Trade In Your Basic Bathtub Curtain: The Thrifted Upcycle That Looks Cuter

When it comes to bathtub curtains, there's no shortage of options out there. However, if you're looking for something that adds visual interest, color, and a touch of history to your bathroom, these brand-new options may not quite cut it. So, why not transform an old, thrifted vintage quilt instead? By upcycling a quilt from your local thrift store instead of buying new, you can lower your consumption while giving a beautiful textile a new life.

Luckily, gathering your materials for this DIY is relatively simple. First, you will need your thrifted quilt. Try looking for one with colors that tie into your bathroom's overall scheme so that it feels intentional within the space. Remember that this quilt will be hanging on your shower rail alongside the plastic liner behind it, so you may want to look for ones that aren't too heavy, as they could cause the rail to slip down or fall down. As a general rule, tension rods typically hold around 20 pounds of weight, while mounted ones can usually handle a bit more.

In addition to the quilt, you will need a sewing machine or the patience to hand-stitch, as you may need to hem the quilt to the right length for your bathtub. You will also need either shower rings with clamps to which you can attach the quilt or multiple lengths of ribbon to tie the quilt up, as shown by TikTok creator @alexglockner. Let's dive into the steps of this cute upcycling project to help you skip the basic bathtub curtain.

To start out this DIY, you will first need to measure the distance between the shower rail and the floor to work out how long your quilt needs to be. If the quilt you have chosen is longer, you will then need to cut the excess off the bottom, leaving an extra inch or two for the hem. This could be a good moment to remove some of the batting from the inside if you are worried about the weight of the quilt. Once the excess is removed, you can hem the bottom by folding over the edge and sewing along it. Adding the hem will produce a more polished look and stop the fabric from unraveling where you made the cut.

@alexglockner In love with this shower curtain 🦋🪡🧵🚿 #diy #sewingtok #sewingtiktok #showercutain #diyshowercurtain #quilt #oldquilts #repurpose #fyp ♬ Sweet nothing Sped up – -ShaiEditz-

You can then begin thinking about how you want to hang your quilt outside the liner so it stays dry. One quick and easy option is to use shower rings with a clasp at the bottom. Pinching the top of both your quilt and your plastic bath liner together, fit the clasp so that it clamps onto both. Do this along the whole line. Alternatively, if you want the top of the quilt to serve as a more whimsical accent, you could take the suggestion of @alexglockner and use ribbons. Simply sew multiple ribbons at regular intervals along the top of the quilt, making sure to leave two ends loose on each so that they can be tied over the rail. Make sure not to tie them too tightly, as you will still need to slide them across when you use the bathtub.