Knit a draught excluder

Knitting a draught excluder is one of the easiest make and mend projects you can do. It’s basically just a straight piece sewn up the side. I did this without a pattern – the first time I’ve ever done that – so that proves just how easy it is to knit, as long as you can do a basic stocking stitch and know how to cast on and off and increase/ decrease.

Here’s what to do:

Materials

• 150g of chunky knit wool (I used Patons Shadow Tweed)
• Pair of 6mm knitting needles
• Some trimming and  buttons to finish

Step 1: The body

Cast on 40 stitches and then knit in stocking stitch (knit one row, purl one row) to fit the required width of your door  - I did 75cms.

Cast off.

Step 2: Make 2 end pieces:

Cast on 4 stitches. Knit a row. Purl a row.

Knit one. Increase one stitch. Knit to last 2 stitches. Increase one. Knit one.

Purl a row.

Repeat previous two rows until you have 14 stitches.

Knit a row. Purl a row.

Knit one stitch. Knit two together. Knit to last 3 stitches. Knit 2 together. Knit one.

Purl a row.

Repeat last two rows until you have 4 stitches. Cast off.

Step 3: Making up

Take the main piece and fold along the length, right sides together and sew together along the long side.

Take the first of the two end pieces and sew it carefully onto one end. Turn right side out.

Fill the tube with stuffing – polyester toy filling or old tights will do. I used both – I cut one leg off a pair of tights and filled it with the toy filling – so that it provided a lining to the draught excluder and means there’s no risk of the white filling showing through the knitting.

Carefully sew the second end piece on to close the open end.

Step 4: Finishing touches

Finish up by sewing on a strip of fabric or braid and sewing on some decorative buttons. I decided to knit a strip – I did this in the same wool making a ribbed strip – Cast on 14 stitches knit 2, purl 2 etc to end of row and repeat row as purl 2 knit 2 etc. Continue until the strip is long enough to go around the tube. Cast off. I then sewed this in place and added a decorative button in a contrasting colour.

Alternative finishing

If you don’t want to make the end pieces, you can make your tube longer (by say 15cms) and then tie the first open end with ribbon or braid – like a Christmas cracker. Fill as above and then tie and bind the other end to match. Easy peasy!

For useful tips on filling and finishing knitted toys see also » Top tips for knitted toys