Shower Curtain Painting

I told you yesterday how to make a shower curtain out of a sheet. Today I'll tell you about the image.

I've been seeing dandelions everywhere (and not just in my yard. *cue drum, da-dunch). I particularly loved this image from Persia Lou:

So, that's what I decided would be on my new shower curtain, but I didn't want to paint it because I didn't want stiff fabric. I haven't really used fabric paints much. Anyone know about them?

I've been painting tee shirts with bleach for awhile. And I used the same technique.

I drew the image on the sheet with chalk. I made some changes (you might be able to see where I crossed out and wrote no).

Once I was satisfied, I got out the bleach. Brushes with white synthetic bristles work best. The bleach destroys other brushes. Dip your brush in the bleach and paint.

If you have ever painted with watercolors, it's reasonably similar, the only thing is it takes a moment before it shows where you have painted. It is like watercolor in that you really can't undo it. In that aspect, it's not for the faint of heart.

Unfortunately this fabric bled quite a bit on the stem so it's nearly twice as wide as I painted it. Grr.

As soon as I was done (and paint it all in one go), I washed it to remove the excess bleach/stop it from working.

Next I attempted to add some lime green with fabric dye, but it didn't really work.

If I saturated it enough, it spread too much. So I gave up and rewashed it. I am still thinking about trying some fabric paint because I would like a punch of bright green in the curtain.

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New Shower Curtain

My bathroom needs more than a mini makeover,

but Boy #2 grabbed my shower curtain and used it as a napkin for pizza sauce. Why? I can't be sure, but probably because he thought that would be a shortcut to actual washing. Sigh.

I also got some hair dye on the rug. (Ssshh. Don't tell anyone I color. ;) ) So, that stuff had to go now. I already had a lime green rug from a past set, but I no longer had the shower curtain. A child destroyed that one. Are we sensing a trend? Sigh. Again.

So, I set out to make one. Actually, I'll be honest, I would have bought one had I seen one I liked, but since I didn't I bought a full size sheet.

I measured from the top of the shower curtain to the floor. I hang mine high and want the curtain to reach the floor, so I came up with 79 inches.

I measured and marked my sheet, then I added a inch and a half for the hem. Cut off the extra fabric.

Fold the top edge down half an inch and iron in place. Then fold down an inch and iron again. This will make it so much easier when you sew it. And that's what I did next. If you don't sew at all, you could use fusable tape for this.

Next, I needed to be able to hang it. Many commercial shower curtains have button holes. I don't know how to do this. I thought about learning, but then just decided to use grommets, something else I'd never done.

Mark where the grommets should go.

My cat is so much help, as you can imagine. :)

Typically there are 12 hooks. Oh, by the way, I just used a piece of chalk to make my marks.

Cut a hole, slide the eyelet in from the front side (which is facing down) 

and slide the teethed eyelet on from the back side, settle the front eyelet on the anvil,

and slide the setting handle into the post and hammer like crazy.

 I'd like to tell you they are easy to do, but in truth, it's kind of a pain. Hammer until you think it's good and then keep hammering. I did this on the cement because you need a very hard surface. I tried a board and it wasn't hard enough.

I like the look, but I wonder if button holes would have been easier.

So, now it's a shower curtain. Tomorrow I'll explain how I created the image.

This post may be linked at the following parties (for their Blog Buttons see my Link Love page): (M) Mad Skills , C.R.A.F.T., Amaze Me Monday, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Singing Three Birds,  Masterpiece Mondays, Making the World Cuter, Sarahndipities, A Little Birdie Told Me (T) Stories of A to Z, The Blackberry Vine, How To's Day , Type A, Amaze Me August, Ten Buck Tuesday, Handmade Tuesdays, Anything Related, Tuesday's Treasures, Strictly Homemade, Show Me What Ya Got, Time to Shine, Show Off Your Crafty Side (W) Wow Me,  Workshop Wednesday, Whassup Wednesday, Blue Cricket Design, Look What I Made, What I Whipped Up, The Trendy Treehouse, Wicked Awesome Wednesday , Good Life Wednesday, Inspiring Creativity, Sweet Peas & Bumblebees (TH) Beyond the Picket Fence  Creative Juice, Somewhat Simple, Thrifty 101 , Smilemonsters , Everything But the Kitchen Sink, Shabby Chic Cottage, Thrifty Thursdays, House of Hepworth's, Thrilling Thursday, (F) Fingerprints on the Fridge, Furniture Feature Friday, SevenThirtyThree , Lovely Crafty Weekend , Simply Designing, Creative Corner, Tickled Pink 504 Main, Inspiration Friday at The Picket Fence, Friday Flair, Remodelaholic, For the Kids Fridays, Frugal Friday, Craft Goodies, I'm Lovin' It, Flaunt It Fridays (Sat) Tatertots and Jello , Anything Goes (Sun) Creative Blog & Hop, Sundae Scoop