Craft Corner - Bit Warmers

For some of you lucky people this post may be coming too late to be of use this year, but what the heck, you can get a head start on next winter! Many of my friends are already experiencing warm temperatures, flowers, sunshine and spring - I can only dream! Please send nice thoughts to those of us who are anticipating spring snow storms - some of the worst for the year. Last year we had a total of 5 feet of snow between March 15 and May 12!


This was our yard following a storm on April 18 last 'spring'!!






Materials needed to make a bit warmer:

• 6" x 14" fabric rectangle
• 1 bag or box of rice
  
• sewing machine and/or needle and thread
  

Instructions for making a bit warmer:

1. Cut the fabric to the appropriate size and fold it with right sides together.
2. Use a sewing machine or stitch by hand using stitches no larger than 1/8" in length. Maintain a seam allowance of 3/8" - 1/2" and stitch from the fold going up one side, across the top and down towards the fold, leaving 1 1/2" open at the end.
3. Trim seams to 1/4" and turn the rectangle right side out.
4. Pour rice into the opening. Put enough rice in the warmer so that when it is folded the rice remains near the fold. If you use too much rice you can't fold the bit warmer, too little and the rice falls below the fold if you put it over a bit. I used about 1 1/2 cups of rice for each warmer.
   
5. Use a needle and thread to close the opening.

Instructions for using the bit warmer:

• Heat the bit warmer in the microwave for 1 minute.
• Drape the bit warmer over the bit.
  
• Let the warmer work its magic while you groom your horse.
  
• Bridle your horse with a warm bit. (Do check to make certain it is not too hot!)
  

I recently gave some bit warmers to my friends as gifts. I include the following poem with the bit warmer:

The weather is cold and my bit's like ice.
Warming it up would be really nice.
Put this in the microwave on high for a minute.
The heat will be absorbed by the rice that's in it.
Drape it on my bit while you get me tacked,
And I'll be much happier when you get on my back!

Thanks to Once Upon an Equine for suggesting that I include these instructions on my blog.
Enjoy your bit warmers!