on November 3 | in Handmade Holidays | If you’d like to try a pattern, we suggest this one: Here are just a handful of fabrics we love for these projects: Click the pattern or fabric images above to visit the Sew, Mama, Sew! More Handmade Holiday ideas: 2 ~ Pincushions & Pins Show us how you create Handmade Holidays! Join our Handmade Holidays photo pool! We respect the copyright of all crafters. All links and photos from blogs on our Handmade Holidays posts are used with permission. » Handmade Holidays » November 3 ~ For the House « November 2 ~ Pincushions & Pins November 4 ~ Lunch Bags » Along the bottom of our back door we get a draft of cold air in the winter. I have been putting a rolled up towel there but I thought it might be nice to have something cuter. It is nearly spring here and the weather is getting warmer. I don't need my new draft stopper as much now, but I like it so much. I think I will leave it up for a long while yet.
It adds just the right amount of spring into my kitchen. And here is the mushroom pattern. I didn't make a pattern for the actual draft blocker because everyone has different sized doors. I just used the loop stitch, like I did here, and made a tube then filled it. I cut all of the loops to have it look like grass. Use an f hook throughout Use the magic circle, sc5 in a circle Rnd 1: 2sc in each st around (10) Rnd 2: *sc 1, 2sc in next st* repeat around (15) Rnd 3-5: sc around (15) Rnd 6: switch to white, *decrease, sc1* repeat around (10) Don't stuff top of mushroom or stem. Rnd 7: decrease 4 times, sc2 (6) Rnd 8-12: sc around (6) Now it will look something like this: Now take a length of white yarn and mold the top into a cap shape. Sew it in place with white yarn. See my first attempt at a crochet video for a better idea of what to do. After sewing the cap in place sew up the hole in bottom. Rnd 3: *sc 2, 2sc in next st* repeat around (20)
Rnd 4: *sc 3, 2sc in next st* repeat around (25) Rnd 5-7: sc around (25) Rnd 8: *sc1, decrease* repeat 7 times, sc1 (17) Rnd 9: decrease 8 times, sc1 (9) Rnd 10-16: sc around (9) Sew up cap as you did with the small mushroom. Stuff a little string into the stem of the mushroom to make it firm. Rnd 17: decrease 4, sc1 (5) Sew up the hole. Here is a picture of them by our front door which has a little better light, and one of those metal door kicks that acts like a mirror.Do you ever forget that you know how to make stuff? Like, with your hands? My first impulse when I need something that’s sewn is to look on Etsy, so I suggested as much to Evan when we decided we need a draft snake for the front door to our apartment (we installed a door sweep already, but the dogs still obsess over the sliver of light that creeps in at night). He quickly located a cute one, made sure it was long enough, and placed an order. Then the snake arrived, and we filled it with rice.
All was grand until we put it down in front of the door and discovered that a rice-stuffed snake is shorter than a snake skin. It was also so skinny that it wouldn’t reach over the threshold to actually cover the gap under the door. I was all set to hop back on Etsy and look for a replacement snake in a large enough size, when I remembered that Hey! I actually have a ton of fabric and a sewing machine! And I know how to sew! I’m no master seamstress by any means, but I can certainly sew a flat rectangle when the need arises. And so, I got to work on the World’s Largest Draft Snake. It’s 38″ long, 16″ around, and filled to the fangs with 7 pounds of rice. It’s a DRAFT PYTHON. I used a piece of my precious linen Grea fabric (previously seen acting as a curtain in the dressing room at my house), designed by Maria Vinka for IKEA’s 2007 PS line. This fabric makes me so happy. I don’t mind that it took me almost three years to find the right use for it! No, I’m not going to post instructions.
Okay, yes I will: (1) Measure fabric. (2) Fold in half, good side in. (3) Stitch on three sides. (4) Fill with dried rice or beans. (5) Stitch open end. As I write this, the dogs are sleeping peacefully, draft python in place, hallway light sliver obscured. 60 miles north of here, the too-small-for-the-apartment draft garter snake is doing a great job blocking the gap under the door to the attic in the house. Fight chills by dodging drafts! As the wind whips around outside of your home, keep your indoor temperatures toasty with these easy-to-make draft stoppers. Drafts from leaky doors or windows are more than uncomfortable – they’re expensive! Drafts can consume up to 30 percent of your home’s energy usage. Put a stop to these expensive and unnecessary leaks by busting out the sewing machine and starting your next craft project: a DIY draft stopper. They’re easy to make! All you need for this project is: a tape measure, scrap fabric, filler (sand, kitty litter, dried rice or dried beans), a sewing machine or needle and thread, googly eyes (optional) and felt (optional).
1. Grab your measuring tape and measure the length of the leaky door or windowsill. This will help you determine how much fabric you’ll need. 2. Choose your scrap fabric. Old T-shirts, denim jeans, ties and tights can easily be repurposed into draft stoppers. 3. If you’re not using tights as your scrap fabric, you’ll need to sew an outline before filling your draft stopper. First, measure the length of your fabric, which should be the same length as your leaky door. Next, measure your fabric’s width. You’ll want your fabric to be at least four inches wide. Cut two pieces of fabric from this pattern, and then sew the two pieces together. Make sure to leave an opening at the top to stuff your draft stopper! 4. Fill your tights or sewn scrap fabric with sand, kitty litter or dried beans. If you’re a coffee lover, try coffee beans! Stuff your draft stopper until it’s full, but make sure you have enough room at the top to sew it shut! 5. Sew the ends of your draft stopper closed so that the contents don’t escape onto your floor.