Learn how to make a DIY shower cap with this easy tutorial! Wearing a shower cap prolongs your blowouts and can prevent you from needing to wash your hair as often. Humidity from a shower often makes hair frizzy and hard to manage, making a shower cap a must-have accessory for your bathroom. This tutorial will show you how to make a lined cap for extra protection.
Table of Contents
DIY Shower Cap Tutorial
Supplies
- ELASTIC - 22 inches (56cm) of ⅜ inch (1cm) wide elastic
- LINING - Satin or polyester fabric for the inside. The lining fabric should be smooth and a fine to medium weight.
- OUTSIDE - Cotton fabric. This is for the outside of the cap.
- IRON ON VINYL - This is an iron on product that makes your fabric waterproof. It is sold online and at fabric stores and may be pre-packaged or sold by the yard. Popular brands of iron on vinyl include Heat n Bond which comes in matt or gloss varieties.
If you can't get iron-on vinyl, a great substitute is laminated fabric, vinyl, or PU waterproof fabric. These are often available by the yard at your local fabric store. They are often used for tablecloths.
How to Make a DIY Shower Cap
Preparation and Cutting
Bonding the Iron-on Vinyl
Before you start sewing, bond your iron-on vinyl to your fabric. Your vinyl package should have instructions but here is what you do for most brands:
Place the iron-on vinyl on the right side of the fabric and iron it according to the instructions. The heat will bond it to the fabric creating a waterproof surface that is perfect for a shower cap pattern.
Drawing Circles
Cut out a circle of fabric 20 inches diameter (50cm) from your outside waterproof fabric and the satin lining.
- An easy way to draw a circle is to mark the center of your fabric and fold it in quarters.
- Now mark with a ruler, 10 inches (25cm) all the way around from the center mark. Alternatively use a compass.
- Join up the marks to create your circle which will have a diameter of 20 inches.
- Cut the circle out with sharp scissors or a rotary cutter.
Step 1 - Sew the Seam
Place your laminated outside fabric and the satin lining with right sides together.
Using a ⅜ inch seam allowance, straight stitch around the outside, leaving a 1-inch (2.5cm) gap.
Step 4 - Create Casing
Clip around the seam leaving the gap unclipped and turn the cap to the right side through the hole.
Press on the satin side with a low heat being careful not to melt the laminated fabric. It is best to place a pressing cloth between the iron and the satin. The fabric at the gap should be pressed to the inside.
Stitch all the way around the edge of the cap ½ inch (12mm) from the edge to create a casing. There is no need to leave a gap this time.
Step 3 - Elastic
Using a safety pin, thread the elastic through the gap in the outside of the casing. Overlap the ends of the elastic by 1 inch (2.5cm) and stitch.
TIP: Before you stitch the elastic, just try the cap on to see if you need to tighten the elastic length. We all have different-sized heads and amounts of hair! Adjust the elastic if necessary.
Step 4 - Close the Gap
Push the elastic right inside the casing. Close the gap in the side of the shower cap pattern. I did this with my machine but if you don't want the stitching to show then you could use a hand slip stitch.
DIY Shower Cap - In Conclusion
And there you have a beautiful handmade DIY shower cap. The best thing is that by laminating and waterproofing your own fabrics, you can make a cap exactly to your taste while keeping your hair frizz-free.
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