Fabric Door Stop ~ How to make your own fabric door stop with free tutorial
April 10, 2012
I’ve made a few of these for my own home, even though we don’t have swing doors, we do have Little People who bang doors and run into half-open doors, so a fabric doorstop here and there is just the ticket.
These have been made for my upcoming craft fairs, and although they’re quite fiddly to make, they look great when finished. Here’s how I made them;
How to make your own Fabric Door Stop
- Cut out one rectangular panel to make up the main body (mine was 19x45cm), two rectangular panels for the top and bottom (13cm x 17cm) and two smaller rectangles to make up the handles (5cm x 15cm). If you’re using thin material, you should also use interfacing to add strength.
One main body piece, two each of the handle and end panels
- Lay the two handle pieces together (RST), and stitch along the long edge of either side. Turn right side out and press. Place to the side for later.
Handle: Stitching along the sides pre-turning.
- Press 2.5cm seams around the outer edges of the main body and the top and bottom.
Pressing 2.5cm seams
- Not including the 2.5cm seams, mark along the long side of the main body panel at 8cm then 12cm, and then again 8cm and 12cm in. These are the dimensions of your main body. Press along these lines.
- Line up the seams of the main body [RST] and stitch together along the long edge to form the body of the doorstop (without top or bottom at this stage). It will be inside out at this stage.
- Pin the handles to the centre of the short edges of the top and the top of the main body, with raw edges matching.
- Keeping your pieces inside out, pin all four sides of the top panel to the top of the cube (still inside out), making sure that the handle is tucked away out of sight.
Fiddly, fiddly! Stitching along the seams to make your doorstop
- Stitch along these four sides (making sure you double stitch over the handles for strength). Stitching these seams can be quite fiddly. Start by sewing along from one corner (of the two pressed seams, with raw edges matching up) all the way along to the next (where the pressed folded corners meet). Keep the needle down, lift the presser foot, shift all the fabric through and lay the next two sets edges down so that your raw edges are matching, and stitch along this next edge. Repeat until all four edges are sewn up.
- Repeat step 8 for the two long edges and one short edge for the bottom panel to the bottom of the main body.
- Turn the right way round.
- Place a plastic bag (like a food freezer bag) inside and start to fill with rice. I use about 1.5kg. It takes a bit of pouring, shuggling (sure is should be a word!), patting down, pouring again and some more shuggling to make sure the rice fills out the main body. When it’s full, tie a good knot in the top of the bag, and tuck the knot in on itself within the rice body so it’s out of the way.
- Blind stitch the final seam closed.
Here's one I made earlier
You’re Done. Ta Daaah! Made By Yours Truly. Sit back and admire your non-slamming doors 😀
17 Comments
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MadeByYoursTruly 
These are perfect! I can see so many uses and they’re beautiful. Never have I ever seen a pretty door stop; typically the best you can do is to find something small and discreet and hope that no attention is drawn to it. These are wonderfully clever, well done!
What a kind comment! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. Glad you like them, worth all the fiddly stitching then 😀
I like them too 😀 Your fabric choices are gorgeous. Thanks for the great tutorial!
Thank you! I’m glad you like the fabrics, wasn’t 100% sure of them at first.
I have been wondering about how to make these. Might have to have a go.
Ooh do have a go and let me know how you get on!
I must also have a go, they are so fat and chunky and gorgeous. One question – will the rice not attract weevils at some point?
Hadn’t thought it would be a problem – The rice is well packed inside two freezer bags, but you could use something less weevil-tempting, maybe those weight thingies used in pie-making?
No, I think they’ll be fine in the freezer bags. Was thinking of cheaper options, as well, though – what about sand? Obviously nice clean washed beach sand, but packed in plastic might also work. 🙂
Darn it – I’ve just come back from miles and miles of sand! Good idea though…
Well, I live in Cape Town — want me to send you some…? heh
Yes please, and a whole load of sunshine please.
Hi, how much would you sell them for at a fair? I have made a few similar items in animal shapes (chicken, dinosaur etc) and now my friends want to buy them – but I’m not sure how much is reasonable. I fill with split lentils, also in a poly bag. Shuggling should be a word, though I’ve called it poking and shiffling…
Hi Rach, for a friend I’d charge just a little over material costs. For a fair I’d add a bit for labour and to cover a portion of the craft fair table costs – probably around ten pounds?
Thank you! That’s about what I thought.
Great tutorial made one in a night thanx
Glad you liked it – I’d love to see a photo!