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A simple, yet elegant shower curtain. With a little bit of sewing, you could turn this unique shower curtain into a table cloth for your party.

For those who do not wish to purchase a specifically seasonal curtain, this red, white, and blue striped curtain could be the choice for you. You could debut it at your July 4th party and keep it hanging for the remainder of the Summer season or longer.

This is a very patriotic vinyl shower curtain option.

Welcome Uncle Sam into your home with this festive curtain.

If you are a cat lover, several examples of cat shower curtains you may be interested in are below.  These will make any car proud to be you feline friend.

If dogs are more of your domain, there are several dog shower curtains that honor our canine companions.

If you’re not quite sure how to incorporate dogs or cats into your bathroom, but are intrigued by this theme, simply find a unique shower curtain that meets your needs.  I’ve found that fabric shower curtains tend to be more sophisticated than the vinyl shower curtains.  And there are several options when thinking of how classy you want your bathroom to be while still reflecting your love with one of these animal shower curtains.  I’ve seen fancy, swanky, plain, and goofy shower curtains that all depict cats or dogs.  And if you’re still stuck on choosing whether to display felines or canines, why not recognize both?

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Due to writer’s block, let’s take a short break from everything Derby, and revisit a previous topic – reusing our used shower curtains.  In a previous post, we discussed how to bring new life to our old vinyl shower curtains, and today a few tips on how to reuse your used fabric shower curtain.  This is an appropriate topic as Earth Day just passed and we were encouraged to remember being friendly to our Earth and environment.  Therefore, below you will find several ways to reuse your fabric curtain, most of which only require minimal skills in creative or artistic ability, like sewing.

• With sturdier curtains, use the fabric material to reupholster a well-loved chair.
• Create new, bold accent pillows for the couch or bed.  Sew on some buttons or cute trim, and no one will even know it was once a shower curtain.
• Create new window curtains.  If there are windows in your bathroom, you could even keep your old curtain remnants in there with the new shower curtain.
• A sturdier curtain can make a great picnic blanket on sunny afternoons.
• Create a table cloth or runner.
• If you are more talented in the sewing arena, try to make a great skirt or dress with a bold and modern printed curtain.
• Cut up the curtain into quilting squares and get your sewing on.
• The way I have most commonly reused my old fabric shower curtains is by relocating it in my house as a wall tapestry.  Hookless shower curtains are especially nice for this, as their large grommets add an extra appeal and make hanging easy.  My best experience with this was a bold white shower curtain with orange polka-dolts.  My husband and I actually bought it purposefully for a wall-hanging, and it did a great job hiding part of the wall that had been damaged and we didn’t have time to repair promptly.
• Another wall art option is to cut out several pieces of the fabric and fame it in fancy frames.  Hang several frames together as a series.  Below is a picture where one person used fabric and cross-stitching hoops to accomplish the same idea.  You could also simply stretch the fabric around a canvas or something else that can keep your fabric taut and forget the faming altogether.

Below are several pics of either great fabrics to use for wall art or more examples of what reusing your fabric shower curtain could look like.

If it is likely you will reuse your fabric shower curtain in one of the above ways mentioned, try to purchase your curtain with that in mind.  Ask yourself these helpful questions: Will I continue to like this pattern or print across time?  Can this pattern or print fit somewhere else in my home décor (as in another room)?  Is this fabric sturdy enough for me to create something new from it?  (Sheer fabric curtains, do not do well with cutting and sewing projects.)  I hope these ideas and tips have been helpful and inspiring.  If these don’t sound appealing to you, get your own creative juices going and happy curtain crafting!

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In the market for a new shower curtain?  With an eco-friendly conscience, what can you do with your old vinyl  shower curtain before you hang your new one?  Read below for several ideas and check out this link for more ways to recycle/reuse your old shower curtain:

• Use a vinly shower curtain for lining your flower beds
• Create a homemade slip-n-slide for your children
• After cleaning any mildew from the curtain, use it as a drop cloth for any house painting or spray painting projects
• Drape cleaned vinyl shower curtains over tables while kids complete craft activities, such as painting Easter eggs, doing paper mache, clay sculpting, etc.
• Use as a cover for outdoor furniture
• Use as a tarp to place under tents when camping

Before pitching your old vinyl shower curtain be creative and investigate ways to give it one last use.  There are several ways that fabric shower curtains can also be recycled.  Check back for tips on what to do with your fabric shower curtain when it has reached its last days.