Make Your Own Draft Snake with Etsy!

The temperatures are officially dropping here at Spoonflower HQ in Durham! Which naturally means our heating bills are headed straight through the roof. In our constant effort to be a more eco-conscious and sustainable business, we’ve had our eyes out for simple DIY projects to help us reduce our energy dependence and stay warm all at the same time. When our friends at Etsy told us about the adorable draft snakes their employees are making for a sustainable sew-in, we knew it was right up our alley! We are so excited to welcome Lizzie from the Etsy team to the blog today to walk us through how to sew up a quick and easy draft snake. Order your own cut-and-sew template featuring Etsy’s unique designs and join us for the most adorable eco-friendly DIY ever!

What you’ll need:

• Your snake fabric kit
• Scissors
• Felt for tongue (8x2cm piece) – use pattern piece to cut to shape.
• Sewing machine or needle & thread
• Thread
• Shredded fabric / Eco-friendly stuffing

Step 1

Cut around the dotted lines of your kit snake.

Step 2

Fold the long edges of your snake, printed sides together, then pin all the way along the line (1cm from the edge) to form a long tube.

Step 3

Stitch along the edge you’ve just pinned.

Step 4

Press flat with the seam you’ve just stitched exactly centered. This will ensure your snake’s eyes are aligned properly. Insert the tongue inside the tube aligned with the pressed seam so the base of the tongue meets the unsewn edge. Stitch along to close the head end of the tube.

Step 5

Cut all the scrap fabric into small pieces to reuse as stuffing.

Step 6

Turn your snake inside out.

Step 7

Stuff with eco stuffing. Don’t forget to use your leftover fabric scraps too! Fold bottom edges of the tube 1cm / 0.4 inches inside and topstitch as close to the edges as possible either with the machine or by hand.

Your draft (draught) snake is ready to save you energy! Place in front of a window or door to block drafts.

  Lizzie Jones works on the design team at Etsy and is a member of the internal ESC (Etsy Sustainability Commission) where she helps spread the word about home energy use/reduction among Etsy employees and sometimes the external community!