Last week I dropped off my set of scrub bags to my local contact, she lives within walking distance so it was nice to have a walk out. Although it was only a meagre amount compared to some other amazing sewers, I was quite overwhelmed by the response by the lovely lady who told me how so many of the nurses and key workers were immensely grateful for the bags - as I explained last week, they use the bags to hold their dirty scrubs in to take home and wash, and are able to throw the whole lot in the washer without contaminating anything in their homes. I've even been approached on Instagram to make some for someone's mum and her friends who are all nurses.
So I have raided my own stash this time and grabbed some old bolts off the shelf to make lots more, there does seem to be talk about them not being needed anymore, but this certainly isn't true, they are very much needed and greatly appreciated, as are actual scrubs, headbands with buttons, scrub caps and mask extenders. John Scott of John Scott's Sewing World has a great video on how to make the scrub bag, and also the cap and headband, which you can watch on his Facebook page here. However, I thought I would write a blog about how I have made a scrub bag following John's excellent pattern - mine are a little larger finishing at approx 18" x 20". I did start off cutting half metres of fabric and then washing them, only to find they shrunk in the 60degree wash, so the bags turned out too small! So now I cut approximate 70cm lengths and pre-wash at 60degrees before doing any sewing.
Give your fabric a good hot press and lay it out folded, selvedge to selvedge as it would be on the bolt of fabric, and trim to a 60cm length. Using your quilter's ruler to square up, cut along the fold and trim off the selvedges - which should be approx. 20" x 24" each.
Use either an overlocker or your sewing machine to secure all four edges on each piece. I have a special foot and stitch on my machine, but you can also use a normal zig zag stitch.
Pin your two pieces right sides together. Then using a pencil mark 3.5" and 4.5" marks from the top edge on both sides.
Take it to the machine and starting with a backstitch to secure, sew down to your first mark, backstitch again to secure and break thread. The seam allowance doesn't have to be exact, just consistent, so I used the right side of my foot as a guide against the edge of the fabric. Lift the needle and start again at the second pencil mark, backstitching again to secure, then continue down the whole side. Repeat on the other side of our bag.
Press both seams open.
Now take it back to the machine and top stitch down both sides of the seam, catching the pressed edge underneath. You will see you have a nice neatly sewn line either side of the hole left for the straps. Repeat with the other side.
Take your bag to the ironing board and fold down and press a quarter of an inch hem along the top edge - make sure this is the edge nearest the strap holes. Then fold down another 2 and a quarter inch hem - I use my mum's old seam guide for this, a very nifty tool which I'm sure she doesn't know I have :)
Topstitch approximately an eighth of an inch from the top edge of the bag. Then topstitch along the bottom of the hemmed edge catching the quarter inch fold underneath, then finally topstitch around the top again, just above the top of the hole left for the straps.
Pin and sew the bottom seam of your bag. To make a boxed bottom, open out the bag so you can match the side seams to the bottom seam. Insert a pin into the side seam about 2 inches from the bottom and bring it out through the bottom seam creating a triangle at the bag's corner. Flatten so you can insert the pin fully. Then draw a 2 inch mark along both diagonal edges from the corner, and draw a line across joining both points.
Sew along this drawn line starting and stopping with a back stitch to secure. Turn your bag right sides out to make sure you're happy with the box bottom, then turn inside out again and snip off the excess leaving a quarter inch seam allowance. Secure this edge with your overlocker or a zig zag stitch as before.
Finally fold the whole strip in half again and press firmly, preferably with steam. Take to the machine and sew down the whole length, backstitching at both ends to secure. As I have folded in both ends which should be caught in the sewing, I didn't bother sewing across the ends, but you can if you wish. Repeat with for the second strap.
Attach a safety pin to the end of a strap and feed it through the first hole in the channel at the top of your bag, bring the strap all the way round to come out of the same hole. Then feed the second strap in and out of the other hole. Even up the ends, then tie them into a knot, pull them to close the bag your and your scrub bag is complete! These would also make gorgeous Christmas gift bags as well wouldn't they!
If you would like to make scrub bags or any of the much needed PPE equipment for our amazing frontline workers, start by finding out if there is a local group who are collecting items to distribute to those who need them in your area. I found the awesome Making Scrubs for James Cook JCUH on Facebook so there may be similar groups on there. If you can't find any, you can send them straight to John Scott who is collecting them for Dulcie Scott's national charity Helping Dress Medics - John Scott's Sewing World, PO Box 6688, Stratford on Avon, CV37 1TZ.
Wishing you all a safe and peaceful week, stay safe xx
Linking up with Monday Making, Midweek Makes and Needle & Thread Thursday
