How To Make A Shower Cap

Today I am going to show you how to make one of my most used items. I’m going to show you How To Make A Shower Cap! There are many benefits of using a shower cap that could surprise you. The main reason one has a shower cap is to prevent their hair from getting wet in a shower. Washing your hair every day is bad for your scalp and can cause your hair to be too oily or too dry. A shower cap will save your hair from water. It can also protect those with curly hair or treated hair from having to restyle daily. While protecting your hairstyle is the main reason, there are also so many other benefits to wearing a shower cap. Shower caps can help protect your hairstyle at night. Many people like to sleep in shower caps so their hair is not tangled or messy the next morning, and it helps reduce breakage compared to just putting your hair up in a ponytail.  Some people even like wearing shower caps while completing dirty chores that can bring dust or dirt up into air and therefore the hair. 

When you make your own shower cap, you can customize it to the perfect size for the amount of hair you have. If you have short hair, you can make a small shower cap; and if you have long hair, a larger shower cap.  These easy do-it-yourself steps will have you strutting around your house in your new shower cap in less than 10 minutes. The satin or silk lining of your shower cap will assure that your hair is just as smooth and detangled as it was when you got in the shower. 

What You’ll Need:

• 2/3 yard of waterproof fabric for your outer fabric: laminated cotton or oil cloth both work well
• 2/3 yard satin, silk, or polyester satin fabric for lining
• ¼” flat elastic that is 21-23” long
• Matching Thread
• Sewing Clips
• Fabric Marker
• Turning tool
• Sewing Machine
• Iron or heat press
• Thread Clippers
• Scissors
• Rotary Cutter, Cutting Mat, & Ruler

How To Make A Shower Cap

Step 1: Prepare Fabric for Circle Cut by Folding Fabric

Start this how to make a shower cap sewing tutorial off by cutting fabric either 21” x 21” for shorter hair or 24” x 24” if your hair is longer or thicker. 

Next, we will fold the fabric so we can eventually cut it in a circle. Take the outer fabric and lay it flat on the table. Fold the left side of the fabric over to the right side so the edges are even. Afterward, take the bottom of the fabric and bring it up to the top of the fabric. You should now have a smaller square that is ¼ the size it was before.  

Step 2: Mark Fabric to Cut Circle

We will now mark our fabric to cut a perfect circle. Take your measuring tape and put the start of the measuring tape at the corner of your square that has the center of the fabric. The corner of the center of the fabric will look like the first picture.  This corner is on the bottom left in my pictures. If your fabric is also turned like mine, then stretch the measuring tape to the very top left corner of the fabric like pictured. 

I am doing the larger shower cap, so the length is measuring about 11” from one corner to the next. Using a marker or fabric pencil, pivot your measuring tape until it gets to the bottom left corner of your fabric and mark intervals to create a curved line keeping your marks at whatever corner measurement you had. Therefore, all my pivot marks will be at 11”.

Next on this easy sew shower cap tutorial, draw a curved line using the pivot markings so you have a quarter circle. 

Step 3: Cut the Outer Fabric Circle

Using the half circle marking, cut all layers of the fold on the curve. Once cut, you can unfold your fabric. You should have a full circle now. 

Step 4: Cut the Lining Fabric

Using your outer fabric as a pattern, place this on top of the uncut but folded lining fabric. Cut the lining circle while using the outer fabric as a guide. 

Step 5: Sew Outer and Lining Fabric Together

To sew the two pieces, you will place right sides of each fabric together. Right sides together means that if the fabrics have patterns, they should be facing one another. Place clips or pins all around the circle securing the two fabrics together. 

Use either a serger or a sewing machine with a straight stitch to sew all around the circle, but make sure you leave about a 1½” gap to pull fabric right way out once sewn. Use about a ¼” inseam when sewing the straight stitch. We are about halfway through this shower cap sewing project!

Step 6: Pull Shower Cap Right Side Out and Press

Pull the shower cap right side out so that the pattern side is on the outside.

You can use an iron to press out and smooth the edges or smooth it out by hand and use clips to keep the edges flat. 

Step 7: Stitch Around to Create Casing for Elastic

For this step, we are going to stitch all the way around the circumference of the circle so that we create a casing for the elastic. Keep the straight stitch about 3/8” from the edge. Remember, you want the casing to be big enough for the elastic to fit through.  Be aware that as you sew along the edge to keep the two fabrics lined up and flat. If not, you could see the lining from the outer layer.  You will stitch right past the gap to make a perfect circle for this stitch. The gap on the outside will be used to feed the elastic through. You also may want to backstitch in the beginning and end of this stitch to secure it in place.

Step 8: Insert the elastic

Your elastic should be cut to 21” to 23” long depending on what size cap you are making.  Clip a safety pin on one side of the elastic. Using the safety pin as your guide, pull the elastic through the casing you created.  Make sure that you do not pull the end of the elastic through, or you will have to start all over. Some people like putting a second safety pin on the backside of the elastic and pinning to fabric to prevent this from happening.  Once you have fed the elastic through the entire casing, pin the two sides together so that they do not retract back into the casing.  Using your fingers, smooth the elastic around the entire cap to ensure that it is laying flat. 

Step 9: Tie or Stitch the Elastic

My elastic was small enough to tie together, but if your elastic is wider you may want to stitch.  To stitch, overlap the two sides of the elastic by about ½”. Using a zigzag stitch, stitch the two sides together. You may also use a straight stitch. No matter what you decide, stitch back and forth to secure the elastics will not come undone. 

Step 10: Stitch the Gap Closed

For the last step in this how to make a shower cap sewing tutorial, fold in the raw edges of the gap and pin or clip in place. Stitch a neat line as close as possible to the edge of the fabric to close the gap. 

And that’s it! Now you know how to make a shower cap! We hope you enjoyed this sewing project tutorial. You can officially start wearing your shower cap in the shower, to bed, or even completing dirty work. The satin or silk finish on the inside will keep your hair silky smooth and just as neat as when you put the cap on. This is a fun and simple sewing project perfect for anyone just starting out on their sewing journey.

If you liked learning how to make a shower cap, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, be certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

More Fun Sewing Projects:

• How To Make Soap Saver Bags
• Bath Mitt with Soap Pocket
• How To Make A Wax Bowl Cover The Easy Way