale):
6. Sew across the corner.
7. Repeat on the other side, then turn the whole thing right side out. All done! You could also hem the top edge as well, just to be neat, but it’s not necessary, as the fleece won’t fray.
Now…sit on the lounge, tuck your feet into the pocket (with the selvage seam at the back) and wrap up warmly!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
It is nice, I want to try for winter days too dear Celia. You are living winter there and we are in summer… But it is strange summer for this year. The weather seems much more like early spring or early autumn days. I don’t remember any June like that in my life. Anyway, Thank you for this amazing sharing, have a nice and warm winter days, Love, nia
Sooo cold? Have you dipped below 20C? We’re having an English heatwave so no need for the sack just at the moment.
An English heatwave? Has it gone above 28C? ;-)
Yes! Isn’t that the definition of a heatwave?
The English heatwave is teasing those of us across the Irish Sea. Must start one of these pronto Celia….Brrr
Nice and toasty!!!!
Reminds me of the days I used to sew quilts the folded into a pillow pocket. We aren’t anywhere cold now, more like unusually hot. The other morning it cooled off a little and my southern boys were complaining about how cold it was, they had gotten so used to the extreme het they didn’t recognize normal temperatures anymore!
It is currently really hot in London (even by Australian standards!) so these are not quite necessary at the moment :P However, I love the idea for winter!
7 C ????????? COLD???? I Wish! we’re going for 40C again today……ARGH
Excellent tutorial Ms Celia. If I ever learn to sew I will give it a whirl ;)
It seems star to think that just when I get warm you are cold! Enjoy your fleece Celia 😃
That was meant to say STRANGE not star. Darn auto correct.
Sounds toasty. I’ve spent a freezing night up with a teething babe who, now that it is light has finally fallen into a decent sleep. This would have been amazing. I might need a trip to the fabric shop today. And another decent nap out of the babe :)
It was -2C here this morning – perfect weather for these clever things!
looks cozy! maybe one day I’ll stop saying ‘i can’t sew’ and give it a go! :-)
I made one of these sacks, following your instructions, last year. My grandson loves it. He tells me ‘it doesn’t let the cool breezes in’.
isn’t it sooo cold?! I can;t sew a button, much to my mum’s horror – if I could I would so be making one of these.
Defiitely getting Snugglepot & Cuddlepie visions with this! I could not cope without some form of rug/throw/onsie when sitting down, so comforting and so much better than turning the heating up. :)
So it’s the giant version on your coffee pot cover and you are the giant coffee pot!
Those look cozy warm! We are in the middle of a heat wave as well, so no need for those at the moment. But definitely something for our winters!
Well how clever is that?! Maybe I could make an extra giant sized one and when it gets cold Big Man and I could get in together and maybe the pups could join us too?! Love it :) All getting back on an even keel here x
Very clever Celia! Perfect for this weather.
We’ve had an unseasonably long and HOT stretch of weather here in Seattle, but come winter time those will be just the thing for our 100 year old chilly house! It takes a lot for me to break out the sewing machine but I can totally to that! Thanks for the pictures – totally helps this spatially-challenged person! Stay warm!
I would love this for today’s flight please!! :D I’m not looking forward to coming back to Winter because everyone keeps saying how cold it is. And strangely enough, the Northern hemisphere is so warm!
This is so so so awesome! I used to be addicted to sewing – haven’t done it much lately, life seems far too busy!
It’s bit strange reading about fleece sacks when it’s 42 C outside. Keep warm dear Celia.
-5 again here this morning, totes making one of these. You are brilliant. :)
I feel warmer already. I haven’t taken out the sewing machine in years and I’m, sorely tempted!
A really great tutorial Celia – even i could follow it, and I’m the girl who managed to cut a hole in the front of the simple top I was trying to put together back in high school sewing classes :)
Well we won’t be needing those here for quite a while.
Very nicely done. I do my box corners a little differently but found your idea interesting. I think you’re a little more particular than I am by cutting out in the corners whereas I just bring the pieces together & then cut.
Wrap up Celia! It’s supposed to be extra cold this weekend…I don’t think I’ll be going for a swim :-/