If like me you live in a house/flat with old wooden windows and doors, you will know that they let out a lot of heat and can be draughty. I made a few of my own draught excluders for hardly any money which look really arty. They are very easy to make if you have a sewing machine. You will also need: one large piece of fabric the length of the door or window sill you will be placing it on (cotton or calico), scrap fabrics and 2.5kg of lentils/split peas/other dried food/cheap stuffing.

Place the different fabric scraps on the plain large bit of fabric, and glue then down gently with Pritt Stick. I find this much easier than using a whole load of pins, and the fabric stays put quite well. PVA glue works too.

Sow the fabric on – I think a zigzaggy stitch gives a nice homemade patchwork look. With the pretty fabric on the inside, fold the piece in half and sew it up along the long side and one of the ends.

Turn it inside-out, and fill it with the lentils. Finally, tuck in the end and sew the lentils in. Place in front of the draughty door!