When the days get colder, you can help to winter proof your home and fight the chills with these easy to make draft stoppers. They are long, weighted fabric tubes that sit in front of doors, window ledges and anywhere else you need to block a draft. They save energy and cost very little to make.

With a few supplies and a little snipping and stitching, you can make your own draft stoppers. You can get creative with fancy designs such as sausage dogs or snakes or you can keep it simple with nice fabrics. As a kid I used to entertain myself with my great aunts snake shaped draft dodger. I thought it was a toy. I’ll share some patterns for the fancier designs along with an easy no sew pattern that you can make in about ten minutes!

Types of Fabric

You can make make your draft blocker attractive with beautiful heavy fabric patterns or you can make it quirky by styling it like a sausage dog or snake. You can also make it using the pant leg of an old pair of denim jeans or thick tights.

heavy fabric
old curtains or table cloth
old jeans
Thick knee socks (perfect no sew option)
Thick tights (stocking)

Filling Options

For the filling you want something with some weight to it. This ensures that it stays firmly in place and snugs up against the area nice and tightly. Good options include

Buckwheat
rice
sawdust
Beans
A mixture of the above

Easy To Follow Pattern

Measure the length of the area you want the draft stopper to cover (the width of a door for example) for your length and measure 8 inches wide for the width. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise and stitch up one end and the long side. Fill the tube with your chosen filling and then sew or tie it closed.