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Sewing a Lab Coat

Traditionally worn by scientists and medical doctors, lab coats are thin, loose-fitting coats with pockets. These coats that fall just above the knee are worn over clothing when scientists are working with chemicals or doctors are consulting patients. Whether you are working on a science project or dressing up for a costume party, sewing a lab coat can be a simple and quick project that requires few materials. However, you will need a pattern or you will need to create a pattern from either a lab coat, an oversized men's button-down dress shirt or a knee-length trench coat.

Things You'll Need

Lab coat pattern or lab coat, oversized men's button-down dress shirt or knee-length trench coat
Cotton or polyester white fabric, approximately 2 yards
Fabric chalk
Fabric shears
White thread
Straight pins
Sewing machine
Buttonhole foot
Fabric pen
Seam ripper
White buttons
Sewing needle

Instructions

- 1
  Use a pattern or create your own pattern by tracing each section of a lab coat, a men's button-down dress shirt or a knee-length trench coat. Sections are divided by seams. For instance, you will need to trace the back of the garment, the two front pieces of the garment, the collar and two pieces for each arm. Use a fabric pen and tracing paper and add 1/4-inch around each section to allow for seam width.
- 2
  Pin each pattern piece to the white fabric and cut them out.
- 3
  Attach the back piece to the two front pieces in the respective spots by pinning them in place and sewing them from the inside using a straight stitch and a 1/4-inch seam.
- 4
  Attach the collar to the body of the shirt that you formed in Step 2 by pinning it in place and sewing it from the inside using a straight stitch and a 1/4-inch seam.
- 5
  Pin and sew one arm piece to the left body of the shirt from the inside underarm area using a straight stitch and a 1/4-inch seam.
- 6
  Pin and sew another arm piece to the left body of the shirt from the inside shoulder area using a straight stitch and a 1/4-inch seam.
- 7
  Connect the two arm pieces by sewing the edges together.
- 8
  Repeat Steps 4, 5 and 6 for the right arm pieces.
- 9
  Hand stitch five to six buttons evenly down one side of the front of the lab coat, starting at the mid-chest and working your way down.
- 10
  Make button holes directly across from each button on the opposite side of the front of the lab coat. Mark each button hole with a fabric pen by drawing a rectangle the width you would like the button hole to be. Place a buttonhole presser in the presser foot position on your sewing machine. Set the stitch length to "zero." Sew a zig-zag stitch along the perimeter of the rectangle. Use a seam ripper to rip open the center of the rectangle.
- 11
  Cut out two squares of white fabric. Pin one square to the left side of the lab coat just below the waist and the other square to the right side of fabric just below the waist. Sew from the inside to form pockets.

Sewing