Cabin Door Draft Stopper Crochet Free Pattern: Cherry-Red & Pink Striped Tube

Keep the Cold Where It Belongs: A Cozy Cabin Door Draft Stopper

If you have ever felt a chilly breeze sneaking under a door, this project is for you. This cherry-red and soft-pink striped draft stopper (sometimes called a door snake) is the perfect first crochet project because it is worked flat in simple rows, then seamed into a long, squishy tube. It is perfect for complete beginners, for anyone who wants a quick weekend win, and for anyone who loves a little handmade cabin charm. When finished, it looks like a plump, striped sausage about three feet long that slides snugly against the bottom of a door, and it feels dense, soft, and wonderfully warm underfoot. Best of all, you only need one hook, two colors of yarn, and the two easiest stitches in crochet.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4) acrylic yarn, approximately 220 yards total: 150 yards cherry red (Color A) and 70 yards soft pink (Color B).
• Crochet hook: Size H/8 (5.0 mm).
• Stitch marker (optional, but helpful for the end caps).
• Tapestry needle (a big blunt needle with a large eye) for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Scissors.
• Stuffing: polyester fiberfill or clean yarn scraps.
• Finished size: Approximately 36 inches long x 4 inches wide (91 cm x 10 cm), which fits a standard interior door gap.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

Do not worry if these look like a secret code. Here is every abbreviation used in this pattern, explained in plain English.

• ch – chain. Make a loop with the yarn, pull a new loop through it, and repeat. Each loop is one chain stitch. It is the foundation you build on.
• hdc – half double crochet. Yarn over (wrap yarn around hook), insert hook into the stitch, pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over again, and pull through all three loops at once. This makes a slightly taller, denser stitch than single crochet.
• sc – single crochet. Insert hook into the stitch, pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, and pull through both loops. This is the shortest, tightest basic stitch.
• sl st – slip stitch. Insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at the same time. It joins rounds together without adding height.
• st(s) – stitch or stitches.
• yarn over – wrapping the working yarn around your hook from back to front.
• turn – flip your work over so you can work back across the row you just made.
• fasten off – cut the yarn a few inches from your work, pull the tail all the way through the last loop, and tug gently to lock it.
• whipstitch – a simple sewing stitch: bring the needle up through both layers, over the edge, and back down, repeating in small even stitches.

Gauge

Gauge: 14 hdc x 12 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in half double crochet worked flat.

Gauge means how many stitches and rows fit into a square of fabric. It matters here because it controls the final length and width of your stopper. If your stitches are too loose, the tube will be wider and shorter than planned; too tight, and it will be narrow and stiff. To check your gauge, crochet a small practice square about 5 inches wide and 5 inches tall in hdc. Lay a ruler across the middle and count how many stitches fit in 4 inches, then count how many rows fit in 4 inches. If you have more stitches than 14, try a larger hook; if you have fewer, try a smaller hook. Gauge is not critical for fit here, but a tighter gauge gives a firmer, longer-wearing stopper.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Count your stitches every row. You should always have 15 hdc. If you lose count, the edges will wobble.
• Do not pull the yarn too tight. Tension should feel relaxed. Tight, clenched stitches make a stiff, narrow tube.
• Carry the unused color loosely up the side. When you switch colors, leave the resting yarn a little slack along the edge so the fabric does not pucker.
• Change color on the last yarn-over of the final stitch of a row. This keeps the stripe edge clean and crisp.
• Use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each end-cap round. It is easy to lose your place when working in a circle.
• Stuff lightly. The stopper should hold its shape but still bend and lie flat against the floor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Stripe Sequence (read this first)

Work 6 rows cherry red (A), then 4 rows soft pink (B), and repeat this 6-4 stripe sequence throughout. Change color on the last yarn-over of the final stitch of a row.

Body Panel (make 1)

This piece is worked flat in rows as a long rectangle. Later you will fold it in half and seam it into a tube.

With cherry red (A), ch 16.

Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (15 hdc)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Hdc in each st across. (15 hdc)

Rows 3–6: Repeat Row 2 in A. (15 hdc)

Rows 7–10: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 11–16: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 17–20: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 21–26: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 27–30: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 31–36: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 37–40: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 41–46: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 47–50: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 51–56: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 57–60: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 61–66: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 67–70: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 71–76: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 77–80: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 81–86: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 87–90: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 91–96: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 97–100: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 101–106: Change to A and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Rows 107–108: Change to B and repeat Row 2. (15 hdc)

Fasten off, leaving a 24-inch tail for seaming. The panel should measure approximately 36 inches (91 cm) from the beginning. At 12 rows per 4 inches, 108 rows gives you exactly 36 inches.

Seaming the Tube

Fold the panel in half lengthwise with right sides together, matching the long edges. Using the long tail and a tapestry needle, whipstitch or mattress-stitch the long edges together to form a tube. Work small, even stitches so the seam stays flat. Turn the tube right side out.

Stuffing

Lightly stuff the tube with polyester fiberfill or yarn scraps, distributing the filling evenly so the tube holds its shape but remains flexible enough to slide under a door. Do not overstuff; the stopper should lie flat against the floor.

End Caps (make 2)

These are small circles that close the two open ends of the tube. Work in a spiral-style round, joining each round with a slip stitch.

With cherry red (A), ch 2.

Round 1: Work 6 sc in the 2nd ch from hook. Join with sl st to first sc. (6 sc)

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around. Join with sl st. (12 sc)

Round 3: Ch 1, [2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc] around. Join with sl st. (18 sc)

Round 4: Ch 1, sc in each sc around. Join with sl st. (18 sc)

Fasten off, leaving a 12-inch tail. The cap should measure approximately 2 inches across, slightly smaller than the tube opening so it can be eased in.

Assembly and Finishing

Attaching the caps: Insert one cap into each open end of the stuffed tube, with the right side of the cap facing outward. Using the tail and a tapestry needle, whipstitch the cap edge to the tube opening, working all the way around. Keep your stitches small and even so the join looks tidy.

Weaving in ends: Thread each loose tail onto the tapestry needle and run it back and forth through the inside of the fabric for about 2 inches, then trim close to the surface. Never knot your ends; weaving hides them securely.

Blocking: Gently shape the draft stopper with your hands. Lightly steam the seams with an iron held a few inches above the fabric (never press the iron directly onto acrylic, which can melt). Let it dry flat. This helps the seams lie flat and the tube relax into a smooth shape.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap cherry red and soft pink for any two colors you love. Try navy and cream for a coastal look, or forest green and oatmeal for a woodland cabin feel.
• Adjust the length: Measure your door gap first. Add or remove rows in multiples of 10 (one full stripe repeat) to lengthen or shorten the stopper; each 12 rows adds about 4 inches.
• Substitute yarn: Any worsted weight (category 4) yarn works. Cotton gives a firmer, heavier stopper that stays put; a wool blend adds warmth and a little natural grip.
• Make it a gift set: Crochet a matching pair for double doors, or add a small loop of chain at one end so it can hang on a hook when not in use.