Isolation Gown Pattern Help Needed
08-25-2020, 08:15 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Ontario
Posts: 299
Isolation Gown Pattern Help Needed
Hi folks, the wife works in child-care and has to wear PPE gear for screening the kids. Her works provides the paper gowns but from the start the good wife was complaining about them. So i went online looking for a pattern, only to find PDF versions (while free, requires a lot of printing and time in my opinion). Off to the fabric store to see if i could purchase a paper pattern to no joy. A quick trip to the local buck store for some brown paper and headed off home to try a pattern myself. This is the result below, which i scored some brownie points with the missus 
Now that i have a paper pattern for this size L, how do i go about sizing the pattern up & down correctly for M & XL?
Also, any information regarding the types/suppliers of fabric suitable for the gowns would be appreciated. Any tips on tidying up the seam edge that was finished using the 401A. While i think it looks quite good, i'm not sure if the few small loose ends could be eliminated entirely. I'm picky that way (probably me that just needs more practice lol). Or maybe time to let the wife know that a serger may have to join the family soon.
Much thanks in advance for any tips/tricks, always appreciated.
Now that i have a paper pattern for this size L, how do i go about sizing the pattern up & down correctly for M & XL?Also, any information regarding the types/suppliers of fabric suitable for the gowns would be appreciated. Any tips on tidying up the seam edge that was finished using the 401A. While i think it looks quite good, i'm not sure if the few small loose ends could be eliminated entirely. I'm picky that way (probably me that just needs more practice lol). Or maybe time to let the wife know that a serger may have to join the family soon.
Much thanks in advance for any tips/tricks, always appreciated.
Last edited by Hooligan; 06-04-2021 at 05:18 PM.
08-25-2020, 09:05 PM
#2
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
Posts: 5,383
You did great. I have no advice for you because you sure don't need it, If you don't want a raw seam there, you can cut a 5/8" seam. Then sew with wrong sides together a 1/4" seam. Next, you put the right sides together and sew a 3/8" seam. The first seam will be the fold. The result is an enclosed raw edge seam. It does add a bit of bulk, but won't ever have any strings. You can, also, use seam binding on the seam to cover it. There is another thing called a French felled seam and a flat felled seam. Google them and choose your poison.
08-26-2020, 04:57 AM
#4
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Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Ontario
Posts: 299
Originally Posted by Barb in Louisiana
You did great. I have no advice for you because you sure don't need it, If you don't want a raw seam there, you can cut a 5/8" seam. Then sew with wrong sides together a 1/4" seam. Next, you put the right sides together and sew a 3/8" seam. The first seam will be the fold. The result is an enclosed raw edge seam. It does add a bit of bulk, but won't ever have any strings. You can, also, use seam binding on the seam to cover it. There is another thing called a French felled seam and a flat felled seam. Google them and choose your poison.
Much thanks
Originally Posted by liking quilting
Just had to say it looks great!
08-26-2020, 06:22 AM
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,056
I no longer do garment construction but I used to custom fit my own clothes and did quite a bit of costuming 40 years ago.
You can't always just make things bigger or smaller all over. There is a very real difference between someone who is a basketball player XL and when I was long torso/short armed 300 pound me or now under 200 pound XL me. That shoulder seam maybe shouldn't change as much as the arm pit, darts need to be adjusted in placement, angle and length. The neck opening maybe should be comparatively larger on the XL than on the M.
But nice thing is this isn't terribly fitted and needs to be about ease and comfort as well as protection. If you are going out and have thrift stores available to you, you might look for scrubs or other garments of about the right shape and size and use those as guides. Likewise, Walmart or comparable stores might have things in stock (scrubs again for example) where you can compare sizes and maybe luck into something on sale for $5 or under to use as a pattern.
You can't always just make things bigger or smaller all over. There is a very real difference between someone who is a basketball player XL and when I was long torso/short armed 300 pound me or now under 200 pound XL me. That shoulder seam maybe shouldn't change as much as the arm pit, darts need to be adjusted in placement, angle and length. The neck opening maybe should be comparatively larger on the XL than on the M.
But nice thing is this isn't terribly fitted and needs to be about ease and comfort as well as protection. If you are going out and have thrift stores available to you, you might look for scrubs or other garments of about the right shape and size and use those as guides. Likewise, Walmart or comparable stores might have things in stock (scrubs again for example) where you can compare sizes and maybe luck into something on sale for $5 or under to use as a pattern.
08-26-2020, 06:44 AM
#7
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,391
There are books available that tell about "grading" for different sizes. Also, for drafting patterns.
The finishes look great on what you made.
What makes drafting a pattern interesting/challenging - as Ice Blossom said - that for a given dimension - say chest measurement - the measurements and shape above and below it can vary drastically.
Raglan sleeve or kimono sleeve styles are quite forgiving for fit.
Maybe get some of the paper ones and compare the different sizes - that might give you an idea of the differences between them.
Another thing - how "covered" does the person want to be? A person with a 60 inch hip/buttocks/abdomen measurement will need a much larger size than a person with only a 36 inch hip. Also - most people that have gotten "overweight" - their shoulders stay comparatively close to the same size as they were when they were "normal weight".
I get so aggravated when - just because my mid section has gotten x number of inches bigger over the years - my shoulders and sleeve length have not increased the same amount! So, for example when I was a size 12 or 14 - the shoulders and sleeves were about right. Now that I need a 3x - the shoulder seam extends about two inches down my arm and the sleeves go several inches below my fingertips!
Are you planning on making custom-sized gear? If so, it might be helpful to take the person's measurements - and if they have a "unique build" - if you have some old sheets, you could do some draping on them to get an idea of how to adapt/modify your basic style for them to get a comfortable fit.
Are these worn all-day? or changed frequently? You could also just look at hospital gowns and see if they would be adequate. Some are designed to overlap on the back - some even have shoulder snaps/velcro for easy access to various parts of the body,
The finishes look great on what you made.
What makes drafting a pattern interesting/challenging - as Ice Blossom said - that for a given dimension - say chest measurement - the measurements and shape above and below it can vary drastically.
Raglan sleeve or kimono sleeve styles are quite forgiving for fit.
Maybe get some of the paper ones and compare the different sizes - that might give you an idea of the differences between them.
Another thing - how "covered" does the person want to be? A person with a 60 inch hip/buttocks/abdomen measurement will need a much larger size than a person with only a 36 inch hip. Also - most people that have gotten "overweight" - their shoulders stay comparatively close to the same size as they were when they were "normal weight".
I get so aggravated when - just because my mid section has gotten x number of inches bigger over the years - my shoulders and sleeve length have not increased the same amount! So, for example when I was a size 12 or 14 - the shoulders and sleeves were about right. Now that I need a 3x - the shoulder seam extends about two inches down my arm and the sleeves go several inches below my fingertips!
Are you planning on making custom-sized gear? If so, it might be helpful to take the person's measurements - and if they have a "unique build" - if you have some old sheets, you could do some draping on them to get an idea of how to adapt/modify your basic style for them to get a comfortable fit.
Are these worn all-day? or changed frequently? You could also just look at hospital gowns and see if they would be adequate. Some are designed to overlap on the back - some even have shoulder snaps/velcro for easy access to various parts of the body,
Last edited by bearisgray; 08-26-2020 at 06:51 AM.
08-26-2020, 06:45 AM
#8
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Ontario
Posts: 299
Originally Posted by Iceblossom
I no longer do garment construction but I used to custom fit my own clothes and did quite a bit of costuming 40 years ago.
You can't always just make things bigger or smaller all over. There is a very real difference between someone who is a basketball player XL and when I was long torso/short armed 300 pound me or now under 200 pound XL me. That shoulder seam maybe shouldn't change as much as the arm pit, darts need to be adjusted in placement, angle and length. The neck opening maybe should be comparatively larger on the XL than on the M.
But nice thing is this isn't terribly fitted and needs to be about ease and comfort as well as protection. If you are going out and have thrift stores available to you, you might look for scrubs or other garments of about the right shape and size and use those as guides. Likewise, Walmart or comparable stores might have things in stock (scrubs again for example) where you can compare sizes and maybe luck into something on sale for $5 or under to use as a pattern.
You can't always just make things bigger or smaller all over. There is a very real difference between someone who is a basketball player XL and when I was long torso/short armed 300 pound me or now under 200 pound XL me. That shoulder seam maybe shouldn't change as much as the arm pit, darts need to be adjusted in placement, angle and length. The neck opening maybe should be comparatively larger on the XL than on the M.
But nice thing is this isn't terribly fitted and needs to be about ease and comfort as well as protection. If you are going out and have thrift stores available to you, you might look for scrubs or other garments of about the right shape and size and use those as guides. Likewise, Walmart or comparable stores might have things in stock (scrubs again for example) where you can compare sizes and maybe luck into something on sale for $5 or under to use as a pattern.
08-26-2020, 06:52 AM
#9
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Ontario
Posts: 299
Originally Posted by bearisgray
There are books available that tell about "grading" for different sizes.
The finishes look great on what you made.
What makes drafting a pattern interesting/challenging - as Ice Blossom said - that for a given dimension - say chest measurement - the measurements and shape above and below it can vary drastically.
Raglan sleeve or kimono sleeve styles are quite forgiving for fit.
Maybe get some of the paper ones and compare the different sizes - that might give you an idea of the differences between them.
Another thing - how "covered" does the person want to be? A person with a 60 inch hip/buttocks/abdomen measurement will need a much larger size than a person with only a 36 inch hip. Also - most people that have gotten "overweight" - their shoulders stay comparatively close the the same size as they were when they were "normal weight".
I get so aggravated when - just because my mid section has gotten x number of inches bigger over the years - my shoulders and sleeve length have not increased the same amount! So, for example when I was a size 12 or 14 - the shoulders and sleeves were about right. Now that I need a 3x - the shoulder seam extends about two inches down my arm and the sleeves go several inches below my fingertips!
The finishes look great on what you made.
What makes drafting a pattern interesting/challenging - as Ice Blossom said - that for a given dimension - say chest measurement - the measurements and shape above and below it can vary drastically.
Raglan sleeve or kimono sleeve styles are quite forgiving for fit.
Maybe get some of the paper ones and compare the different sizes - that might give you an idea of the differences between them.
Another thing - how "covered" does the person want to be? A person with a 60 inch hip/buttocks/abdomen measurement will need a much larger size than a person with only a 36 inch hip. Also - most people that have gotten "overweight" - their shoulders stay comparatively close the the same size as they were when they were "normal weight".
I get so aggravated when - just because my mid section has gotten x number of inches bigger over the years - my shoulders and sleeve length have not increased the same amount! So, for example when I was a size 12 or 14 - the shoulders and sleeves were about right. Now that I need a 3x - the shoulder seam extends about two inches down my arm and the sleeves go several inches below my fingertips!
08-26-2020, 12:56 PM
#10
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,701
Hello Hooligan ... Great job done! The most important part are those brownie points!! 
Agree that french seams would work, if you want the seam edge closed in.
Although, there is nothing wrong with the way you did them.
Not sure where you are in the province, but if you have a Len's Mill Store nearby, they have been advertising that they have the fabrics for gowns and all other PPE needs. So, a place for you to check.
You probably should check with her employer as to what fabric choices are acceptable to them, in lieu of their provided disposables. Better than getting into mass production and discovering that they have specific requirements ... or will not even allow home-sewns.
As for pattern re-sizing ...
I think the others have pointed out pretty much what I was thinking.
Are you wanting the different sizes to make for her colleagues?
Or just wanting to have a generic pattern to sell/giveaway to others?
If it is for her colleagues or others you know, you could always let them try one on and alter accordingly.
As already mentioned, these gowns are meant to be loose fitting for over other garments. It'll be important to keep in mind that loose fitting now, may become tight fitting, as we shift to warmer fall/winter wear.
Good Luck!
Agree that french seams would work, if you want the seam edge closed in.
Although, there is nothing wrong with the way you did them.
Not sure where you are in the province, but if you have a Len's Mill Store nearby, they have been advertising that they have the fabrics for gowns and all other PPE needs. So, a place for you to check.
You probably should check with her employer as to what fabric choices are acceptable to them, in lieu of their provided disposables. Better than getting into mass production and discovering that they have specific requirements ... or will not even allow home-sewns.
As for pattern re-sizing ...
I think the others have pointed out pretty much what I was thinking.
Are you wanting the different sizes to make for her colleagues?
Or just wanting to have a generic pattern to sell/giveaway to others?
If it is for her colleagues or others you know, you could always let them try one on and alter accordingly.
As already mentioned, these gowns are meant to be loose fitting for over other garments. It'll be important to keep in mind that loose fitting now, may become tight fitting, as we shift to warmer fall/winter wear.
Good Luck!
Last edited by QuiltE; 08-26-2020 at 01:04 PM.
