Murat
The Long Cat Door Draft Stopper is a fun way to dress up plain draft stopper, and create an adorable custom gift – made with Bernat Blanket! Grab the colors to match your favorite feline friend, and whip one up with this free crochet pattern on Moogly!
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links; materials provided by Yarnspirations.
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Create Your Custom Cat Door Draft Stopper
Draft stoppers are a handy and practical item come the winter months – but not too big to crochet, making them great for year-round making! By exploring the range of Bernat Blanket yarn, you can create a Long Cat Door Draft Stopper to match your cat! There are so many colors, including multis, and even pink and purple ombres if you want to go wild!
This pattern looks like a simple long tube – and that’s basically what it is. But I’ve included some special touches to make it more fun to crochet! For instance, the only sewing you do with this pattern is adding the button to the bottom, and an optional “cat booty” with less than 12″ of Bernat Maker. The ears, paws, and tail are all stitched within their rows, and the color changes stay straight and even because we work in turned rounds, aka joined rows.
To fill the Long Cat, I used a standard sized draft stopper that I found on Amazon. Since the crochet cover closes with a button, you are able to remove and launder the Long Cat as needed! Spruce up your ugly old draft stopper with a cute new cover you crochet!
Long Cat Door Draft Stopper
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US-L, 8.0 mm hook, Susan Bates
250 yds Bernat Blanket (6 – Super Bulky; 100% polyester; 300g/10.5 oz, 201 m/220 yds)
Colorways Shown:
A – Vapor Gray (1 ball)
B – Vintage White (1 ball)
12″ Bernat Maker (optional – any worsted or bulky yarn should work)
Colorway Shown: Black
1 1″ Button
Sewing thread and needle
Gauge: 10 hdc x 6 rows = 4 in/10 cm
Size: Fits 36″ Door Draft Stopper
HELPFUL LINKS AND TUTORIALS
Long Cat Door Draft Stopper Tutorial
Notes:
This pattern uses Turned Rounds, aka Joined Rows. This means that we are working in the round, joining the last stitch of each round to the first stitch with a slip stitch. However, we then turn and work the next round in the opposite direction. This means that odd numbered rounds are all on the Right Side, or outside of the piece. Even numbered rounds are all worked from the “inside” of the piece, or the Wrong Side. Using stitch markers in the first and last stitch of each round is very helpful.
For Rnds 9 – 59, when you are working with both colors, stitch over the Color A strand tapestry style when stitching with Color B. Then, drop the Color B end so you can come back to it on the next rnd.
Special Stitch:
Ear Bobble – (dc, dc, tr, dc, dc tog) Yarn over and insert hook into indicated st, yo and pull through first two loops (2 loops rem on hook), yarn over and insert hook into same st, yo and pull through first two loops (3 loops rem on hook), yarn over twice and insert hook into same st, yo and pull through first two loops twice (4 loops rem on hook), yarn over and insert hook into same st, yo and pull through first two loops (5 loops rem on hook), yarn over and insert hook into same st, yo and pull through first two loops (6 loops rem on hook), yo and pull through all 6 loops to finish st.
Long Cat Door Draft Stopper Instructions:
Rnd 1 [RS]: With Color A make a magic circle, ch 1, work 10 hdc in the ring; join and turn. (10 hdc)
Rnd 2 [WS]: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first 2 sts, (ear bobble, hdc) in next st, 2 hdc in next 4 sts, (ear bobble, hdc) in next st, 2 hdc in last 2 sts; join and turn. (20 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, *hdc in the next 2 sts, 2 hdc in the next st; rep from * until 2 sts rem, hdc in last 2 sts, join and turn. (26 hdc)
Rnds 4 – 8: Ch 1, hdc in each st around, join and turn.
STOP AND ADD the FACE to the Long Cat Door Draft Stopper
Add the Safety Eyes to Round 6, with about 4 sts in between (see image below). The face is on the opposite side from the join and turn seam.
Add the Safety Nose to Round ⅞, centered between the eyes.
Rnd 9: Ch 1, hdc in the first 12 sts finishing last st with Color B, with Color B hdc in next 2 sts finishing last st with Color A, with Color A hdc in each rem st, join and turn.
Rnd 10: Ch 1, hdc in the first 11 sts finishing last st with Color B, with Color B hdc in next 4 sts finishing last st with Color A, with Color A hdc in each rem st, join and turn.
Rnd 11: Ch 1, hdc in the first 10 sts, (begin first leg) ch 4, skip first ch, hdc in each rem ch, sl st in side of 10th hdc, hdc in next st finishing last st with Color B, with Color B hdc in next 4 sts finishing last st with Color A, with Color A hdc next st, (begin second leg) ch 4, skip first ch, hdc in each rem ch, sl st in side of 16th hdc, hdc in last 10 sts, join and turn. (26 sts plus 2 legs)
Rnd 12: Ch 1, pushing the feet to the outside/RS, hdc in the first 11 st finishing last st with Color B, with Color B hdc in next 4 sts finishing last st with Color A, with Color A hdc in each rem st, join and turn. (26 hdc)
Rnds 13 and 14: Ch 1, hdc in the first 10 sts finishing last st with Color B, with Color B hdc in next 6 sts finishing last st with Color A, with Color A hdc in each rem st, join and turn.
Now for the Long, Long Body
Rnds 15 – 56: Ch 1, hdc in the first 9 sts finishing last st with Color B, with Color B hdc in next 8 sts finishing last st with Color A, with Color A hdc in each rem st, join and turn.
Rnd 57: Ch 1, hdc in the first 10 sts finishing last st with Color B, with Color B hdc in next 6 sts finishing last st with Color A, with Color A hdc in each rem st, join and turn.
Rnd 58: Ch 1, hdc in the first 11 sts finishing last st with Color B, with Color B hdc in next 4 sts finishing last st with Color A, with Color A hdc in each rem st, join and turn.
Rnd 59: Ch 1, hdc in the first 12 sts finishing last st with Color B, with Color B hdc in next 2 sts finishing last st with Color A, with Color A hdc in each rem st, join and turn. Break Color B.
Rnd 60: Ch 1, hdc in the first 10 sts, (begin first leg) ch 4, skip first ch, hdc in each rem ch, sl st in side of 10th hdc, hdc in next st 6 sts, (begin second leg) ch 4, skip first ch, hdc in each rem ch, sl st in side of 16th hdc, hdc in last 10 sts, join and turn. (26 sts plus 2 legs)
Rnd 61: Ch 1, pushing the feet to the outside/RS, hdc in each st around, (begin tail) ch 10, skip first ch, hdc in next 4 chs, 2 hdc in the next ch, hdc in the next 2 chs, hdc2tog in last 2 chs; break yarn and seamless join to first st of rnd. (26 sts plus tail)
Finishing the Long Cat Door Draft Stopper
Optional: Use the Bernat Maker to add an asterisk, or * to the front of the last row, to represent a little cat booty.
Use the sewing thread and needle to sew the button to the inside front of the piece, opposite the tail.
To assemble, tie up the hanging string (if present) on one end of the draft stopper. Insert this end into the piece, and shake it down like a pillow case. Then, close the end by putting the button through the small hole at the base of the tail.
Remove the draft stopper for laundering.
Now that we’re safe from stray winds…
Ready for your next project? Check out the Moogly Free Patterns Page or Ravelry for even more inspiration!
If the Long Cat Door Draft Stopper pattern inspires you to make your own project, and you post a photo on social media, be sure to tag me @mooglyblog or #mooglyblog so I can check it out too!
The Fine Print
Follow Moogly on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram! Thank you to Yarnspirations for providing the materials shown in this post. Written pattern copyright Tamara Kelly 2024, all rights reserved. Please do not reprint or repost this pattern, but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others.
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