Homemade Medical Scrub Tops

Although scrubs are cheap to buy in stores, they are even cheaper if you sew your own. Plus, if you sew your own scrubs, you can give your uniform a more personal touch. Although scrub bottoms are essentially just regular drawstring pants, scrub tops have some different features than other tops. For instance, they're made of a different material and are baggier than most other tops.

Start by choosing your fabric. Buy about 1 1/2 yards of a cotton-polyester blend. This fabric will be easy to wash, but also comfortable. Cut out two pieces of fabric that are each four inches wider than your bust and four inches longer than your torso (from collarbone to hip). Cut a "V" shape in the middle of the top of one piece, wide enough that you can fit your head through it, for the collar. These pieces will form the front and back of the scrubs. Cut out two more pieces of fabric that are each 10 inches long and four inches wider than the circumference of your upper arm. These pieces will form the sleeves.

Pin the back and front pieces together, right sides together. Using a seam allowance of 1/2 inch, sew up the sides, leaving open about six inches at the top of each side. Sew the shoulder area together, leaving the collar open. Hem the bottom of the shirt and the collar. Make a couple of slits in the fabric if you need to in order to help with hemming the curve of the collar. Fold each sleeve piece in half width-wise (right sides together) and sew up the side opposite the fold. Sew one of the open ends of each sleeve to the opening at the top of either side of the shirt (right sides together). Hem the other open end of the sleeve.

Most scrub tops have a pocket on the chest. To make a pocket, cut out a piece of fabric that is five inches long and four inches wide. Fold over all four sides about 1/2 inch and iron in place. Hem one of the short sides (this will be the top of the pocket) and pin and sew the other three sides to the front (left or right) of the shirt.