Making Your Own Shower Curtains

While a little sewing skill won't hurt, you don't need to be a seamstress to make your own shower curtains.

If you are planning on renovating your bathroom, perhaps you have chosen a color scheme and just can’t quite find the right shower curtains to match your new décor. Perhaps it is best to make your own shower curtains. While this may seem like a daunting task, it isn’t. Even a novice sewer can make shower curtains.

First, you need to purchase materials for your shower curtains. You will want a waterproof inside, usually vinyl. You can purchase these pre-made in a wide variety of colors, so you may not have to make one of these curtain liners yourself, however you would follow essentially the same steps to make a vinyl liner as the fabric curtain.

Secondly, you need to measure for the length of curtains you will need. Measure from the shower curtain rod to the floor. Add three inches for the top, and two for the bottom—a total of five inches added to the length. Measure the width of your shower space to determine how wide your curtains need to be. If they are wider than the material, you will have to make panels and sew them together.

Once you have the measurements, it’s time to cut the material. Assuming you only need one panel, cut to the length you need, remembering to include five inches. Sew the bottom first, giving a two inch hem on the bottom.

For the top, you have two options. One is to make a sliding curtain—one that slides on the rod through a sleeve of material at the top, or to install rings.

If you are choosing to use the sleeve method, then fold over the three inches and press it into a crease. Fold about one half an inch in on the ragged edge inside, and press it down. Sew this to the main part of the curtain, and then slide the rod through the created sleeve.

If you choose to use rings, make a triple folded hem at the top of the curtain and sew top and bottom. Using the same method as for making button holes, make eight to 10 evenly spaced ‘holes’ through the top hem. Insert rings through the holes and hang onto the shower curtain rod.

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