What with the cold weather setting in, I thought it would be the perfect time to make a draught excluder.
We have a knitting pattern for a draught excluder that can be downloaded here. But if you’re like me, and you can just about tell one end of a knitting needle from the other, here is an alternative method using the leg from a pair of old trousers.
Step 1. Cut the leg off the old trousers and turn it inside out.
This gives you a tube of fabric that you’ll stuff.
Step 2. Lay the tube flat then stitch the two edges of an open end together.
This will form a tube that is closed at one end. How neat you make it is up to you, but the important thing is that the stitching is secure so to keep the stuffing inside. If you’re like me and are not great at sewing it can look a little rough, but that doesn’t matter because it will be hidden when you…
Step 3. …turn the tube inside out again.
Step 4. Stuff the tube with a suitable material.
I used the polyester filling from an old pillow but shredder newspaper, plastic shopping bags, polystyrene beads, and bits of old garments also make good filler.
Step 5. Close up the remaining end.
I sewed it but it would have been quicker to fold over the ends and secure them with safety pins. That way the stuffing could be removed and the fabric outer washed if needed.
And that’s it. It took me about forty-five minutes from start to finish, with the sewing accounting for most of that, and it works pretty well.
Things I will do differently the next time:
If aesthetics are a factor I’d use a more attractive piece of fabric. I pulled the polyester for the stuffing apart and this caused a lot of mess. Next time I will cut it into small chunks or use one of the other materials mentioned above. I also used too much stuffing resulting in the excluder being too firm. You want it to be a little soft so that it sags and increases the contact with the floor and where it touches the door. And finally, I’ll use safety pins for the reasons mentioned above. It would also make it easier to take out some of the excess stuffing and cut down on sewing time.
