Sewing a Shower Curtain
Bath Accessories Make the Difference
Sewing a shower curtain for your bath can be a fun weekend project and the new curtain can completely change the look of your bathing space. While there are numerous curtain designs on the market, you may not be able to find one that matches your particular décor for your bathroom.
In which case, creating your own decorative curtain design may be your only option to get the treatment that you want. Stitching a shower curtain for your washroom is also a good idea if you want your window treatments and shower curtains to match or even coordinate with the fabrics in the other rooms of your home.
When hemming a shower curtain for your tub, don’t forget about your support rod and accompanying hardware. These accessories may seem insignificant but your hardware is also important to bring together and enhance the look of your faucets and other washroom fixtures.
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So the plus side of creating your own drapery for your enclosure instead of purchasing a commercial one is that you have greater flexibility of design and of course you have a much greater fabric selection as well.
Where to start when stitching a basic version for your lavatory all depends upon the fullness you want when your curtain is open and the type of curtain fabric material you would like to use.
Layering Your Fabrics
Most curtain designs are based upon a two layer system. The waterproof liner is made from plastic and separates the outer layer made of fabric from the shower’s water. Normally when sewing a shower curtain for your bath, the liner and curtain are hung on the same rod.
But don’t let this limit you, many interesting and innovative designs can be created by hanging your curtain and liner on two separate support rods or shower bars.
A separate valance (which is a small skirt) can also be used above your shower curtain to conceal your support hardware to create a contemporary looking shower display or it can be attached on the same rod as your shower curtain.
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Going the Extra Mile With the Details
Button holes or grommets at the top of your shower curtain are used to hold up the curtain that is typically hung from rings made of metal, wood, plastic or even fabric covered rings if you want to go the extra mile.
Ok, so you have thought about what fabric pattern you should use. Before you begin hemming your shower curtain for your bathtub you must also decide how much fabric you are actually going to need and that would depend upon the size of your shower enclosure.
For your project, a basic shower curtain measurement is approximately seventy-two inches long and seventy-two inches wide.
Determining the Width of the Materials
Try to keep the shower curtain and liner the same width so they can hang together properly but you can increase the length of your curtain for visual effect, just try to hang the curtain about two inches off your bath floor to keep it clean.
Also when hemming a fabric barrier for your stall, try to choose a curtain material that can be easily washed in your washer because sooner or later the cloth is going to get dirty and will need to be cleaned.
It’s also a good common practice to pre-wash and dry the material before sewing the textile as a preventative measure so it won’t shrink when you do eventually have to clean it.
The bath accessory materials you will need when sewing a shower curtain for your tub are: shower curtain liner, a shower bar with twelve rings (or twelve grommets and a tool to attach them) and about 4.5m (5yds) of fabric.
Don’t forget you will have hems, fabric pattern repeats, and hopefully not too many mistakes, it’s always good planning to buy a bit more shower curtain cloth than you think you’ll actually need.
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Get More Fabric Than You Actually Need
An extra yard or about three feet is a good over compensation just in case. You may actually need more fabric if you intend to match other areas of your bathroom such as your window curtains so take this into account when measuring your fabric for your bathroom.
It is important when creating a curtain for your tub, you determine the length of your shower area, and then add for the header, plus the hem.
Another way you could find out your required measurements for would be to measure the dimensions of your old curtain, taking into account some additional material for your seams, add approximately five to six inches to the top and about two inches on all sides.
Next you need to iron out the fabric flat to ensure nice crisp edges. Once that is done proceed by using a sewing machine to stitch along the seams to make sure they are secured.
Reinforcing the Ring Holes
You can use your old shower curtain as a guide (approximately six or seven inches between rungs) to cut out the holes for your shower rings and either stitch around the holes to reinforce the cut or use a grommet which is a ring inserted into a hole through a thin material such as fabric so it won’t tear from supporting the weight of the pierced fabric.
Once this is done all you have to do is hang up your newly sewn shower curtain to the curtain hardware using your rod and support rings. Cut or purchase a liner and you and your family are ready to use your brand new custom-designed shower curtain.
Because these accessories have such a resounding visual impact in the space, sewing a shower curtain for your bathroom is a quick and easy way to spruce up your lavatory without the hassle of a total makeover.
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