How I Turned a Flimsy into a Shower Curtain!

 Midweek Makers 

I’ve had several blogger friends ask me how I made a quilt top/flimsy into a shower curtain. I’m going to attempt to explain. If you are not interested, feel free to exit out and go on to the next maker

First, of course, decide which of your UFO tops you will use. I chose a top I made from a QAL called 30 Blocks in 30 Days. 

Then comes measurements. Is the original wide enough for the opening in your shower?

There was a lot of trial and error for us because we had our original tub/ shower combination taken out and a new step in shower installed. I opted for a curved shower rod installed at a custom height. Because Mr Busy is tall, the shower head is higher than normal and therefore the rod is higher. 

This is just to see where I needed to make adjustments. It’s clipped to hangers! 

I started with a clear plastic liner from Amazon. It is 72x78. That gave me a starting point. I needed to add borders to the sides to begin. I divided the width difference in half, added seam allowances and added the borders. I knew I was going to have to add to the length, but I needed to wait until it was hanging to determine that length. 

I made a liner from a piece of muslin I had. You could use any plain light colored fabric. I measured again! Always measure twice ( or more ) cut once! Then sewed the backing(lining) at the sides only. The liner was longer than needed but that gave me some leeway. 

I pressed the seams to the main curtain. Trimmed the top edges even.  I cut strips of Stitch Witchery at 3 inches by the width  and fused the muslin back to the quilt top. This reinforced the top edge for grommets. You could also do buttonholes. I added a narrow binding at the top using a light gray fabric. The color is personal preference. You do you! I chose to use a 1.75” strip and attach per Edyta Sitar’s method. You can find a video on Fat Quarter Shops YouTube channel or search Edyta Sitar Laundry Basket Quilts. 

Oh yippee, I think I was able to insert it here! 😀

Next step was to insert the grommets. I was able to find chrome 3/4” grommets at Hobby Lobby. I knew I needed twelve, to match the purchased liner. I measured and marked the grommet location to match the liner. With Mr Busy’s help I got them installed. I measured 1” down from the binding edge. This gave a bit more above the grommets, and changed the total length needed a bit. 

At this point it was more trial and error. I now needed to add 4” at the bottom of the original quilt top. I cut border rectangles at 6” in colors that coordinated with the flimsy. I calculated 4” + 1/2”for seam allowance + 1 1/2” for a hem.  I didn’t have to match seams, I just made it long enough. I hemmed the curtain by pressing up 1/2” then 1 inch. I machine stitched it down. I cut the lining a bit shorter and used an overlocking stitch on my machine to finish the edge. I had to unstitch the side seam about 2 inches. The muslin lining hangs loose at the bottom. To finish, I top- stitched the side edges so they have a crisp edge. 

I know this is wordy, I hope you get the idea. This is by no means the only way to do this. I just did it one step at a time. I’m pleased with the way it turned out! 

 Our bathroom is small. Our house was built in 1978.

I hung this wall hanging above the towel rack to the left of the shower. I think it compliments curtain. 

I’m sharing at Midweek Makers hosted by Susan of Quilt Fabrication

Thanks for sticking with me on this post! If  you need clarification, please comment and I’ll try to answer more succinctly! 

ScrapHappy Saturday.

 

Starting a new month and a new color. I’m anxious to sew blues.  There was a chuck of blue added to the bottom hem piece that needs to be added to the quilty shower curtain.  I’ll eventually get it totally done and then will try to write a step by step. I’ve had some questions about the method to my madness!

Today is my brother’s birthday. He’s the only one of the four of us who has a summer birthday. The only one who is left handed and the only one of us who didn’t wear glasses in elementary school. So interesting I think! 

And tomorrow Mr. Busy and I celebrate our 60th Wedding Anniversary! 

We were so young! Our bridesmaids wore blue, there were blue gladiolus decorating the church. 

Sooo,  I’m ready to sew blue! The blue scrap baskets are on the cutting table. 

Linking up at So Scrappy for ScrapHappy Saturday!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Two for One

Or more precisely, one project for two different memes!

I enjoy participating in The Joyful Quilter’s Monthly Table Scraps Challenge and Alycia Quilt’s weekly Finished or Not Friday.

 May’s RSC color was pink. As I have all year,  I sewed scraps of the monthly color, sometimes my scraps used a pattern, sometimes into crumb blocks. Using Joyful’s theme prompt Kentucky Derby, I struggled. My pinks went together slowly. No photos, I was struggling. I’m a city girl. I’ve never liked horses! Some girls go through a horse phase around 8-12 yo. Not me. They frightened me!  But, I like hats! 👒 I considered a big floppy girly hat. That would have been awesome if I lived on the East Coast and there was a possibility of attending the Kentucky Derby! But I live in Wyoming!  A cowboy hat would have been wrong, so I appliqued a Derby shape on my table topper. I quilted a 1 inch grid diagonally, zigzaged the brown derbies and bound it with the same fabric as the back. Done!

The derby is a image from the internet.

And so I have a finish. A pink crumb table topper with brown derbies will be used on my side table this summer.

I’m linking this post at Table Scraps Challenge and at Finished or Not Friday ! 

 

 Please visit Alycia Quilts FONF and Joyful Quilter TSC using the links above. 

Busy Hands Are Happy Hands, Stay Busy!

I LIKE Thursday May 30th

Today is our youngest granddaughter’s 31st birthday! How can that be. I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday!

She’s the beauty on the left, sharing a Maple Creamy with a friend. Or an ice cream cone  if you’re not from Vermont! 

This week has been meh! as far as creativity goes. I’ve been working on May’s pink Kentucky Derby Table  Scraps Challenge. I’ll post it tomorrow. 

Mr Busy’s been suffering from some sort of virus/ head cold/ sinus something! The Covid test was negative, so that’s good. 

I’m still reading Covenant of Water on my Kindle App. It is so well written. Such a good story of life in India in the early 1900s. I’m only at 69%, so I’m not sure how the story continues!  But I’m enjoying it! 

We watched the first 4 episodes of Season 3 of Bridgerton! Now we wait til June 13 th for more. 

Even a wallflower can bloom!

**************************** LeeAnnas prompt! 

in honor of Memorial Day culture... not the actual meaning mind you...

Memorial day is the opening of pools, summer and wearing white pants

do you look forward to wearing white pants? Do you own any? Shorts capris, dress pants or jeans?  Did you ever have a favorite pair for instance?

hip hugger cut offs with frayed cuffs? 

 I love white pants for summer. I have a couple of white capris. One of linen, more dressy. I don’t wear shorts, haven’t for years! My sister and I had a favorite white jean from Lee. They had side elastic in the waist. Good for waistlines that varied from month to month. LOL! Lee doesn’t make them any more. I’m on the lookout for a great pair of white jeans! 

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I’m off to our local library for a morning of stitching with friends.

And linking up with LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful!

 

Slow Sunday Stitching…

During a long holiday weekend.

I have several slow stitching projects in progress. SPIPs! Or SWIPs.  :)

This Spring String from Lizzie Kate using some called for colors and some substituted colors. All DMC.

Stitched on 18 ct Aida that I coffee/tea dyed .

The Temperature Stitch is ongoing! Chart from FQS in 2023. Stitched on Peaceful Purple 14 ct with called for colors using the chart for Wide Range temperatures. 

And WINTER SAL will get time in the hoop this week.! 14 ct Aida in Riviera Aqua from Stitchonomy!

I’m using called for colors, I’m did not purchase the kit, so no extra charms. 

Linking up with Kathy and other stitchers for Slow Sunday Stitching the last Sunday in May!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful!

Scrap Happy Saturday Pink’s Goodbye

I had to smile ! My post title made me think of this famous P¡nk!

But she’s not saying goodbye anytime soon. 

 I haven’t sewn any pink in recent weeks. I have 7 pink zipper blocks and  8 pink split nine patch blocks finished. Not sure what my final plan is, but I don’t want anymore orphan blocks. So when I settle on a pattern, I’ll add to the colors I need. 

Mr Busy and I  got the grommets in the “shower curtain”. There is some “pink” in the top of that project. 

In looking forward to the new color for June, BLUE! 

Linking up with Angela for ScrapHappy Saturday !

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful!

Finished or Not Friday!

Finally a finish that will be in the out column on my Stash Busters Report for May. 

This quilt is totally done and boxed and on its way the the deserving recipient!

Hanging on the 6ft fence in our back yard, I had to turn the top under. It’s 78x 78!

A close up of the University of Minnesota fabric, complete with the trademark M and the gophers! 

Label complete but with certain info redacted? 

Joining Alycia and others at Finished or Not Friday

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful!