How to Make a Shower Curtain With Attached Valance

Shower curtains don't have to be plain and boring.

Making your own shower curtain will give your bathroom individuality. The fabric can enhance the theme of the room, and the curtain design enhance its style. An attached valance shower curtain will suit most decor styles. Making these curtains is well within the skill-set of an intermediate home-sewer who measures carefully and can follow a few guidelines.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread
• Grommets

Instructions

1. Measure from the bottom of the curtain rod to the floor. This will be the finished length of the shower curtain. The placement of the grommets on the curtain will raise the curtain 1 inch from the floor so do not deduct from the length for floor clearance. Shower curtains are typically 72 inches wide. This will be the finished width of the curtain.

2. Decide the length of the valance portion of the shower curtain. This is an arbitrary decision; the length that is right is the length you like best.

3. Calculate the required width for the valance fabric by adding 4 inches to the finished width of the curtain, or 76 inches. If necessary, sew sections of fabric together.

4. Calculate the length of the curtain fabric section by adding the finished length of the shower curtain, plus 4 inches for the bottom hem and 1/2-inch for the top seam. Cut the valance fabric equal to the cut width required and the length equal to 1 inch plus twice the finished length of the valance.

5. Turn the bottom hem up on the curtain section 2 inches twice and sew it in place. Turn the outside edges in 1 inch twice and sew it in place.

6. Turn the outside edges of the valance piece under 1 inch twice and sew it in place.

7. Fold the valance fabric, wrong sides together, align the top edges and press them in place. Pin the top raw edges together.

8. Position the top edge of the wrong side of the shower curtain to the top edge of the valance. Sew both edges with a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

9. Flip the valance to the right side of the shower curtain. Stitch the top edge 5/8-inch from the top.

10. Insert grommets, with the top of each grommet 1 inch from the top of the curtain, equidistant across the top, following the packaging instructions for the grommets.

Tips & Warnings

• Pre-launder the fabric in the same manner as the finished curtain will be laundered to prevent any shrinkage.

• Instead of grommets, you can make large buttonholes instead.

References

• Alternative Windows: Curtains with an Attached Valance Instructions
• YouTube: Shower Curtain, How to Make It
• "The Complete Photo Guide to Curtains and Draperies"; Linda Neubauer; 2006

Resources

• "The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments, 2nd Edition"; Linda Neubauer; 2011