Repurpose: Vintage sheet shower curtain

I have the time and energy to execute about a quarter of the projects swirling in my head (or on my Pinboards for that matter). And because I'm pressed for time, I usually sit on ideas until I think I've landed on the fastest route to execution. This often backfires (of course!). But not this time. This time, once I'd gathered what I needed, the actual making and hanging took an hour. 

Also, I should admit that this project really started with the discovery of the sheet. I was trawling eBay and Etsy for fabric to recover chairs (a project that is taking FOREVER). Along the way, I encountered the most amazing vintage sheets. Bed sheets should not be amazing. But these are. Because the designs are unusual. And, once you're holding them, the quality is striking. I bought one that will soon be a new bedcover for Ms Ro. The other is now my shower curtain!

Here's the how to:  

Before you make your own shower curtain, take a look at the great round up on Domestic Imperfection and/or search Pinterest for "DIY shower curtains." There are lots of ways you can approach this. I went the little-sewing-as-possible route. The sheet I bought (from Aunt Sister's Picks) was already the perfect width. I already had the plastic liner (PEVA rather than PVC) and I found curtain clips on Amazon for under $4. 

Step 1: 

I put the old shower curtain down on the floor and measured the sheet against it. Width was already spot on. It just needed to be shortened 

Step 2:

Cut and hem the sheet. I'm saving the piece I cut off for pillow cases, because the cotton is so incredibly soft!

Step 3: 

Use the drapery clips to join the sheet and the liner. Then some trial and error was required for hanging the whole thing. I ultimately removed the rings from the clips because the curtain rings fit through the hole in the clip. 

There are 12 holes on a standard curtain. I had 10 clips so you can see they don't line up with the liner holes. Makes absolutely no difference. Also, if you look closely at this image, you'll see a little black mark on the curtain (top left). That's an initial. It appears 4 times across the pattern... the artist claiming his/her work? See, I told you they're amazing. 

And there it is. I'm very proud of that straight hem by the way. It should be easy to just sew a straight line but I'm bad at it. Anyway, voila: a shower curtain with character! I love it.

And what of the old plastic curtain? Well, it's not recyclable. Did you know that? Ugh. Anyway, I will be using mine as a drop cloth. For a long time. Click here for a list of other ways to repurpose old shower curtains.