If you're looking for a fun summer project, Elizabeth Cecchettini from Baby Lock has some great instructions on how to make shower curtains and spruce up your towels and bath mat with new fabrics!
Download the Instructions Here!
Start your makeover by selecting a fresh and exciting fabric! Use the fabric as the inspiration for the colors and designs, updating the shower curtain, towels, and bath mat. The Baby Lock Soprano makes it easy to sew on all the types of fabric.
Skill Level: Beginner
Supplies:
Sewing machine
Bath towel sets
Bath mat
58” wide printed cotton fabric, refer to Steps 1 & 2 for yardage calculations
Packages of coordinating ½” wide bias tape
½ yard of 45” golden/natural burlap
1 yard of woven fusible interfacing
16 large (1 3/8”) grommets for shower curtain
Water soluble marker
All-purpose thread
Decorative threads
Basic sewing supplies
Instructions:
Shower Curtains
1. Establish the finished length of the shower curtains. To this measurement, add 10 inches for the header and five inches for the hem. The pictured shower curtain is 95 inches finished. 95” + 10” + 5” = 110” for each panel, two panels were used in this bathroom. Multiply the 110” x 2 lengths for a total of 220”, divided by 36” for a total of 6 1/3 yards. If the fabric has a repeat in the design, measure the length of the repeat, add this measurement to the total yardage.
2. Purchase additional yardage for the embellishment of the towels and bath mat.
3. Measure and cut out the shower curtain panels.
4. Measure and cut strips of fusible interfacing for the header of each panel, (4 1/2” wide x width of each panel). Press interfacing to the wrong side of fabric, along the top edge of each panel.
5. Next, prepare for the side hems by trimming off the selvages from both sides of each panel.
6. Prepare the side hems by folding edges to the wrong side of panels (1”, twice) and pin.
7. At the sewing machine, stitch the side hems on each panel with matching thread.
8. Mark the header 5” from the top edge and 10” from the top.
9. At the 5” marking, fold the fabric to the wrong side of the panel and press. Fold the edge under once more at the 10” marked line and press. Stitch the header’s folded edge. Repeat this for the second panel.
10.Next, fold the hems of each panel to the wrong side (2 1/2”, twice). Stitch and press.
11.Following the manufacturer’s instructions, apply eight large grommets, evenly spaced to the header of each panel.
Bath Mat
1. Measure the area of the bath mat to be covered with fabric. Add 1” to all sides.
2. Cut out a panel of fabric according to the above measurements.
3. Fold and pin under 1” on all sides and press.
4. Pin the fabric panel to the center of the bath mat.
5. Stitch the panel to the mat with matching thread. A larger needle and longer stitch length may be helpful if the bath mat is very thick.
6. Quilt the center of the panel using a selection of decorative stitches and threads. Follow the pattern of the fabric or use free-form stitching to quilt a design.
Towels
1. Measure the width of hand towels and bath towels. From the decorative fabric, cut strips four to three inches wide and the full width of each towel.
2. Embellish the strips with decorative stitches and coordinating threads.
3. Pin one strip to a towel. Pin bias tape over the raw edges on all four sides of the strip.
4. Stitch the bias tape to the towel using matching thread. Miter the bias tape at each corner.
5. For burlap fringe, cut strips of the burlap two inches wider than the 3”- 4” for the fabric strip. Pin the burlap strip to the towel first. Then pin the fabric strip centered, over the burlap strip.
6. Apply the bias tape as above.
7. Pull the crosswise threads from the burlap, creating a 3/4” wide fringe on top and bottom.
For other exciting projects by Baby Lock, visit their Projects Page!
©2016 Baby Lock USA.
