How to Make DIY Wrist and Ankle Weights

DIY wrist weights wrapped around while holding bright pink hand weights and jump rope

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Project Overview
  • Total Time: 2 - 3 hrs
  • Yield: Pair of weights
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $15

Add a new accessory to your home workout with this pair of DIY wrist and ankle weights. These are made out of fabric, a filler, and Velcro so they easily wrap around your wrist or ankle. It adds just a little bit of weight to help elevate your exercise routine. It's a satisfying project that will get you a high-quality weight for less money than it costs to buy them.

Perfect for the beginner, this project only uses straight-line sewing and straight-forward construction. More seasoned sewers will love how quickly these weights come together in this easy-to-follow project. No matter what you're skill level, you'll find this to be a satisfying project that makes an item that you'll put to good use later.

These DIY wrist and ankle weights can be made to be any weight you'd like. The type of filler you choose will make a difference as well as how much you physically add to the weight. This example uses rice as a filler, but you could also use sand or aquarium substrate instead if you rather.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Scissors or rotary cutter
  • Ruler
  • Fabric marking pen
  • Sewing pins
  • Iron
  • Funnel

Materials

  • 1 fat quarter of fabric
  • 24 inch 1-inch sew-in velcro
  • Thread that matches the color of your Velcro
  • Weighted filler (rice, sand, etc.)

Instructions

Materials and tools to make DIY wrist and ankle weights

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  1. Cut Out Your Pieces

    Cut out four pieces of fabric from your fat quarter, each measuring 15 inches by 5 inches.

    Cut 8 pieces of Velcro into 3-inch long strips. You should have four hook sides and four loop sides so each piece of Velcro has a pair. Set these aside until later.

    Pieces of blue and white patterned fabric cut on cutting board

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  2. Mark Your Velcro Placement

    Before you sew together the fabric for the weights, you'll want to plan where your Velcro goes so it can be attached first.

    Lay out your fabric with the long sides on the top and bottom, with the fabric right side up.

    Take one piece of fabric and measure 1/2 inch in from the left side. Draw a line with your fabric marking pen. Measure 1 inch from the top of the piece of fabric and draw a line.

    Take another piece of fabric and measure in the same way but this time on the right side of the fabric, a line 1/2 inch from the left side and a line 1 inch from the top.

    Repeat the placement lines on two other pieces of fabric for the second weight.

    Velcro placement marked with marker on cut blue and white fabric

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  3. Pin Your Velcro

    Take a piece of hook side velcro (the scratchy side) and place it where the two lines on the left side intersect, lining up the intersection with the top left side of the Velcro. Pin the velcro down to the fabric. Take your other hook side Velcro and place it right beside the first piece. Pin this piece of velcro down as well.

    Take a piece of loop tape (the soft side) and place it where the two lines intersect on the other piece of fabric, lining up that intersection with the top right corner of the piece of Velcro. Place another piece of Velcro beside it, to the left. Pin down the velcro.

    Repeat pinning the Velcro for the second weight.

    Black velcro strips pinned on cut and patterned fabric strips next to sewing machine

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  4. Attach Your Velcro

    Using thread that matches the color of your Velcro, sew all the way around each piece of Velcro to secure it to the fabric. Take out the pins as you're sewing. Remove fabric marking.

    Repeat sewing the Velcro for the second weight.

    Velcro strip attached to cut fabric with sewing machine

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  5. Put Together the Main Body

    Lay down your piece of fabric with the Velcro on the left side of it, right side up. Take your other piece of fabric and place it on top, wrong side up, the Velcro on the right side. One set of Velcro should be on one side, with the other set on the other side. Pin the long sides of the fabric together and sew with 1/2-inch seam allowance. Be careful not to sew through the Velcro and backstitch at the beginning and end.

    Repeat making the main body for the second weight.

    Sewing machine next to large strips of fabric with black velcro strips

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  6. Sew the Center Divider

    Turn the main body so it's right side out. Press well.

    Fold the main body in half short ways to find the center. Finger press to make the center mark. Measure 1 /2 inches to the right of the center mark and make a line. Measure 1 1/2 inches to the left of the center mark and make another line.

    Sew along these two lines to create a divider for the weight. Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of every stitch. You can use matching or contrasting thread here depending on what look you'd like to go for. Remove markings when finished.

    Make the center divider for the second weight.

    Center on blue and white patterned fabric with marker and ruler

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  7. Add the Filler

    Take the main body of the weight and fill one of the sides up with some of your weighted filler. Be sure not to fill it more than 1/2 full.

    Repeat adding the filler for the second weight.

    Rice added to middle of fabric for weight filler

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  8. Stitch Closed

    Being careful to keep your filler out of the way, take one end of the weight and fold in the extra fabric 1/4 inch. Press. Topstitch along the side of the weight, 1/8 inch away from the edge. Backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitches.

    Repeat with the other side.

    Finish the ends for the second weight.

    Extra fabric folded and stitched with sewing machine on DIY weights

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  9. Wear the Weights

    To wear your DIY ankle and wrist weights, simply wrap them around the ankle or wrist and secure them with the Velcro. You're ready for your next workout!

    DIY wrist weights wrapped around wrist with velcro strap

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald