Choose a waterproof or washable fabric. Estimate yardage by measuring the distance from the shower rod to the floor; add 6 inches for hems. Next, measure the rod. You’ll need enough fabric to snake a curtain 1 to 1/2 times the rod length. To match a pattern in joining panels, buy one extra repeat of the pattern for each yard of fabric.
Buy enough shower-curtain hooks and grommets to provide a hook every 6 inches. Check that the grommets are large enough to accommodate the hooks. If your fabric isn’t waterproof, buy a plastic shower-curtain liner.
If necessary, preshrink the fabric. Join the panels; hem the sides and bottom. Hem the top over a 2 1/2-inch-wide strip of interfacing. Set grommets at each end and at equal distances in between. Hang the curtain and liner on the hooks.
Unless the care label indicates that a shower curtain is machine washable, wash it in the bathtub with warm water and detergent. (In a machine, put in two or three large towels to balance the load.) To remove soap film, add 1/2 cup baking soda to the wash water. To keep the curtain supple, add 1/2 cup vinegar or a few drops of mineral oil to the rinse water. Hang the curtain on its hooks to dry.
To remove mildew from a bleachable shower curtain, sponge with a solution of chlorine bleach (1 part bleach to 8 parts water) and wash; for nonbleachable fabrics, use a paste of baking soda, then wash.