elizajo

If you want a poly/cotton like RTW scrubs, there are several fabric websites that carry them. Fabric.com usually has a few colors to choose from. Just google medical scrubs fabric. The fabric is a little heavier than the poly/cotton broadcloth you find at your local fabric store.

Personally, if I was making my own scrubs, I would want 100% cotton, and quilting cottons are very close to the same weight.

CoyoteQuilts

All of the gals that have done their internship in our office had to wear the schools color and had their school embroidered on them per the school protocol. BUT in our office we do NOT require they wear them. So even if you make them she may not be able to wear them. Here is a pic of the modifications I did to the V neck pattern I have from Kwik Sew for my DH.

[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...irtforCarl.jpg[/IMG]

romanojg

You should probably measure to make sure of her size. While the manufacturers of clothes have changed the way the size clothes (trust me I'm not a real size 6; anyhow compared to what the size ranges were a few years ago)pattern makers have not changed. I see alot of really skinny nurses here at the hospital wearing scrubs so I'm sure you could find the pattern just be wear about the sizing between clothes lables and patterns.

susie-susie-susie

There are many patterns out there. Make sure that you can vary the colors. We always had to wear the dark blue. The different colors told the patients what your job was. Then we had to wear white lab coats it we wore lab coats.
Sue

MsEithne

Have made many scrubs in my life (three doctors in my immediate family).

First, make sure of what (if any) hospital rules are that might apply. Then find out what exactly your DD wants in the way of pockets, neckline, sleeve length, reversibility, etc.

Find out if she wants cotton or would rather go with cotton/poly. If she's working in a hospital, some units are deliberately kept warm because the patients in them are prone to chill (for instance, burn units are often kept warm because when a person has large open wounds, they tend to get chilled easily). Pure cotton can be more comfortable under those circumstances because it breathes better than cotton/poly.

I just used a hospital scrub top that vaguely fit the specific person I was sewing for, took it apart to use it as a pattern, measured the person, adjusted my pattern and made a test set out of the cheapest woven fabric I could find. The test top can be just slapped together because all you are doing is testing fit.

Keep range of motion in mind! Your DD may have to stretch, reach, squat, kneel, bend and lift with as little interference from her scrubs as possible. Depending on what she's interning in, of course!

Once I had a good pattern, I copied it onto mat board so that I could just lay it on the fabric and draw around it using tailor's chalk (the triangular sort). The chalk makes a thick, easy to see line and you don't have to worry about it washing out because you cut just inside the chalked line. It's a lot faster than pinning or pattern weights. Punch out holes where you need to mark match points (for instance, for the pockets).

When making the real thing, use heavy duty construction. Flat felled seams, reinforce the top of the side vents (if you use them), neckline faced and sewn down. Scrubs are supposed to be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer, so all edges need to be adequately protected.

Many people prefer the feeling of an elastic waistband but elastic wears out pretty quickly with the washing requirements. My family all liked the way I did their waistbands, which was a drawstring waistband. I pieced a ten inch or so piece of elastic into the middle of the drawstring, so that it was easy to replace when the elastic started to go.

My other "secret" for comfort in the pants was to put a gusset into the crotch seam. I flat felled the seams. It made the pants a little bit baggier in the bottom/thigh area but it provided for great range of motion. The pants were already loosely cut, so it wasn't a noticeable thing but it made squatting, etc, easier and less likelihood of ripping out the crotch seam.

Pockets are useful but some people don't like them (and some institutions don't allow them). Standard scrubs only have one breast pocket on either side (they are reversible) but I usually put in two pockets on each side (a total of four pockets). You can sew in the pockets on each side at the same time if you use heavy starch and an iron to glue the pockets into place. I suppose now you could also use Elmer's wash-out school glue the same way.

Some scrubs have patch pockets at hip level as well. Some people like them, other people hate them because they get caught on everything. Maybe make one top with extra pockets and one without, so that your DD can figure out which she prefers?

I used muslin as interfacing for the necklines, to give them some stability and resistance to sagging. Back when I was making lots of scrubs, fusibles just didn't hold up to the laundering requirements but that may have changed with newer technology.

Depending on the institution rules and on where your DD is working, you may want to avoid putting her full name in a visible area as a security precaution.

Hope this helps.

jbud2

I made my DIL plenty of scrub tops out of cotton poly blend because she does not believe in using an iron and I didn't want people to think I made the wrinkles, too! I made her size small - I believe a Simplicity pattern which of course I can't find right now.l

Lucio

My daughter, a CT tech, is a small size 4. Fortunately scrubs need to be a little roomy and not an exact fit. Joannes has some scrub type fabrics and I usually had no problem finding holiday fabrics. I usually had to alter the necks because the patterns were usually cut too low. We had a real blast when she had a strict hospital dress code but could get as wild as she wanted for her own scrub caps. Lately she has gotten some very nice quality scrubs at her local Big Lots. They launder very well, are pretty fade resistant.and very reasonably priced. The ones with ties at the waist are the only fitting her tiny frame needs.

May in Jersey

Most scrub fabrics I've seen are poly cotton mixes.

I bought my two granddaughters who became RN's last year some scrub tops, pants and jackets at Walmart - prices are pretty good.

rjwilder

I agree with the information above, use poly cotton, measure her because the pattern measurements will not be the same as RTW size 0 or 1. Make sure about color, some places require a specific color, pockets, and sleeve length. I am tiny and have used child size patterns and they come out ok, the only difference is there are no bust darts. Also check on Amazon for scrubs, they are not that expensive and probably cheaper that what you can make them for.

Peckish

This is fabulous info! Couple of thoughts -

Great idea. I do this with a lot of clearance RTW (ready-to-wear) that I buy off the rack. Saves the fuss of making a muslin and adjusting the fit; if it fits well off the rack, it will fit well custom-made, as long as I choose appropriate fabric.

I like to copy the pattern onto freezer paper, then just iron the freezer paper onto the fabric and use my rotary cutter.

Now *this* is something I'd like to know more about. Did you use a diamond shape, set pretty much center at the X seam in the crotch?