I decided to try out making a flower as it isn’t something that I’ve seen before in the rag rug world. I love the whole practice of working with recycled fabrics and sustainability. I love the exploratory nature of design and construction. The rugs themselves become little works of art that will last for years and years to come. No one has been exploited in the process and no materials are wasted. 
Well here we are hurtling towards winter I feel autumn has already arrived. Disappointing I know, but a reality none the less. With winter comes howling drafts and chills that creep under the door. So I have been inspired to create a new pattern for a draft excluder.
You can gather many household items and recycle them into something that saves energy and reduces energy bills. The types of items you can use include:-socks, tights, plastic bags, old clothes, towels, polystyrene packing chips or bubble wrap etc.
Here is the crocheted draft excluder before being stuffed, no it’s not a Christmas stocking or one of my new socks.
The Pattern
Stitches used: UK US
ch chain chain
Trb treble double crochet
sl st slip stitch slip stitch
Materials:
10mm crochet hook, 50-100gms chunky wool (alternatively use two strands of 2 double knitting yarns)
ch 3, sl st to form ring. Begin
Rnd 1: ch 3, trb x 9, sl st
Rnd 2: ch 3, *trb 1, ch1,* rep** right around
Rnd 3: ch 4, trb under the stitch in the previous row, continue trb in each st in the below row until final trb, ch 1, sl st into 3rd chain from st (4ch) beginning st.
(Here you will see the circle begin to curl inwards, as above.)
Note: If you are happy with the width, remember it will stretch considerably when stuffed, then continue working in rounds as per Rnd 3, until desired length is reached.
(to increase width)
Rnd 4: & all further inc rows :
*trb 1, ch 1, trb 2 under same stitch from previous row, ch 1*, rep ** to end
Rnd 5: As per Rnd 3.
To finish:
Use a safety pin or stitch marker to secure final stitch. leave the excluder open and stuff with appropriate materials. Once full tie off final stitch and weave ends through final row pulling tightly to secure.
Add any decoration you wish and turn your excluder into a snake, cat, dog, sausage dog, elephant, crocodile – whatever your heart desires.
You are more than welcome to use my patterns for personal use. If you wish to use these on your own site – please make sure The Sunroom is credited and you put a link back to http://www.goodtimesithinkso.blogspot.com/
The final outcome and desired effect will be dictated by the stuffing used.
Here I used bright and vibrant scrap fabrics and it reminds me of stained glass.
This excluder has been stuffed with recycled plastic shopping bags.
More money saving draft excluder information can be found at http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ and http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=287483
Check here for details on the latest craze of snake making.
http://snakes.together.com/index.html
The nation is in a snake-making frenzy and everyone from Jon Snow to Helen Baxendale is making them! But why are snakes making a comeback and why should you make one?
Making a draught-excluding snake is a fun way for all the family to get creative. But place your snake by the front door and that's where it really comes into its own. Stopping draughts is the first easy step you can take to insulating your home this winter and saving energy and money. Whether you live in a big old house or a small new flat there are easy ways to insulate.
Christmas Snakes and Turkeys
1st December
For all you fact-finders out there, we thought you may be interested to know using a snake draught excluder will save the same amount of CO2 as it takes to roast over 5 turkeys! Better still, if you insulate your loft, you will save 1 tonne of CO2—that's the equivalent to cooking almost 50,000 mince pies or watching the Queen's speech over 80,000 times!
