How to Make a Door Draft Stopper

When the temperature drops and the cold winds of winter blow, a draft door stopper is a great way to keep those winds at bay. This simple sewing project will not only keep your house warmer, but will also help keep those ever-rising electric bills under control. This pattern is for a 36-inch wide door. If your door is wider, adjust the measurements to match.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sturdy, tightly woven fabric (45-inches wide)
• Needle and thread
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Yard stick
• Filling material (kitty litter sand, dry corn, beans or rice or aquarium gravel)
• Large funnel

1. Cut an 8 by 41 inch fabric rectangle.

2. Sew the long edges, with the wrong sides of the fabric together, to form a 4-inch tube.

3. Sew one of the ends together. Backstitch firmly.

4. Turn the tube so the right side of the fabric is facing out. Use a yardstick to help turn the corners.

5. Pour the filler into the door draft stopper using the funnel, leaving 1 inch unfilled at the top.

6. Top stitch the seam closed firmly, and your draft door stopper is finished.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a great project for beginning sewers.
• Use your imagination to create a whimsical draft door stopper. Add ears and a face to create a cat or dog. With a piece of red ribbon for a tongue and two beads for eyes, you can create a snake.
• An old pair of jeans can make a very durable draft door stopper. Cut the leg off as high as possible, stuff with filler and sew the ends closed.
• Turn this sewing project into a service project for a school or organization and donate the draft door stoppers to senior citizens or low-income families.

[slambr]

on 1/18/2009 Please note that the directions are wrong. You don't "Sew the long edges, with the wrong sides of the fabric together, to form a 4-inch tube." You have to put the RIGHT SIDES of the fabric together, so that when you turn it inside out, the right sides will be on the outside.

[DorleyHouse]

on 11/7/2008 I set my Granddaughter to cutting strips of plastic bags. We used this as stuffing along with potpourri made from dried lavendar and rose petals from the garden. Makes a terrific draft catcher, and a great gift.

[nettem]

on 1/23/2008 Draft stoppers really work! I made some with quilt squares from a quilt I never finished. They look great! I stuffed them with hard packing peanuts. (a good way to recycle)