Make your own draft stoppers
FIBER ARTS
by Alex Cheney
This time of year is hard on everyone in Aroostook County. Fuel costs are high and temperatures are very low. Every year around this time, my husband and I think fondly of what it would be like to have better insulated windows, a programmable thermostat, and other luxuries that would keep our house warmer without costing us too much money. Of course, we never think of replacing our windows in the summer, when it would be an appropriate time to do so.
My brother-in-law recently replaced one window in our house, in a room he is redoing for us, and while I wasn’t home during the replacement, I’m sure that it was cold, and not as easy as it might have been in the summer.
But I digress. I want to share with you a low-cost solution for keeping your house warmer during the long winter months. Most people have seen those draft stoppers in the stores — long tubes filled with something mysterious to put in front of drafty areas. These can be used around windows, at the bottoms of doors, or anywhere else you might have a draft coming in. If you have a gaping hole in your wall, this is not going to help, but they definitely cut down on drafts around loose windows and doors.
To make your own draft stopper, first measure the area you want blocked off. For example, if I wanted to make one to put in one of my windows, I would measure the window and find that it is 24 inches wide. Then, cut a piece of fabric 3 inches wide by the length that you want your draft stopper, PLUS ONE INCH. I like to use flannel for my draft stoppers, but most any fabric will work. Except for mesh. Don’t try that.
My fabric would be 3 inches by 25 inches. Then, fold the rectangle right sides together along the long edge, making a rectangle 1.5 inches by the length of your original rectangle. Sew down the long edge and one of the short edges, leaving the other short edge open to turn the tube and fill it. Then turn the tube right side out, and pour your filling into the opening at the end. I used some unidentified dry beans that I had in my pantry, but you can also use rice, or any other material that will weight it down enough.
I wouldn’t recommend using sand or kitty litter, as small particles can escape out of the tube, but work with what you have. Once the tube is filled, fold the raw edges of the open end inside the tube, and sew up the end. You now have a brand new way to save money and keep your house warmer at the same time!
Alex Cheney is employed at Garden Gate Fabrics in Presque Isle.
