My sister is an ICU nurse, working directly with COVID-19 patients. She mentioned that a lot of wonderful people are making and donating much needed masks, but at her hospital, they also really needed scrub caps to help supplement and extent the life of disposable ones they are using.
I looked at several patterns online and even tested out a couple, but many had problems. They were too small—unable to accommodate different hairstyles; they needed elastic and/or bias tape which are both scarce due to mask making; and/or they were not well suited for bulk/quick sewing. So, I came up with my own design.
Model, I am not
This is a bouffant-style scrub cap that requires no currently scarce materials, and is a quick and easy sew. Please feel free to use this pattern for personal use or to make for the medical staff in your community. My only request is that you do not attempt to sell your caps or use them for profit.
I apologize for the poor quality of the photos below, and that I did not bother to tidy up my sewing room. I felt speed was better in this case than well-lit, edited photos and a space free of thread bunnies.
Instructions
Materials
Paper for creating pattern
You can use taped together copy paper, brown kraft paper (or paper grocery bags), or, like I’m using below, poster board.
1 yard of cotton woven fabric, like a high quality quilting cotton, with little to no stretch. This amount will make at least two caps.
Prewash in hot water to allow for any shrinkage before the caps are made, then tumble dry and iron before cutting.
Note: I designed this pattern with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. If you prefer to use a standard 5/8, be sure to adjust your pattern.
For the first piece, the band:
Create a rectangle 20-3/4 x 5 inches.
Mark the center point.
For the second, the top, you’ll need a piece of paper at least 14-1/4 x 7-1/2 inches. Taped together copy paper is fine.
Measure down one side making marks at 7-1/8 and 14-1/4 inches.
At your 7-1/8 mark, draw a perpendicular line straight out, measuring 7-1/4 inches. This is going to be your pattern’s center point.
Draw a curved line connecting the straight line you just made to your mark at 14-1/4 inches. Eyeballing the curve is fine.
Cut along your curved line and fold over at the center line.
Trace curve on other side of your paper to make symmetrical half-oval shape.
Cut out.
From center line measure out 1-3/4 inches to the right and make a mark along the top of the curve.
Make a second mark 1-3/4 inches to the left of the center line. (If this is confusing, see photo of completed pattern in next step.)
The marks you just made should be 3-1/2 inches apart and equal distance from the center line.
Add a circle mark to the center line. You will transfer these three marks to your fabric.
Cutting Your Fabric
Multiple layers fabric can be cut at once. I like to use a mat and ruler, with a sharp rotary cutter, but good, sharp fabric scissors will also do.
Cut one of the circular pattern pieces (the top) on the fold, transferring marks to one layer of fabric only.
Cut two of the rectangular pattern pieces (the band), transferring center mark to one piece of fabric only.
Sewing
Make a box pleat on top piece:
With your circular pattern piece right side up, pinch one of the side marks you made.
Fold inward, matching your side mark to the circle in the center.
Repeat with other side and pin in place.
Baste stitch within seam allowance (I’m using a dark thread so you can easily see)
Set top piece aside and turn attention to the band pieces. With right sides together, sew short sides, joining both pieces into one large loop.
Note: I am using a serger, but that is not necessary. However, if you do use a regular sewing machine, please be sure to finish seams by sewing them together with a zigzag or three-step zigzag on the seam allowance side of your joining stitch. This will keep the fabric from fraying as it is worn and washed.
We are going to create a casing along one of the long edges by turning the raw edge up 1/4″ and pressing, then another 1/2″ (total of 3/4) and pressing again.
Tip: I find it quicker to let my machine do the measuring by sewing lines at 1/4 and 3/4, then pressing up at the stitch lines.
While you are pressing up to create the casing, find that mark you made at the center point of one piece. I put a pin there to help keep track of this spot. Once your casing is pressed, add two more pins, each about a quarter inch from that center mark. This is to signify an area that you will not sew, so that you can insert your tie into the casing.
Those guide lines work a lot better if you don’t forget that you had your needle moved away from center position. Oops!
Starting at one pin, stitch the casing down, about 1/8 inch from the edge. Stop when you come around again and read the other pin, leaving an opening for your tie. Reinforce with some additional stitches at either side of the opening for strength. This open area will become your center back.
Join band to top
Align pieces so center back of the band lines up with the center of the pleat you made on the top.
With right sides together, pin raw edges all the way around.
Sew or serge with 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Finishing
Use a safety pin to guide tie through casing.
To avoid tie from being pulled out with use, stitch a line though casing, catching the tie, at center front of hat.
If your tie is a ribbon or something that may unravel, hit cut ends with fray check.
When wearing, the ends can be pulled to tighten then tied in a bow. Alternately, you can purchase cord locks like these on Amazon, to make for greater ease in adjusting.
I hope this helps! Happy sewing and thank you for doing all you can to help the medical personnel in your area.
If you have questions, please let me know in the comments below.
Hello friends! Today’s tour stop is a real treat (that you can make and eat yourself). Nubbins, the cook aboard Captain Jocelyn Hook’s pirate ship, has a way with food. He would never serve plain ship’s fare! Drop by Jenuine Cupcakes to get his recipe for hardtack (otherwise known as shortbread cookies with fresh lime curd)
It has become a bit of a tradition around here for me to create and share valentines for you to use. In 2012, they were the vastly popular Doctor Who themed valentines. Last year, I made conversation hearts.
I’ve continued the conversation hearts this year (because they are easy I care), with—not just one— but two themes.
First up, for those who have been in a relationship for a long time and want a special way to express exactly how you feel:
I have not tried to hide my deep and abiding feelings for pie. I love it with all my heart.
Now, some people might say that cheesecake is not a pie but those people would be wrong.
It has a crust.
It has a filling.
You cut it in wedges.
Clearly, it is pie.
I made three pies on Thanksgiving, of which this masterpiece was one. I promised to share the recipe, went out of town, then forgot. But today, the memory of that cake pie floated up in my mind, urging me to share it with the world.
Who am I to deny a true love’s request, and the chance to show off my torch wielding skills?
Sweet, spicy, creamy, and crunchy. Dessert perfection.
Ingredients
35 gingersnap cookies
½ cup pecans
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup white sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons white sugar (for brûlée top)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375*F.
Place cookies, pecans, and pumpkin pie spice, and 1 teaspoon sugar in food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs.
Drizzle in melted butter. Pulse until combined.
Press mixture into bottom and up sides of 9" pie dish.
Bake crust at 375*F for 6-8 minutes.
Cool crust before filling.
Cool oven to 325* F.
In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and blend until smooth. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread it into bottom of crust; set aside.
Add remaining ingredients (excluding the sugar you are reserving for the brûlée) to the batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
Bake at 325*F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, sprinkle pie with remaining sugar and, using a kitchen torch, brûlée until sugar is melted and dark brown. (Alternately, you may brûlée under your oven's broiler. Place rack as close to the broiler as possible. Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, rotating them frequently so that they broil evenly. Take them out when they are golden brown and bubbling.)
Baby Greens with candied pecans, pears, pomegranate, feta, and maple vinaigrette * Butternut Squash Soup
Brown Bag Roasted Turkey * Mashed Potatoes, chunky, with skins on Stuffing * Turkey Gravy Honeyed Carrots Roasted Broccoli Homemade Rolls * (using the dough from my cinnamon roll recipe)
Are you staying home or traveling? Having guests? Cooking, ordering takeout, or eating out? Tell me about your plans because I am nosy interested in you.
Need some piratey things to say? I’ve got you covered!
Aboveboard You didn’t know that was a pirate phrase? It is! When a pirate ship was sneaking up on a merchant vessel, the pirates would hide “below board” or below deck. If everyone was above board, all was honest and fair. I don’t mind if you eat the last ice cream bar as long as you don’t sneak it. Be honest and aboveboard and we’ll be fine. Just kidding, if you eat the last ice cream, I will gut you.
Bilge (Also: Bilge water, bilge rat) The bilge was the lowest part of a ship. It was filthy, disgusting, and filled with stagnant water and rats. The bad news: In a flat bottomed ship it was difficult to pump the stinking bilge-water out. The good news: Bilge rats were a good source of fresh meat at sea. I’d sooner drink bilge water than this rot-gut grog but go ahead and pour me another glass.
Cackle Farts Eggs. Those were eggs. Charming, no? Wakey, wakey! Cackle farts and bakey!
Galleypepper Soot, ashes, and other bits of debris that found its way from the cook’s fire into the food. These cackle farts are rather bland. If only they had a bit more galleypepper.
Holy Mackerel Another surprising term. Mackerel was caught in large quantities, but went bad quickly. Therefore, in the 17th century, it was the only fish allowed to be sold on the Sabbath. Holy Mackerel! This fish has gone bad!
Kiss the Wooden Lady A minor pirate punishment where a sailor was forced to stand, facing the mast, with his hands tied around it. Other sailors were encouraged to kick him in the hind-quarters as they passed by. If you don’t stop picking on your sister, I’ll make you kiss the wooden lady, young man!
Shiver Me Timbers I was recently asked about the meaning of this one on twitter and was happy to give a definition. Ships were made of wood. Large waves or cannon fire could cause the timbers to vibrate, shudder, pitch, or shiver. Used as an exclamation of surprise. Shiver me timbers! Did pirates really call eggs “cackle farts?” That’s…gross.
Shake a Cloth in the Wind To be just a little bit drunk. Shiver me timbers! Black-Hearted Jim shook a cloth in the the wind this afternoon. He covered all the holy mackerel and cackle farts with extra galleypepper and kissed the wooden lady–on purpose! That is not aboveboard behavior! Let’s put him in the bilge until he’s sober.
There ye have it, a few words to get you conversating like one o’ the dark brotherhood today. If you be still stuck for somethin’ t’ say, try out this English t’ pirate translator. Have fun. Celebrate. But keep yer filthy hands off me ice cream bars. I mean what I say about the gutting. Aaargh!
Lies to children for fun and profit. NYT Bestselling author of Hook's Revenge, Hook's Revenge: The Pirate Code, and Giraffes Ruin Everything.
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