How to Sew a Scrub Suit

Sharp, well-maintained scissors will make cutting out your cotton fabric pieces much easier.

Scrub suits, commonly called "scrubs," are the most popular choice of work uniform for medical workers. A typical set of scrubs consists of a simple shirt, based on a T-shirt design, and a pair of pants with elastic at the waist. Scrubs are most frequently made of cotton fabric for comfort and easy laundering. Because of the garments' simple design, scrubs make an excellent choice for new seamstresses, or those looking for a practical and quick sewing project.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Scrub top sewing pattern
• Cotton fabric
• Pins
• Scissors
• Marking pencil or tailor's chalk
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• 1-inch elastic to go around your waist

Instructions

Steps

1. Take measurements of yourself while wearing only the undergarments you plan to wear under your scrubs. You will need your chest, waist, hips and inseam measurements.

2. Purchase a pattern for a set of scrubs using your measurements and the chart on the back of the pattern envelope. Sewing pattern sizes are not the same as store-bought clothing sizes, so be sure to purchase the pattern according to your measurements and the pattern size chart.

3. Purchase the amount of fabric as described for your size on the back of the pattern envelope. Medium-weight cottons are best for scrubs. Pre-wash and dry your entire piece of fabric before you cut out the pattern pieces, so that the fabric can shrink without ruining your finished garments.

4. Cut out the pattern and fabric for your size, following the pattern instructions. Transfer all of the pattern markings to the fabric using the tailor's chalk or marking pencil. These marks make matching and sewing the fabric pieces easier.

5. Try on the shirt and pants after you have pinned them together to make sure they fit the way you want. Move around a bit to ensure the garments don't constrict your movements in any way. If the fit is not quite right, re-pin the seams until you achieve the fit you want.

6. Sew the pieces together as instructed by the pattern. Try on your garments again after you sew major seams, particularly the side seams, to make sure they fit they way you want.

7. Pin the hems of the top, sleeves and pants to the length you want, and mark where you want them hem with the tailor's chalk. Cut the hem allowances 2 inches longer than your hem marking. Fold the hem allowance 1 inch to the wrong side, then fold it 1 inch again, creating a 1-inch wide double-thickness seam that encases the fabric's raw edge. Sew the hems.

8. Cut the waistband of the pants about 1 ½ inches above your waist. Sew a casing for the 1-inch elastic at the bottom cuff as follows: turn the raw waist hem down ¼ inch, then fold it in a 1 ¼ - inch fold, encasing the ¼-inch fold inside the hem and creating a 1 ¼-inch wide casing. Sew with a straight stitch around the hem, leaving a 2-inch gap. Wrap the elastic around your waist to determine how much is needed and cut. Insert the elastic into the casing so that the waist is gathered onto the elastic. Sew the ends of the elastic together and refold the 2 inch gap so that the elastic is enclosed in the casing. Sew the gap closed and distribute the gathers around the width of the waist.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to cut the fabric pieces all in the same direction if you have fabric with a one-way design on it, such as cartoon characters.

• Wash and dry your fabric, particularly cotton, before cutting out your pattern pieces. Cotton will shrink about 4 inches per yard when it's put through the dryer. It is better to have the fabric shrink before you cut and sew than after, when the garment would be too small for you.

• Be careful when trying on the pinned garments that you do not scratch yourself on the straight pins.

References

• SEW-lutions Guidelines: Preparing to Sew