How to Make Shower Curtains

You can use waterproof fabric, such as vinyl, to make a shower curtain, or you can use home decor fabric to make a decorative shower curtain that goes over a waterproof lining. To hang the shower curtain, you'll need a simple rod or dowel that attaches to the wall on either side of the shower or bathtub. You can then hang the shower curtain using plain or decorative shower hooks. If you don't want to use shower hooks, especially for a decorative shower curtain, you can sew loops of fabric to the top of the shower curtain instead.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shower curtain rod
• Shower hooks (optional)
• Fabric
• Matching thread
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Iron (optional)
• Sewing machine
• Safety pin (optional)

Make a Shower Curtain

1. Install the shower curtain rod. Measure the width of the rod, and measure the length from the rod to the floor.

2. Cut a piece of shower curtain fabric that's about 8 inches wider than the rod, and about 4 inches longer than the distance from the top of the rod to the floor. If you need to sew several pieces of fabric together to make the curtain wide enough, follow the Tip below.

3. Hem the top, bottom and sides of the fabric using a double fold. To do this, fold each edge over 1 inch toward the wrong side of the fabric, then fold it over 1 inch again. Press cotton or home decor fabrics, but do not press vinyl or fabric that could melt. Stitch the folds in place.

4. Mark a place for each shower curtain hook along the top of the curtain, spacing them evenly, or make loops to hold the shower curtain using the technique described below.

5. Make a buttonhole for each shower hook. Slip a shower hook through each buttonhole, and hang the hooks on the rod.

Make Shower Curtain Loops

6. Cut a rectangle of fabric that's twice as wide as you want the loop plus 1/2 inch, and long enough to wrap from the front of the shower curtain over the rod to the back, plus 1 inch.

7. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise and stitch across the edge opposite the fold.

8. Turn the fabric right side out by attach a safety pin to one layer of the end of the fabric. Turn the safety pin to the inside of the fabric and push it through until it comes out the other end. Then remove the safety pin.

9. Press the loop fabric flat, making sure the seam is centered on the back of the loop.

10. Tuck the ends of the fabric in, then stitch across the each end of the loop so it won't ravel.

11. Make about nine to eleven additional loops, or as many as you need to support the shower curtain.

12. Pin both ends of each loop to the backside of the top of the shower curtain, spacing the loops evenly. Sew the ends of the loops to the top of the shower curtain.

13. Slip the rod through the loops and hang up the rod.

Tips & Warnings

• You may need to sew several pieces of fabric together to make the curtain wide enough. To do this, cut each piece with about 1 inch extra for seam allowance. Place the pieces wrong sides together and stitch them together using 1/4 inch seam allowance. Turn the pieces right sides together and stitch the seam again using 1/2 inch seam allowance. This makes a French seam and encloses any raw edges.
• Use an iron temperature that's appropriate for the type of fabric you're using. Do not iron vinyl.