Scrub material?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 19, 2008

Most of my scrubs are constructed with a fabric that is a 65% cotton and 35% polyester blend. The small amount of polyester seems to keep body fluids from seeping through the fabric onto my underlying skin.

Some scrubs are 100% cotton. However, be sure to use a soft and durable fabric if you intend to make the scrubs with the 100% cotton.

lvmama · Jan 19, 2008

Thank you! I know most of the novelty prints I use for other things are 100% cotton.. so that's probably what they'd end up being. We're silly girls and have an obsession with Alexander Henry fabric (http://www.buyfabricsonline.com/) and she's allowed to pretty much wear anything as long as it's not obscene.

I guess I just wanted to make sure that they weren't made of some top secret government formulated material or something...

AmericanRN · Jan 20, 2008

Completely independent of my quest to become a CNA..LPN..RN.. I have a friend who is a nurse, and I'm very handy with a sewing machine and would LOVE to make her a set of scrubs. I just wasn't sure what material can be used. Is it a special material? Or is it the actual pattern/construction that ultimately makes them "scrubs"?
Thanks for any info!

I think it's lovely that you would take the time to make scrubs for your friend. :up: You are a very good friend for her. She is very lucky. Everyone should have or be a friend like you.

lvmama · Jan 20, 2008

I think it's lovely that you would take the time to make scrubs for your friend. You are a very good friend for her. She is very lucky. Everyone should have or be a friend like you.

Awww, thanks! I'm one of those people who has had several of the same close friends since elementary school.. we've grown up together, had fights, gotten married, had fights, had kids, had fights.. but we always make up and life goes on. I too wish everyone had friends like mine, they're like my sisters. :redpinkhe

elizabells, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2008

Whatever fabric feels good should be fine. Some love all cotton, some love blends, and some blends, even if they SAY they are the same ratio, feel different from others.

I don't mean to insult you if you're able to work without patterns (so jealous!) but many of the big pattern books at fabric stores have at least one scrubs pattern in the back to get you started. If I had a sewing machine in my wee NYC apartment you'd better believe I'd be making my own scrubs.

lvmama · Jan 20, 2008

If I had a sewing machine in my wee NYC apartment you'd better believe I'd be making my own scrubs.

Lord, don't say that to my husband! We no longer eat at the kitchen table (not that we'd fit that great anyway with 5 of us.. but you could still use it for a breakfast nook) because I have my sewing machine, my computer for the embroidery attachment, AND 2 sergers on it. Then I have tubs and tubs of material and ribbon and patterns and blanks all over the place. It makes him INSANE. Space isn't a concern..

I'll start out with something in a cotton and see how she likes it before I go crazy. Plus I won't be able to fit her because it'll be a surprise, so hopefully I can wing it. And yes, I do use patterns for most clothing. I do make purses and twirl skirts without patterns, but that's where my expertise ends. :bugeyes:

elizabells, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2008

The other thing you can try is to pick up a pair of scrubs that seem like her size and take them apart for a pattern. Or steal a pair of hers, if you can. If I ever get a sewing machine that's what I'll do with my Urbane Scrubs - they're more tailored than your usual boxer-style scrubs. I just hate hate hate the tissue paper patterns.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2008

lvmama, there are inexpensive patterns from New Look and McCall's, on the spinning racks by the patterns.

morte, LPN, LVN · Jan 20, 2008

try checking out marked down sheets....esp if you can get just the flat ones....so many are sold in sets, now...good luck

AmericanRN · Jan 20, 2008

Lord, don't say that to my husband! We no longer eat at the kitchen table (not that we'd fit that great anyway with 5 of us.. but you could still use it for a breakfast nook) because I have my sewing machine, my computer for the embroidery attachment, AND 2 sergers on it. Then I have tubs and tubs of material and ribbon and patterns and blanks all over the place. It makes him INSANE. Space isn't a concern..
I'll start out with something in a cotton and see how she likes it before I go crazy. Plus I won't be able to fit her because it'll be a surprise, so hopefully I can wing it. And yes, I do use patterns for most clothing. I do make purses and twirl skirts without patterns, but that's where my expertise ends.

At least you know how to use it. Me and my husband have 2 sewing machines and bolts of material and threads and NO ONE here knows how to sew. My sister and mother also all own sewing machines and yet they don't know how to work them. Our friend was going to teach us but she moved away hahah.

We keep saying we are going to take a class but we haven't done it yet. Tell your husband that theres 4 morons on the planet with all the stuff you've got and don't even know how to use it. That should make him feel better about all your tubs.

Katharine · Jan 26, 2008

Fabric stores like Joann Fabrics has $1.99 patterns sales all the time. Almost every pattern company has some scrub patterns. You can also find a lot of them on Ebay at a decent price.

I had thought about making scrubs and selling them on ebay, but I need a better sewing machine and I want a serger too. hehe