Make Your Own Wheat Bag Draught Excluder | DIY Draught Excluder
Blue Badge Co's Step By Step Guide To Make Your Own Wheat Bag Draught Excluder
Winter can be a long and difficult time if you're feeling the cold. Heating costs continue to rise and turning up the thermostat is a tempting but expensive reaction. Before you do though, there are many ways to help keep warm and keep your energy bills down! We have put together a step-by-step guide to make your own, DIY draught excluder to help keep the draughts (and the wolf) from your door! Visit our Winter Warmers blog post for more
Tips For Keeping Warm This Winter Without Turning Up The Thermostat
How to make a Wheat Bag Draught Excluder
Your DIY Draught Excluder will consist of two separate tubular bags. Use a durable, non-stretchy fabric with an attractive print for the outer cover. The inner bag can be plain and have a small amount of stretch.
Step 1) Measure and cut your fabric. The outer fabric will be 53 inches long and 16 inches wide with a square cut away from one corner, 7x7 inches plus a 2" cut at the centre, down towards the bottom of the tube (see diagram!). The inner will be 47 inches long and 14 inches wide.
Step 2) Fold the inner fabric in half and pin the long edge together about an inch in. Sew along this line with a standard straight stitch, removing the pins as you go. Then, sew again along the very edge of the fabric using a zig-zag or overcast stitch. Do the same with ONE of the short edges, though you may not require pins for this.
Filling Your Wheat Bag Draught Excluder
Step 3) Fold over 2" of the open, top end of your tube and fill with wheat grain. You may wish to use a large funnel or a friendly assistant at this point! When the tube is completely full, pin and then sew the open end closed using the same stitches as before and being careful not to let the wheat escape!
Step 4) Take your outer fabric and fold the shorter side over the longer, wrong side facing out, edge to edge. Pin along the seam 1" in from the edge. Turn down the 2" of fabric at the top end of the shorter length and pin in position. Fold the extra fabric of the longer length in half to meet the 2" pinned edge, pin in place.
Step 5) Sew along the whole length of your long, pinned seam including the folded over extra section. As before, use a standard straight stitch 1" in from the edge followed by a zig-zag or overcast stitch on the very edge. Sew the other side of the extra folded section down to the opening using the same stitches.
Step 6) Iron your outer fabric to press the seams, especially around the opening.
Step 7) Apart from the extra section at the end, turn your outer tube the right way out and insert the inner tube, pulling it on rather like a long sock. Fold the extra section of the outer bag over the end to cover the inner tube and close the outer bag, tuck in any edges. Ta da! You're done!
Step 8) Place your lovely new Wheat Bag Draught Excluder along the bottom of your draughty door and sit back with a warm drink!
Thanks for reading and good luck with your project! Best wishes from
Blue Badge Co