Rope caulk definitely deserves more attention. I first used it about five years ago when I was renovating an older home with original wooden windows—beautiful, but drafty as anything. Plastic wrap looked terrible and tape never stayed put. Rope caulk was a lifesaver: easy to mold, neat finish, and actually effective at sealing drafts. It's not a permanent fix, but for quick winter prep or temporary sealing, it's hard to beat. Glad to see others discovering it too...
"Plastic wrap looked terrible and tape never stayed put."
Haha, I feel your pain on the plastic wrap—tried that once myself and it was a disaster. Rope caulk really is underrated, especially for those beautiful old windows you don't want to replace. Another quick fix I've used a lot is weatherstripping tape (the foam kind). It's not as neat-looking as rope caulk, but if you're in a hurry or have a bigger gap to fill, it can really help cut down drafts.
One winter, I was working on a client's older bungalow, and the windows were letting in so much cold air you could practically feel the breeze indoors. We ended up using rope caulk for the smaller gaps and foam weatherstripping tape for the larger ones. Between the two, we got the house cozy enough until spring when they could afford proper restoration work.
Anyway, glad to see rope caulk getting some love—it deserves it.
I've had mixed luck with weatherstripping tape myself. Worked great on one window, but on another it peeled off after a couple weeks—probably my fault for not cleaning the frame properly first. I ended up using rope caulk instead, and honestly, it surprised me how well it worked. Easy to apply, stayed put all winter, and didn't look half bad either. Guess sometimes the simplest solutions really are best...