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How to Make a Rain Poncho Out of a Shower Curtain

by on Jun 4, 2008

Rob and Corinne of Threadbanger are at it again, this time re-using and recyling a shower curtain! Take one of your shower curtains and make it into a unique rain poncho following these directions.  For more info, watch the video!  Want to make more recycled and individual fashion? Subscribe to Threadheads on iTunes


Materials:
Shower curtain, sewing machine, nylon thread (we used transparent), tissue paper, leather sewing machine needles, scissors, tape measure, ruler, permanent marker

First! Some basic vinyl sewing tips using your regular sewing machine with no special attachments:

Put a leather needle on your machine, thread a bobbin of the nylon thread, and set a stitch length to 3 or higher. Place the tissue paper between the vinyl and the feed dog so that the vinyl doesn’t stick, and start sewing. Be careful not to sew on the same spot more than once or it will weaken and rip easily. When you’re done, tear the tissue paper away and voila!

Keeping these tips in mind, now it’s poncho time!

1. If you’re using an old shower curtain, be sure to wash it very well first. We highly recommend some of the anti-mold cleaner Meg made on an episode of Decor it Yourself. 

A webpage on DIY cleaning supplies

2. Measure and cut the shower curtain 55 inches wide by its existing length, which measured about 67 inches for us. 

A person measuring a shower curtain.

A person cutting a shower curtain

3. Cut off any seams, including the top piece that has the holes for shower hooks. 

Black fabric with silver edges being pulled by a hand.

4. Draw a 12-inch line parallel to the bottom seam in the exact middle of the rhombus. Cut along the line. This is the head hole. 

A subway rail line map that has a hand pointing to a spot.

A person's hand cutting a transparent map with a pair of scissors.

5. Take out the extra piece you cut off, fold it in half right sides together, and draw a hood shape starting from the fold. (If you need help making a hood shape, try tracing a hood from a shirt you already have. But make sure you don’t cut the fold apart!)

Hands holding a clear shower curtain over a pattern, on top of a wooden worktable.

A hand with scissors cutting purple fabric.

6. Cut out the hood shape and sew a seam along the back curve. 

A person is doing crafts on a green gridded area.

A person is running green material under a sewing machine.

7. Take out the body section and cut a 2-inch slit in the middle of one side of the head hole. 

A person makes a poncho out of a shower curtain.

8. Fold the flaps under and pin them down to make the front neck opening of the poncho. Pin the hood inside of the hole. It helps to carefully try it on a couple times and make sure it lays right. 

A person making poncho out of a shower curtain

A person is wearing a shiny colorful jacket.

9. Sew the hood onto the body, making sure to sew all the way around the hole. 

A person is wearing a unique shiny, plastic jacket.

A tailor stitching the clothes in sewing machine

10. And you are now prepared for all those spring showers!

A man wearing a shower curtain poncho.

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