Cosy Draught Excluder

Some doors,  would welcome a draught excluder to keep the chills at bay,  especially those in lovely older properties that have high ceilings. These don't seal the room up airtight but act as a little door cushion to minimise the strength of the draught.  This cushion has an important job to do in making your house comfortable.

Many modern houses have plenty of double glazing that will do the job but houses also need a flow of air to keep mould and mildew away. People produce moisture in their breath so there needs to be a little flow of fresh air to keep the house from getting stale. There are usually air bricks in the walls that allow this and sometimes you may find that a room seems really cold especially if you are just hanging on that little longer before putting the heating on as the autumn weather begins to turn colder.

Houses with real fires or log burners also need a flow of air to expel any fire fumes and to allow the fire to burn.

When my daughter was renting a house she found that her windows did not fit properly and she got a draught even when they were closed.  I made an excluder for her window that made her room a little more comfortable, so the size can be altered to suit your situation.

Making a simple draught excluder

These can be easy to make or they can be quite elaborate with piping and tassels made to match your existing cushions and curtains. The one thing I like about sewing is the fact you can let your imagination go as there are no hard or fast rules in what you must or must not do.

Some are shaped into animals or are made up of several sections sewn together.  Usually the fabric used will be medium to a heavy weight so they will stay put by the door.

A draught excluder doesn't usually have removable covers and if you want them washed you will have to wash the whole thing. Again if you would prefer a removable cover then you will need to make a cushion pad to put inside.

Firstly you will need to measure the door width and cut two strips of material the desired width and length.

With right sides together sew three of the sides using a 5/8 inch (1.5cms) seam allowance. Securing the ends.

Turn right side out and put in your filling choice, this could be polyester fibre, a roll of wadding or even polystyrene beads. I think if I were using the polystyrene beads then I would make a removable cover and have the beads in a separate pad.

Hand slip stitch or machine top stitch the other end closed.

If making a removable cover you will need to put in a fastening in one of the side seams.

If you were on a budget and wanted to make one with minimal cost you could use a clean old pair of jeans or trousers cut one of the legs to size to use as the excluder, sew one end, turn right side out and use clean old clothes to fill it. Then sew the other end.  This would be a quick fix for the short term.

The shape of the one you have just made is rectangle but you can also make a bolster shaped as well and adjust it to fit the door by making it longer.

However you make your draught excluder, I hope you have enjoyed doing so.

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