How to Get a Permanent Shoulder Pad

Shoulder pads provide structure to blouses and jackets.

Ditch the removable shoulder pads and pump up your shoulders permanently by sewing in shoulder pads to your favorite garments. Shoulder pads were in high demand during the 1980s because they emphasized a broad shoulder for women wearing jackets and blouses. Bring back the trend in modern clothing by inserting a permanent pad in your favorite suit jacket or blouse. The advantages of a permanent shoulder pad versus a removable one are that your piece of clothing will have built-in structure to hold its shape and you don't have to worry about losing the pad while out in public. Does this Spark an idea?

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Seam ripper
2 shoulder pads
Needle
Thread

Instructions

- 1
  
  Choose the garment you want to have permanent shoulder pads. The top should have sufficient coverage in the shoulder area to support the pad.
- 2
  
  Turn the garment inside out to reveal the inner lining. Use a seam ripper to carefully remove the stitching along the interior lining on the shoulder. If there is not an inner lining, look for the exposed seam along the shoulder area.
- 3
  
  Pull the lining back carefully so you expose the inner shoulder seam, but you do not rip the fabric. Once the shoulder pad is installed you need to re-stitch the lining along the seam that you opened with the seam ripper.
- 4
  
  Hold the shoulder pad to the shoulder area of the garment. The pad should be proportionate to the shoulder. Avoid pads that are too small or too large for the particular garment.
- 5
  
  Turn the pad to expose the center seam. This seam will run down the center of the backside of the shoulder pad. The pad is shaped like a crescent and the inner crescent should sit on your shoulder. The outer part will have a center seam. The seam is what you use to attach the pad to the garment.
- 6
  
  Place the middle seam of the shoulder pad against the inner seam of the garment. Line the two seams up as closely as possible.
- 7
  
  Stitch the two seams together using a straight stitch. Start from one end of the pad and work your way to the opposite end, moving the needle back and forth through both seams. Keep the thread pulled tightly so the pad stays snug against the garment. Pull gently on the pad to ensure it is secure.
- 8
  
  Re-stitch the lining of the garment back together if you removed it while inserting the shoulder pad. Try on the garment before re-stitching the inner lining to ensure the fit is correct.
  
  Repeat all steps for the opposite shoulder.