I needed to create my final top project for my Garment Construction class, so decided to make Simplicity 8133.  It is not the most flattering of patterns, but my mum got it free up north at a tag sale somewhere AND it fit all the criteria for the assignment, so I decided to make version E, without the ties.  I selected fabric I already had in my stash, a brushed cotton in a lime/olive green and orange with a floral/camouflage pattern.

When I sewed up the top, it looked EXACTLY like a medical scrubs top.  Only one that a totally tripped out doctor from the late 60s/early 70s would wear.  There was no way around it.  I set about attempting to remedy the situation.

My good friend, Chris Lucas pointed me in the direction of the Pavlova skirt she made and the fabulous Seashell Pocket on it.  I downloaded this pocket pattern from Stephanie at Cake Patterns and added two of them to the front of the tunic.  I love these pockets, they are adorable, actually look like seashells AND are functional, to boot.  This is not the last you’ll see of them in my Made By Me wardrobe.  I then added fabric covered buttons to the pockets as well as buttons to the tunic where a “placket” would be.  The colours were still a little too, in your face Deadhead, so I dyed the whole thing (including pockets and fabric covered buttons) with a dark brown dye to tone it down.  And, to top it off, I wore it with a scarf, chain metal belt. 

“My Nurse Hat is Too Big…”

So, after all these embellishments, does it still look like a medical scrubs top??? Yes, yes it does.  🙂  And, I will be seeing YOU, for your upcoming surgical needs at the 1970 – Grateful Dead, Keep On Truckin’ – Memorial Hospital.  Ask for me.   

Truckin’ by the Grateful Dead.

“What a long strange trip it’s been.”