How to Sew Door and Window Draft Stoppers

Our doors and windows are extremely drafty. We’ve managed to stop some of the draft with that ugly shrink wrap stuff, which is fine for our un-renovated and already-ugly upstairs. Now that our downstairs is looking more like a home, we wanted something a bit nicer.

We went back and forth about installing weatherstripping on our crappy and flimsy screen doors, but thought it would be pretty ineffective. In my search for another option, I came across draft stoppers or draft snakes, which are rice (or other substance)-filled tubes of fabric that simply block the air from coming in.

There are lots of draft snake options out there (here, here and here), including one-side and double-sided snakes. The double-sided snake is useful for a door because it stays in place when you open and close the door.

I started with the double door snake because it looked slightly more complicated.

Double-Sided Door Draft Snake

Step 1: Cut the Fabric

To measure the width of the material, I calculated the 3 things: the width I wanted inside the vestibule, the thickness of the door and the width I wanted on the outside of the door. For me, these measurements were 4″, 1¾” and 1¾”. I then doubled it and added ½” for my seam allowance to get a total of 15½”.

For the length, I measured the length of the door (34″) and added 1″ for my seam allowance (½” on either end) for a total length of 35″.

In the end I had a piece of fabric that was 15½ x 35″.

2. Sew the Outside Seams

The next step was to sew all the seams I could that would be hidden. First, I folded the material in half and ironed the fabric. I used felt, so I didn’t have a right or wrong side, but if I was using another material, it would have been sewn right sides together.

Then I sewed along the length of the fabric followed by the width, allowing a ½” seam for both. I also pinned it to keep the edges together.

I then turned the fabric inside out and used a pencil to get out the corners and ironed the fabric again.

Step 3: Sewing the Sections

Next, I had to divide the fabric into the 3 sections I mentioned above, using the same measurements. I measured the widths and used pins to mark the lines. I actually staggered the pins so that I could use them as a guide when I was sewing. If I had used regular fabric, I would have drawn lines on the fabric with a fabric pen but still pinned to hold the fabric in place.

Back to the sewing machine, I sewed along each line making sure to leave a 1″ gap on the end (for my ½” seam allowance).

When I was done, I had 3 separate sections and an open edge.

Before I filled the snake, I tucked in the fabric at the open edge (½”) and pinned it (I would have ironed it if it wasn’t felt). This step was easier to do before the snakes were filled with lentils.

Step 4: Fill the Snake

After my sections were sewn, I created a paper funnel and filled the two outer sections with lentils. I chose lentils because I had them, but rice or beans would have worked just as well.

I used approximately 3 full bags of lentils for my snake. The snake is deceivingly large.

Step 5: Sew the Final Seams

Once the fabric was filled with lentils I went back to the sewing machine to finish the final seam. It was a bit awkward but I pinned the lentils back as much as I could so it was easier to work with (and not spill everywhere). I also made sure not to fill the fabric too much or it wouldn’t have fit under the machine.

And that’s it!

Window Snakes

I used the draft snakes for our dining room windows, which have a serious cold breeze coming out of the top. We’re currently using tea towels to block the air, which is pretty unsightly.