Cloth Nurses Cap
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 579
The vintage nurse cap was a heavily starched cap. There were many styles--each nursing school had a different cap and pin, and even capes pre 60's. As Lynnie suggested, a good idea to contact a nursing school that has been around for awhile, and they can refer you to companies that offer caps for sale. I do not recall them being very expensive. My school ordered our uniforms, aprons and caps from the Nightingale Company. My school is closed and I'm unsure if Nightingale Company is still around. Good luck! I would be interested in the outcome of your search.
#12
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 34
I Would make it out of a heavy white cotton. Double the main front part. Should be a rectangle. The "t" can be single thickness. The starching is key. We use to cook ours...should be the thickness of pancake mixed. Use a window or a mirror. Starch the hat to the glass and let dry. Can't remember how long. Peel off and fold.
#14
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,536
#17
That brought up an image in my mind of a male nurse in a cap! Don't mean to offend anyone. I've had male nurses and they're as kind and compassionate as their female counterparts. Male nurses are probably why they stopped wearing caps.
#18
I'm a retired nurse and felt the same when we stopped using caps. It was a big deal, that capping ceremony - it was hard work and it was something to achieve after the first year. The second year we got our stripe and when we graduated we got our pin in another ceremony. It's true about knowing what school or college you went to by what cap they wore. When i first graduated, you couldn't wear pantsuits and were sent home to change into a 'proper' uniform.
#20
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4,688
My Mom was a nurse. Her cap was actually a heavy piece of cloth in the shape of a rectangle with small convex curve on one long edge. She would heavily starch it and then shape it into the proper cap shape for her school. Different schools had different style caps. I think nursing students still have pin ceremonies, but I don't think they do caps anymore. My Mom was from the day of dresses only and white from head to toe. If you find a cap today that's stitched together, it may not be authentic.
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