| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Mary-Jane |
Draft excluders - I'm going to make some......for the first time, so don't laugh at me. 
Ummmm...so what's the best way of making them? And what should I stuff them with? Sand? Stones? Something lighter? |
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| sally_in_wales |
several options, if you happen to have sections of pipe lagging left over anywhere, covering two lengths of that with a strip in between to slip under the door makes a neat effective double sided sort.
Long tubes of fabric or of knitting stuffed with carrier bags or rags or the guts of an old chair or sofa or duvet or pillow work well, think the snake type that used to be pretty common, they tend to need repositioning every time the door is opened or closed though |
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| Mary-Jane |
Sally dear - you've stayed at our gaff several times. Does it look as if it's finished enough to have 'pipe lagging left over' to you? 
I've got plenty of fabric knocking around the place, courtesy of my mother, so I'd quite like to sew some on the machine. |
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| Mary-Jane |
I always thought that you needed heavy contents to keep it in place on the floor - like sand or shingle or summat? |
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| sally_in_wales |
it needs a bit of weight, but not masses, more important that the contents block the draught. All the ones I've ever had were stuffed with anything to hand, as long as they stayed put when shoved against the door it does the trick. A handful or two of gravel or sand wouldnt hurt though, not as if you have kiddies small enough to pick em up and have battles with them underfoot to worry about
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| Chez |
Old knickers and socks.
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| marigold |
I read somewhere recently that cat litter makes good draught excluder filling, but I don't know what kind of cat litter... I find that an old towel shoved up against the bottom of the door does the trick pretty well and is easy to wash. Maybe you could make covers to go over a loose sausage of old towel if you want posh draught exclusion  .
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| Mary-Jane |
Is that in relation to the stuffing of draft excluders thereof Chez...or did you just feel like blurting out "Old knickers and socks"? |
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| Mary-Jane |
I've been doing that - but it always looks so untidy (because of course our place has the Mrs. Fiddlesticks Gold Mark Standard) and we're forever tripping over the damned things and the dog picks them up and runs off with them...
So I thought I'd be DS Crafty and make some proper ones. |
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| Mary-Jane |
Now that's a good idea... 
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| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
 wanders off wondering what that is and if our house has ever achieved it
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| missysx |
i've made two so far with old scraps of fabric.
the first one was a little short and i put that down to experience.. we stuffed that with carrier bags, and the second one we stuffed with newspaper and gave it to hubby's aunt as a present. |
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| Jenna |
A golden retriever makes an excellent draught excluder My granny used to stuff hers with old tights (the draught excluder, not the dog!). Have been meaning to make some myself for when we can't persuade the dog to lie by the door, we have the brush type strips fastened to the bottoms of the doors, good for us cos we don't have carpets and it sweeps the dog hair up, but could do with something extra for when it's blowing a hooly. Hmmm.... *wanders off looking for scraps of material*
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| marigold |
My reservation about that idea is that cat litter is supposed to be absorbent, so might get damp easily.. Also it's not cleanable, so I'd try and think of something washable. |
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| Chez |
Sorry, it's the Pants Turettes again  .
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| Cathryn |
There's a variation on this that stays tight to the door and excludes drafts - sort of two tubes of draft excluder made with whatever takes your fancy (Chez  ) held together on either side of the door by strong (knickers for Chez) elastic with big wooden beads on so that they roll along with the door when it is opened and don't need putting back into place all the time.
My initial problem is persuading anyone to shut the doors in the first place.
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| Effie |
I made one recently, stuffed with rolls of parcel packing. I had a small heap of something akin to extra large bubble wrap with inflated plastic pockets. I rolled it into a sausage shape, attached two sausages together with parcel tape and wrapped the outer in an old blanket. Secured it all into a swiss roll with some left over wire at the ends and middle. It's certainly not a sophisticated affair but beats the old towels by the front door. | ||||||
| Mary-Jane |
Gawd - I know that feeling Cathryn. I seem to spend half my home life shouting "Shut the bl**dy door you lot!"
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| Mary-Jane |
Bum. I've just dragged a bag load home from the supermarket...
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| marigold |
Never mind, I'm probably being over-cautious about the possible dampness  . Here is the linky to the place I got the idea from. I think the handle in the middle idea is rather clever.
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| Mary-Jane |
Gosh yes. Brilliant idea. Thanks Marigold. Shall I put the cat litter inside summat inside the sausage then...if you see what I mean? |
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| marigold |
A washable cover might be a good idea if you are ultra houseproud .
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| sally_in_wales |
what about putting the cat litter in thin plastic bags, then if you ever need to tip it out it won't go everywhere and it will ward off damp | ||||||
| Mary-Jane |
Good thinking Sally *goes off to rummage in her drawers...*
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| BethinPA |
I was just pondering this very same question. We have a door that never gets used, except by drafts. So, I could put something there that doesn't need to move with the door.
Now, while Sally is "rummaging around in her drawers" , didn't someone have an excess of pine needles? Rob maybe? What about them? They'd smell awfully nice, and be good and heavy. But, would they get weird?
I'm thinking the thin, long bag the newspaper is delivered in when it's wet outside might make for a good liner, too. |
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| Mary-Jane |
Can pine needles get weird then?
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| Jamanda |
It was Nick. He's going to become a major blueberry farmer mulch supplier come the Summer.
That's a good idea though - it would smell nice too. |
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| Mary-Jane |
I'm sorry - but what on earth is going on? |
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| Jamanda |
Here. It gets silly towards the end
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| Mary-Jane |
Ah. Gotcha. How did I miss that thread? Oh yes, it must have been when I was getting a life and working in the real world... |
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| Sherbs |
I've just made one of the snakey type ones out of a tube of canvas fabric stuffed with chopped up old t-shirts and other bits of similar clothing that was no good for wearing anymore.
I have plans to make another one out of towelling fabric from a worn-out dressing gown, stitched into a tight roll and covered with corduroy from the leg of an old pair of trousers. In short, I think you can make them out of anything you like, as long as it is dense enough to prevent the draught coming through and big enough to block the gap. |
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| dpack |
not if it gets wet shirly
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| colour it green |
or if you have a cat.. who might confuse it... |
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| dpack |
rags ,wool ,sand
recon sand is less mousy |
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| Sherbs |
but rags or wool are less messy
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| Mary-Jane |
The thing is, I understand what you mean dpack...and that's scary...
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| Bulgarianlily |
You can use the left over cat litter to make wellie boot dryers while you are sewing up the draft excluders, two mini fat sausages (NO plastic bags) and some nice essential oil to perfume them, put them in the stove after baking to dry out between boots. An even easier way is to use tube socks, I tie the tops with ribbon and left them tied in pairs so they don't get separated. If you go mad and make them as presents for unloved relations ('How nice, dear says puzzled Aunt...) you can go fancy and use the posh crystal type of cat litter. |