Gifts to sew for nurses: 9 handmade ideas with times and sizes

The best gift to sew for a nurse is a tie-back scrub cap. The Sewzy Tie-Back Scrub Cap takes about 60 minutes, comes in four head sizes (S to XL, 20 to 26½ in) and is cut from cotton that the pattern's care note allows in a warm or hot wash. Add a free zipper pouch (45 minutes) or a scrunchie (15 minutes) and you have a handmade nurse appreciation gift. Below are nine gifts for nurses and other healthcare workers, with the time, sizes, fabric and pattern type for each.

TL;DR

• Nine gifts from the Sewzy catalog: the scrub cap, a zipper pouch, a scrunchie, a sleep mask, an eye pillow, a drawstring bag, a boxed tote bag, a bowl cozy and the Dog Treat Pouch, a snap pouch with a belt loop. Five of the nine are free patterns.
• The scrub cap pattern holds two styles. Style A has a band and ties. Style B has a gathered crown and back elastic. Choose the size by head circumference, measured over the usual hairstyle.
• For a cap that gets washed often, use quilting cotton, cotton poplin, lawn or light cotton-poly broadcloth, pre-washed before cutting. The pattern's care note says to machine wash warm or hot and tumble dry low or line dry.
• Gift sets add up quickly. A cap and a scrunchie is 75 minutes, a cap and a Small zipper pouch is 105, and a four-piece thank-you set is 210. Times are the app's estimates for one item and leave out printing, taping and cutting.
• Sewzy has no badge reel or lanyard pattern. Call each gift handmade, and do not describe any of them as protective or antibacterial.

What makes a good handmade gift for a nurse?

Look for gifts that wash well, are small enough to carry and are easy to size. One cap per person is also easy to batch for a whole unit, which suits a nurse appreciation gift for a team. The nine ideas below follow these rules.

• Washable: sew with cotton that you have pre-washed. The scrub cap's care note allows a warm or hot wash.
• Sized to fit: a cap depends on head size, so measure first. The sizing table below has the ranges.
• Quick: all nine take 90 minutes or less in the Sewzy app.
• Allowed at work: some workplaces have rules about head coverings or about what may be carried or worn on shift. Ask the recipient, or a coworker, before you sew a cap.
• Honest labels: these are ordinary handmade accessories. Do not describe any of them as protective, sterile or antibacterial.

Which gifts can I sew for a nurse or other healthcare worker?

These nine come from the Sewzy catalog. Times are the app's estimates for one finished item, so add time for printing, taping and cutting.

Five of the nine are free patterns, and Sewzy has more free ones. You can see them on the free sewing patterns page.

How does the Tie-Back Scrub Cap pattern work?

The scrub cap pattern holds two styles, and both come in S, M, L and XL. You choose one style, and the pattern has 12 steps in all: two shared steps (measure and cut), then five for each style.

The pattern is rated intermediate. The seam to take slowly is the one that joins the band to the crown: style A eases a curve with plenty of pins, and style B pulls up gathers evenly between pins. The seam allowance is ⅜ in and is included on every piece. You also need thread, pins, ⅜ in knit elastic (the cutting chart gives the length for each size) and a safety pin or tube turner.

Two options are worth knowing about before you buy fabric. For a sweatband, cut the band lining from cotton terry, bamboo terry or flannel. For mask loops, you can fuse a small interfacing square behind each button dot on the band and sew on a button of ⅝ to ¾ in. The pattern suggests a shank button, which keeps the loop off the fabric and is easier to use with gloves.

What fabric is best for a scrub cap that gets washed a lot?

Use a tightly woven cotton that you have pre-washed. The pattern lists quilting cotton, cotton poplin, lawn or light cotton-poly broadcloth. Pre-wash and press before cutting, because cotton shrinks. If you are unsure which cotton to buy, the guide to fabric for beginner sewing compares the common weights.

The pattern's care note is the useful part for a gift: machine wash warm or hot with like colors, tumble dry low or line dry, and press cotton on a hot setting from the inside. Terry sweatbands dry faster on the line. Elastic wears out first, so tell the recipient to replace it when it loses its snap. Hot water can fade deep colors over time, so a mid-tone print is a safer choice than a dark solid (our suggestion, not part of the pattern).

Three tips from the pattern make the cap look better:

• Directional prints: the crown's fold runs front to back, so the print stands upright from the forehead. Cut the band across the print to keep the motifs level.
• A name label: embroider or iron a name label onto the center front of the band before you sew the band together.
• A two-fabric style A: pair a crown print with a solid band. The leftovers can line the bands of a style B cap.

How do I choose the right scrub cap size for a gift?

Measure the head, because the size ranges are narrow. Measure around the head across the forehead, just above the ears and around the fullest part of the back, over the usual hairstyle. For style B, measure over the bun or ponytail the person wears to work.

Between two sizes, the pattern says to take the smaller size for style A, because the ties adjust, and the larger size for style B. If you cannot measure for a surprise gift, style A is the more forgiving choice (our suggestion, based on those adjustable ties).

Which other gifts go well with a scrub cap?

Zipper Pouch: a free pouch for pens and small items

The Zipper Pouch takes about 45 minutes and is a free pattern. Small (7 x 5 in) and Medium (9 x 6½ in) each use ¼ yd of outer fabric and ¼ yd of lining, and Large (11 x 8 in) uses ⅓ yd of each. Use quilting cotton, canvas, cork or denim outside, with interfacing on light fabrics, and a nylon coil zipper. Line it with cotton or laminated cotton, which gives a wipe-clean inside. The zipper is the only tricky part, and how to sew a zipper pouch walks through it.

Scrunchie: a 15 minute match for the cap

The Scrunchie is a free pattern and the quickest gift here. A Regular scrunchie finishes as a 4 x 22 in strip with 8 in of ¼ in elastic, and both sizes fit any ponytail. The pattern suggests satin, silk, cotton lawn, linen, velvet or jersey scraps, so cap leftovers work. Make one in the cap print for a matching set.

Sleep Mask and Eye Pillow: a rest set

These two suit a nurse who sleeps at odd hours, for example after a night shift. The Sleep Mask uses one fat quarter of silk, satin or cotton, padding of batting, felt or flannel, and ⅜ in soft elastic. The Adult strap is longer than a fat quarter, so you join two strips with a ¼ in seam. The Eye Pillow has a washable cover over an inner bag filled with flax seed or rice, plus 1 to 2 tbsp of dried lavender or chamomile if you like. One fat quarter of each fabric makes 2 pillows in any size. Wash the cover only, on gentle and cold, and never wet the inner bag. More small gifts like these are in 12 stocking stuffers to sew.

Drawstring Bag and Boxed Tote Bag: carry-alls

The Drawstring Bag is a free 30 minute make in quilting cotton, linen, canvas or light denim, with ¼ in cord or ribbon. Small needs ⅓ yd, Medium ½ yd and Large ⅔ yd. The Large size (16 x 20 in) is roomy enough for a spare pair of shoes or a change of clothes, which is our suggestion. The Boxed Tote Bag takes about 90 minutes and is also free. Regular (15 x 16 in) uses ¾ yd of outer fabric and ¾ yd of lining and carries a 13 in laptop flat, and Large (18 x 18 in) uses 1 yd of each. Use canvas, denim or waxed cotton outside and quilting cotton or poplin inside.

Bowl Cozy: a lunch gift

The Bowl Cozy is a free quilted holder for a microwave bowl and takes about 60 minutes. It comes in five sizes, for bowls from 8 to 17½ in. Use 100 percent cotton fabric, batting and thread only, because polyester melts in the microwave. Do not use any other fiber in it, however pretty the print.

Dog Treat Pouch: a belt pouch, with a caveat

This pattern was drawn for dog owners, and it says nothing about use at work. It finishes at 5 x 6 in with a ¾ in boxed base, a snap closure, a belt loop that fits a 1½ in belt and a D-ring or swivel clip. The lining is laminated cotton, PUL or ripstop nylon so crumbs wipe out. One fat quarter of outer and one of lining make two pouches. It is a natural gift for a nurse who has a dog. For anyone else, it could serve as a small belt pouch, which is our suggestion, so check what the workplace allows before you give it.

What gift sets can I sew for a nurse?

A set of two or three small makes looks like more thought than a single item and still fits in an evening or two. These totals add the app's times for one item each.

Cut the cap, scrunchie and pouch outer from coordinating prints so the set looks planned. The cap and the scrunchie can come from the same fat quarter.

How do I sew scrub caps for a whole team?

Work out the fabric first, then cut everything in one sitting. Style A needs 2 fat quarters or ½ yd per cap, so six caps need 3 yd in all. Style B needs 1 fat quarter and an 8 x 15 in scrap per cap, so six caps need 6 fat quarters and six scraps. By the app's time, six caps take about 6 hours. Cutting every piece first and sewing the same seam on every cap before moving on should bring the time per cap down.

Ask each person for a head measurement, or offer style A to anyone who is unsure. Write the size on the back of each crown piece before you start, so the sizes do not get mixed.

What should I check before giving a handmade gift to a healthcare worker?

• Workplace rules: confirm that a cap, bag or belt pouch is allowed where the person works.
• Fit: measure the head for a cap and the bowl for a bowl cozy.
• Laundering: pre-wash all fabric. Cotton only for the bowl cozy.
• Care card: add a short tag. For the cap, copy the pattern's care note. For the eye pillow, say to wash the cover only.
• No health claims: the patterns describe sewing projects. Do not tell the recipient that any item protects against germs or illness.

Make it with Sewzy

All nine gifts are in Sewzy, a sewing pattern app for iPhone, and each pattern includes every size. Print the letter-size PDF at home or take the A0 file to a copy shop, then follow the written step-by-step guide. Five of the nine are free, so you can sew a pouch or a tote before you pay for anything. The scrub cap is a Premium pattern. Read more about the Sewzy sewing app, or get Sewzy on the App Store.

FAQ

What are good handmade gifts to sew for nurses?

A tie-back scrub cap is the most direct choice: the Sewzy pattern takes about 60 minutes and comes in four head sizes. Small gifts that go with it are a zipper pouch (45 minutes), a scrunchie (15), a sleep mask (30), an eye pillow (30), a drawstring bag (30), a boxed tote bag (90) and a bowl cozy (60). Five of these nine ideas use free patterns.

How long does it take to sew a scrub cap?

The Sewzy app lists about 60 minutes for one Tie-Back Scrub Cap, and the pattern is rated intermediate. The time does not include printing, taping and cutting the pattern, so plan a little longer for the first cap. Six caps add up to about 6 hours before any time saved by cutting and sewing in batches.

What fabric is best for a scrub cap that gets washed often?

The pattern lists quilting cotton, cotton poplin, lawn or light cotton-poly broadcloth, with cotton terry, bamboo terry or flannel for an optional sweatband. Pre-wash and press the fabric before cutting, because cotton shrinks. The pattern's care note says to machine wash warm or hot with like colors, tumble dry low or line dry, and replace the elastic if it loses its snap.

How do I choose the right scrub cap size for a gift?

Measure around the head across the forehead, just above the ears and around the fullest part of the back, over the usual hairstyle, then pick the size whose range includes it: S 20 to 21½ in, M 22 to 23 in, L 23½ to 24½ in, XL 25 to 26½ in. For a gathered style B cap, measure over the bun or ponytail worn to work. Between sizes, take the smaller for style A, because its ties adjust, and the larger for style B.

Does Sewzy have a badge reel or lanyard pattern?

No. The Sewzy catalog has no badge reel, badge holder or lanyard pattern. For carrying small items, the nearest options are the Zipper Pouch (a free pattern in three sizes, from 7 x 5 in to 11 x 8 in) and the Dog Treat Pouch, a 5 x 6 in snap pouch with a belt loop.

Which of these nurse gifts use free patterns?

Five of the nine: the Zipper Pouch, Scrunchie, Drawstring Bag, Boxed Tote Bag and Bowl Cozy. The Tie-Back Scrub Cap, Sleep Mask, Eye Pillow and Dog Treat Pouch are Premium patterns. Sewzy has other free patterns too.