Make Your Own Shower Curtain

Making your own shower curtain can be accomplished in one afternoon. As an alternative to a store-bought variety, a homemade shower curtain possesses charm and character of its own. You can personalize it, rather than limit yourself to what you can find in a store.

Step 1: Lay Out Fabric

To begin, measure out the appropriate amount of fabric for the shower curtain. Most shower curtains are 72x72 inches, but this may differ in your bathroom. When you buy fabric from the store, though, it is not six feet wide, so you’ll have to sew it together. First, get the dimensions and lay out it out. Add five inches to the top and two inches on each of the other three sides. Thus, if the dimensions will be 72x72 inches, the fabric laid out should measure 76 inches wide by 79 inches tall.

Step 2: Sew Pieces Together

Turn the fabric over so the backside is facing up. Where the two pieces meet on the inside edge, make a small seam running the whole length and pin it every few inches. With either a sewing machine or old fashioned needle and thread, sew the two pieces together with a heavy stitch.

Step 3: Hem the Sides and Bottom

With the backside of the curtain still facing up, on the sides and bottom–one at a time–fold over two inches of fabric onto itself and iron to smooth and flatten it out. The backside of the hems should be on the same side as the middle seam. Pin it along the edge and sew a stitch to complete the hem.

Step 4: Hem the Top

On the top, fold over five inches of fabric and iron it. Before you pin and sew, unfold it again and using the ironed seam as your guide, iron on a strip of fabric stabilizer. This will strengthen the fabric when you make cuts for the shower rings. Once in place, fold the five inch flap over again, pin and sew a stitch along the top. With the hems the dimensions should be 72x72 inches.

Step 5: Cut Buttonholes for Rings

There are twelve rings, so you’ll need twelve holes. An inch from the top, make two marks at either end two inches in. Between those two points, stretch out the measuring tape and make ten more marks equally spaced. At each of these marks use the razor to make a small slit. Do not slice lower than two inches below the top or you will cut past the fabric stabilizer. With either the sewing machine or by hand, stitch around each of these slits to complete each buttonhole.

Step 6: Fasten Rings to Curtain and Liner

Hang the shower curtain with liner on the shower rod and make sure the fabric drapes over the edge of the tub while the liner stays inside. It took you a little while, but you’ve just made your own shower curtain. If you make any mistakes, have a stitch ripper handy. As an extra feature, add pleats to the top of the curtain.