How To Easily Make Your Own Pretty, Thrifty & Energy Saving Draft Excluder

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We might not have seen any snow yet this winter, but the weather outside has been simply frightful!

With energy prices rising faster than a bingo-winner’s celebratory bottom from her sofa, lots of us have been doing our own best to keep warm and cosy for less.

From layering up in so many jumpers we look like the Michelin Man to hugging hot water bottles…

…there are all sorts of ways to keep those bills down and our homes warmer.

Plugging up those drafty bits is another good way to stay snug – and making your very own draft excluder is a fun craft project too! Here’s how it’s done…

Make your own draft excluder

You’ll need:

• 1 rectangle of your chosen fabric (40cm wide and slightly longer than the drafty door in question)
• Sewing implements (a simple needle and thread will do, but if you have a sewing machine, you’ll whiz though this like nobody’s business)
• Pins
• An old pair of tights
• The filling of your choice (lentils, rice, beanbag filler etc.)
• Ironing equipment
• Decorations (if you’re feeling fancy!)

How To & Steps:

1. Measure up your door and your piece of fabric. You’ll want your material to be at least 4cms wider than the drafty door your making it for.
2. Once you’re happy with your rectangle’s size, give it a good ironing to ensure there are no nasty wrinkles.
3. With the patterned side of your material facing inwards, fold your rectangle of fabric in half lengthways and pin the long, ‘open’ side together.
4. Sew along the pinned edges as neatly and as close to the edge of your fabric as possible. If you’re not much of a sewer, “Sewfree” style iron-on alternatives work just as well.
5. Once your rectangle has been sewn up along the open side, turn your tube of fabric inside out so that the pattern is now on the outside.
6. Stitch up one end of your draft excluder. For a neater finish, fold the ends in on themselves before sewing across the bottom.
7. Snip one leg from your old pair of tights and add your stuffing of choice (just make sure they’re not holey if you’re using lentils or rice!). To avoid creating a big mess, a simple rolled up paper funnel works well here. Fill until the leg is about as wide as your draft excluder and tie it off at the top.
8. Pop your stuffed tight into the other end of the draft excluder and sew the final open end together.
9. Decorate however you like! Ribbons, glitter, buttons, “Home Sweet Home” patches – whatever will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, while you’re new draft excluder keeps you warm on the inside.

Decoration inspiration

There are loads of creative decorating ideas you can apply to your lovely new excluder, especially if you’re handy with a needle and thread – or a pair of knitting needles. For a draft excluding knitting project we love these sausage dog patterns from the good folks at Hobbycraft.

We heartily recommend giving a crafty Pinterest board or two a browse for some clever ideas too. That’s how we found Lindarose’s great big, draft excluding patchwork pencil!

Do you have any great, cosy make-do-and-mend projects on the go this winter? We’d love to hear about them.

Send us snaps of your creations or share your inspiration below. We’d love to turn all of your lovely ideas into a Two Little Fleas craft post! You can always drop us a tweet too @twolittlefleas, we always love to hear from our brilliant bingo site lovers.