How To Make A Shower Curtain

Hi all.  In yesterday’s post, I showed you the new paint color in our guest bath and the new shower curtain that I made.  It was the second shower curtain that I have ever done, but I made it out of necessity.  I looked and looked for a new shower curtain to bring some color to the neutral room, but I just couldn’t find one long enough that was also nice and heavy.  Many of them just tended to be flimsy.  Since learning to sew for 4-H projects when I was young, I am the queen of sewing a straight line.  Don’t ask me to make a dress.  That won’t happen.  However, I can make things like bed skirts, curtains, pillow shams, throw pillow covers, and shower curtains because they all require just a straight line of sewing.  In fact, between you and me – When I was sewing those aprons and simple dresses for 4-H, my mother always did the things like darts, sleeves, gathers, zippers, collars, etc. because she was afraid that someone would see me wearing it.  She was afraid they would think that she made it and did a lousy job.  So, that explains why I can only sew straight lines.

The steps to making a shower curtain are very straight forward.

 

 

 

First, I selected fabric.  I like to use indoor/outdoor fabric for a shower curtain because it will hold up to bathroom dampness without a problem, and it is nice and heavy.  As you saw in yesterday’s post, I chose a stripe, but any pattern will work.

 

 

I used a wide fabric instead of something that is 36 inches wide.  By doing so there won’t be many seams.  The fabric I chose was 57 inches wide.  The opening is 72  inches wide.  So, I had to buy enough to add some additional width to the finished shower curtain.  I always overbuy and bought six yards.  (I can make pillows for the guest bedroom with the left overs.) That gave me enough for a curtain that is 88 inches long.

 

 

The extra length was necessary because I cut a second piece the same length but 20  inches wide.   When purchasing fabric, remember to allow enough extra for your hems at the top and bottom.  The finished curtain also ended up being a little wider than it needed to be, but that’s okay.

 

 

 

Before I started sewing anything, I cut the selvage away from all of the edges.  When that was done, the two pieces were ready to sew together.  After sewing that first seam, I pressed the seams open.  It was important not to skip this step.  Pressing makes a huge difference in how anything that you sew will look when it is completed.

 

 

Then it was time to get rid of the raw edges on the sides.  I measured in 1/2 inch and folded, pressed the fold, then measured 1/2 inch and folded again.  I pressed again.  Then I sewed the entire length of both sides.

 

 

The next step was hemming the top and bottom.  I had a two-inch hem on both the top and bottom.  I followed the same process that I followed for the edges.  I measured in 1/2 inch, folded, and pressed.  Then I measured in two inches, folded and pressed.  This is important so there are no exposed raw edges that look ugly and/or could unravel in the future.

 

 

 

There were only two steps left, and the next step was my favorite.  My sewing machine is very basic, but it does have a device for making button holes.  I knew that I would be using 12 rings on the shower rod.  I took the width of the curtain (after all edges have been sewed) and divided by 12.  This let me know how far apart to make each button hole.  I then measured and made a mark where each hole would go.  The machine does all of the work, but it’s important for me to make sure I have measured correctly.

 

 

 

The final step was to cut the opening into each hole using a razor blade.  That’s all there is to it:  measuring, ironing, and sewing straight lines.

 

The final product was pure perfection, and I am pleased.   Now, how about you?  Are you a straight liner or are you one of the lucky ones who can make clothes?

 

Take care.