How to Make a Bean Bag Draft Guard

Make a draft guard to line the bottom edge of your doorways to protect them from invading breezes.

A draft guard is a long, thin tube of fabric filled with beans, stuffing or both. You slide it up against the bottom edge of your doorway and it prevents the air outside from coming in through the gap between the door and the floor. You can purchase these at home decor and mass retail stores, but it is also relatively simple and inexpensive to make your own. Design your draft guards to match your home decor and use a sewn or no-sew option to finish the project.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Sewing machine and thread or fabric glue or sewing needle and thread
• Ribbon
• Beans

Instructions

1. Measure a length of fabric that is the width of your door plus seven inches long by 7seveninches wide. Cut out this fabric.

2. Fold under the two short edges of the fabric toward the wrong or back side by half an inch. Stitch a straight seam along the edge to secure the hem. If you are using the no-sew option, glue the hem down with fabric glue.

3. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise with the right sides of the fabric facing one another. Sew a straight seam along the long side, positioning it a half inch in from the cut edge. For the no-sew option, glue this seam by running a line of glue along the edge of the fabric on the right side, just inside the cut edge, then press the two edges together.

4. Turn the tube right side out. Cut two lengths of ribbon that are each six inches long. Tie one ribbon around one open end of the tube, positioning it about three inches in from the edge.

5. Fill the tube with beans until it is moderately full. Tie the second piece of ribbon around the open end of the tube, positioning it three inches in from the edge.

Tips & Warnings

• To use your draft guard, lay it on the floor in front of your door and push it up against the bottom edge of the door to block the draft.

• To wash your draft guard, untie one ribbon. Pour the beans into a bowl, then remove the ribbon from the other end. Wash the fabric tube and then re-tie the ribbon on one end, refill the tube and secure the open end.

References

• PlanetGreen: Green Your Home for Winter: Sew a Draft Stopper
• PlanetShoup: Draft Stopper