draught excluders

[jane]

I've been asked by a customer to make her a couple of draught excluders. Does anyone know what to fill them with? I was thinking a long bag of rice for the weight to keep them in place and then filled out with wadding/kapok. Suggestions welcome.

[Jules]

Re: draught excluders

I've never used rice. I would worry about it getting damp if there was ever a puncture in the bag or even, heaven forbid, mice! All of mine are filled with either Kapok, wadding or old tights, stockings and pop socks. This is a drafty old house and mine haven't blown away yet. The only shop bought one I have is very light indeed, and is filled with cushion filling. This is a long rectangle and I think the shape probably stops it rolling away.

Re: draught excluders

The problem is with rice that if the cat pees on it it will end up the size of the sofa.

[Jules]

Re: draught excluders

[nic]

Re: draught excluders

What about pea shingle from garden centres? 'Mine's stuffed with carpet underlay offcuts, but only because my neighbour had new carpets so it was going spare.

[Karen C]

Re: draught excluders

I use polyester fibre for mine - they are light but have never had any problems with it moving!

[curtainchaos]

Bringing this thread back to the top! Has anyone found any other form of draught excluder filling since this thread started in 2008, and where to buy it? (I'd love feather pads but probably too ££££!) I am currently putting together a range that are possibly going to be sold on-line, so weight could be an issue. I am thinking polyester fibre mixed with something else - what I am not sure! - to give it a bit of weight....any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Finally, do you think it's essential to have a removable cover, do people really want to wash them??
Many thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[suel]

Re: draught excluders

Does anyone have a simple draught excluder pattern that they are happy to share. I am going to make a couple for a client with left over fabric.
Thanks.
Sue

[Louise]

Re: draught excluders

I made one recently like a long (measured the doorway it was for) rectangular cushion cover. I made it with an overlap at one end to put the filler inside, like an envelope cushion cover. I made the inner from curtain lining and stuffed it with the contents of a polyester 18" cushion.

It was 86cm long and 26cm wide, the 'flap' was about 10cm x 26cm.

[sarahs]

Re: draught excluders

Have you seen the ones that are made from 2 foam insulation pipe tubes, these have a flat piece of material that goes under the door and has a tube either side of the door. These then move with the door when opened. Good for internal doors, lounge to porch doorways etc.

Sarah

[suel]

Re: draught excluders

Thanks for your replies. In the end I made it like a bolster cushion with gathered ends and buttons. It gave me a chance to revisit my 'all in one method' but I didn't bother with a zip. Just stuffed it from one end with cushion filling, gathered the end to close it and sewed on a button.
I did use a circle of buckram each end to stop it bulging outwards.
Sue