Block those cool drafts by doors and windows with a few of these DIY draft blockers. I made one last night using a some flannel from my stash. Here’s what you do:

Supplies:

44″ x 10″ piece of flannel (You want your finished blocker to be at least 36″ long, to match the size of a standard door.

plastic bag garbage bag and twist tie

small bag of sandbox sand (Home improvement stores do carry this all year round. I bought a bag at Menards yesterday.)

sewing machine

cup, garden shovel or small scoop to fill blocker with sand.

1) Fold fabric in in half lengthwise to form a tube with right sides facing. Sew a seam along the raw edge and turn the piece right side out.

2) Feed a plastic bag into tube. Close end of tube where the bottom of the plastic bag is, careful to avoid sewing through the bag.

3) Move to the other end of the tube and begin filling the bag with sand, careful to keep a firm grip on both the plastic bag and fabric tube. Continue filling until the tube looks full. Secure bag with twist tie and tuck in the fabric. You can sew this end closed if you choose, but I like having the option to remove the sand and wash the fabric without having to rip out stitches.