Decorating Your Fabric Shower Curtain with Applique

To save money on a fancy shower curtain, try buying a plain one and adding your own touch with appliques. 

Choosing a Curtain

Clearly, it is important to make sure that your shower curtain is fabric rather than plastic if you are going to sew appliques on it because sewing appliques on a plastic curtain would be disastrous, if not nearly impossible. 

If you choose a fabric shower curtain without a pattern, you don't have much to worry about. Choose any color of the rainbow, and you'll be sure to find appliques that compliment it. However, don't limit yourself to a solid color. You can choose a curtain with a pattern as long as you can envision where appliques will be added. For example, if your shower curtain is covered with butterflies, stitch butterfly appliques over some of the 2D critters to make them 3D. It will add visual interest to a flat pattern. 

Choosing an Applique

Applique used to apply only to decorative pieces that were stitched onto a fabric. Now, appliques are available in an iron-on variety, which makes them much more user-friendly and simple to use. Unfortunately, stitch-on appliques are probably the best choice when decorating your shower curtain. Though the iron-on appliques are much easier to use, the heat from the shower may weaken the adhesive over time and make them fall off more quickly than they would have otherwise. If the applique that you love is an iron-on, use it anyway. Iron the applique according to its instructions and then stitch around the edges like you would any other applique. Ironing it on before stitching is actually helpful because it will keep the applique in place while you sew. If you choose to do this, you can eliminate the pins that you would normally need to hold the pattern in place. 

Unless you are an experienced seamstress, it may be a good idea to choose smaller appliques that require less sewing time. Some appliques are sold with the thread and needle that you'll need, making your life easier if you don't have a sewing kit full of all of the necessities. 

Completing the Job

First, choose whether you want your thread to contrast or match the edges of the applique. Contrasting thread looks nice if it is done correctly. However, most people will choose to match their thread to their applique. Lay the curtain on a flat surface and place the applique where you want to stitch it, holding it in place with straight pins. If you purchased an iron-on applique, iron it in place instead of using pins as described before. Now, get ready to sew. Use small straight stitches close to the edge of your applique, staying less than a centimeter away from the border. Make sure that the applique is well secured and tie your knot. Once it is securely attached, rethread your needle and stitch around the edge again, making loops to cover the edges of the fabric. Whatever color thread you choose here should be considered your "border" color. 

You may repeat the last step to create a wider border, using a zig-zag stitch.