I used to buy shower curtains, it never occurred to me to make them. However, in the winter of 1997, I was a single mom in a new condo and after a 2 week winter break, we had snow days. I also had the curtains from my previous room. Next thing you know, I got a new shower curtain and didn't look back since. I think the ones you make are much cuter, so I'm here to tell you how to make your own shower curtain.
I have two bathrooms in my condo and two shower curtains that I made. I use a cotton fabric that I really like and then I have a liner behind. I use the double hooks for the hang so you don't have to take the curtain down to remove and wash the liner.
Here is my blue, it is quite basic.
Most shower curtains are 72" by 72", but measure your own opening if you want to be sure.
This fabric is a large overall print that would look clunky if I hadn't matched the print.
Consider this when choosing your fabric. If there is a definite horizontal repeat, not an all-around fabric, then you will need to match it to the middle seam.
See the yellow arrow? This is where the seam is and I matched the pattern horizontally and vertically. Just move the fabric around until you sew where everything lines up.
So what do you need to make your own shower curtain?
Stationery:
5 yards of fabric plus extra if you need to match thread to a sewing machine that can make buttonholes.Not:
1. Cut the five yards to have two 2.5 meter panels. If you don't have enough length, you can always make a header and a footer. My striped fabric wasn't long enough so I just rotated the stripe up and down.
2. Join them together in the middle. I match almost any fabric, even stripes.
3. Sew a very wide seam to create a flat seam. You can do this any way you like, but you're basically cutting one side of the seam, pressing the other side twice to bury the cut side and hiding the raw edge of the pressed side as you sew it. Here is a tutorial from another website if you are not familiar with this kind of seams.
4. When the seam is matched and flattened, you will barely be able to see it. Here is the reverse of my seam and without the black arrow, I'm not sure you would even notice.
5. When you are done with the middle seam, you have a giant piece of fabric.
6. Cut the width at 80 inches, 40 on each side of the seam. If you don't have 80 inches, no cutting is needed and smaller side borders.
7. Turn over and press a 2″ “hem” on each side, then turn and press again. You will have 4″ total pressed twice and when nice and flat, sew it up.
8. You now have a slightly less giant piece of fabric with hemmed sides.
9. For the top, I do the same procedure but twice as wide if I have enough fabric. Bind off a 4” hem twice and sew in place. is here you can add a contrasting header instead. Sew it across, hem the sides, turn it over, wrap the seam and sew it.)
10. Make 12 buttonholes evenly spaced across the top. I use lining and match the spacing of these buttonholes. Making 12 buttonholes is a bit of a pain. Maybe have a snack first.
11. At this point I'm hanging the shower curtain and making sure I want a 4 inch double hem at the bottom. You can add a contrast hem at this point if the fabric is too short. You can see where I did this with both the header and footer, it works great with the stripes. I used the fabric I cut from the sides. You can also use a contrasting fabric up and down.
12. Sew the bottom hem and you have a great shower curtain. I've made six in my life. Yes, that's a lot of buttonholes. Thanks for noticing.
But when they're done, I'm sewn happy!
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If you're making your own shower curtain, how about a shower robe? Check out the tutorial here.
