How do you make "Door Snakes"? those little snake like things one puts across the bottom of a door to keep drafts out in the winter. I recall a friend having them years ago and they were slightly heavy as tho they had sand in them and flexible too.

I'm just wondering, thanx

-- Hendo (redgate@echoweb.net), June 19, 2001

Answers

Hi Hendo..I have made several of those..just measure the width of the bottom of the door, then measure material you will use, with rightsides of material together stitch it up into a tube, leaving one end open, turn right side out, fill with sand or in my case I used pillow stuffing or quilt batting, (anything at hand actually)..then stitch the open end together.I think my material was about 6-8" wide. Be sure to allow for seam allowance so that you will have and end product the right length.

-- Lynn(MO) (mscratch1@semo.net), June 19, 2001.

I've made the door snakes out of old neckties, the wider the better. I stitched one end shut, filled with sand and then stitched the other end shut. I've also used material from old jeans to make a tube, stitch one end shut, fill with sand and stitch the other end shut. Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks about projects like this before the cold weather hits. Oops, forgot to mention that I cut the material into a strip that's four inches wide by fourty inches long.

-- Grannytoo (jacres40@hotmail.com), June 19, 2001.

You may also want to put some type of a "loop" on the "snake" so you can hang it when not in use. I'm thinking of the ones I've seen made as decorative bunnies with really long leggs (they sit in the splits in front of the door)--their hands are sewn together, so that when you don't need it, you just pick it up and drape the hands over the doorknob. Another idea is maybe just put a small hook behind the door or in the closet if there's one close by, so you can hang the "snake" when it's not in use, but close by for convenience.

-- Amber in WA (quillen6@netzero.net), June 19, 2001.

There's some adorable pre printed fabric in stores too, it's ready to cut 'n' stuff. The levis mentioned above work great and you can have fun leaving the zipper, pockets etc on and adding brightly colored kerchiefs etc.

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), June 19, 2001.

I think the sand is for the weight -- holds the draft dodger in place. I am wondering if filling with rice would be somewhat lighter, but still heavy enough to stay in place.

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), June 19, 2001.

Rice rots. Sawdust is a nice compromise.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), June 19, 2001.

I filled the one I made with clean (of course) kitty litter which I had mixed a few drops of cinnamon essential oil in. Smelled and worked great!

-- Mona Lea (monalea@hotmail.com), June 19, 2001.