How to Make a Bed Buddy

A bed buddy is a wonderful little pillow filled with rice that you heat up and place under the covers to keep your feet warm at night. Homemade bed buddies make thoughtful, inexpensive Christmas gifts. The bed buddy's case is removable for washing and can be made with a variety up novelty fabrics. A bed buddy is simple to sew and makes a terrific project for a beginning sewing class.

Measure and cut two pieces of white cotton fabric that are 10 inches wide and 12 inches long for the bed buddy pillow. Measure and cut two pieces of novelty print fabric that are 10 1/2 inches wide and 12 1/2 inches long for the bed buddy pillowcase. Cut four pieces of the novelty print fabric that are 2 inches wide and 8 inches long for the pillowcase ties.

Pin the white fabric pieces together. Sew the two long sides and one short side together, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Fold the open ends inside-out 1/4 inch and iron. Turn the pillow right side out and fill with 4 cups of white rice. Pin the folded edge together and top-stitch it closed.

Place the novelty print pillowcase pieces with the "right" sides together and pin. Sew the two long sides and one short side using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Fold the open edges inside-out 1/4 inch and iron. Fold over another 1/4 inch, iron and pin. Top-stitch around the pinned edge to create a hem. Turn the pillowcase right side out.

Fold one of the ties in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together and iron. Open the tie. Fold the long, raw edges to the center ironed crease, on the wrong side of the tie, and iron. Fold the long sides together again with the folded edges inside, iron and pin. Top-stitch the length of the tie. Repeat for the remaining ties.

Center two ties on one side of the pillowcase, 1/2 inch under the hemmed edge and 4 inches apart. Pin the ties to the hem. Center the remaining two ties on the other side of the pillowcase in the same way. Top-stitch the ties to the hem. Heat the bed buddy rice pillow in the microwave for two minutes. Place the warmed pillow in the pillowcase and tie it closed.