Shoulder Pads - Arrgh

[Bernadina]

I'm about to toss a lot of very nice jackets because they have built in shoulder pads and make me look like a female football player.

I was wondering how feasable it would be to take the lining apart and try to remove the pads.

Has anyone had any experience in removing shoulder pads from jackets?

[Sharon]

I have one blazer that I removed shoulder pads from. In this instance, the pads were merely stiched to the interior lining and it was simple to just remove the threads that attached them to it.
Before disposing of your jackets Bernadina, I would certainly try to remove the padding, even if it meant opening up the lining to do so. You have nothing to lose in trying, and I wouldn't think that it would be too difficult.

[Danielle1960]

Yea it isn't hard. There are a few sowing tools (DID I say TOOLS) that make the job easy. The wife or GF will know or hit up JoAnn fabrics. They'll get the right stuff.

[Bernadina]

Removing shoulder pads that are exposed is real easy. I do it all the time for dresses, blouses, etc. A pair of nail scissors and a thread pick work just fine. The problem with jackets is that the pads are buried and attached somewhere inside the lining.

What I was hoping was that someone has had some experience with cutting into the lining in such a way that the pads can be removed and the lining put back together again neatly.

I suppose that since I'm getting rid of the jackets anyway, as suggested by Sharon, I could experiment with one and see what happens.

[Bernadina]

This for anyone else who has to remove shoulder pads from jackets with linings.

First I looked at the jackets from a man's perspective and decided that the obvious answer was to go in through the bottom of the jacket. Shoulder pads are at the top so that make sense, right.

Next to dress en femme. After all altering a ladies jacket requires the female touch.

Step 1: Look at the bottom of the lining near the jacket's hem. If you are lucky, the lining will not be attached to the jacket. All of my jackets had the linings attached. Hopefully, as was in the case of my jackets, the lining has a small horizontal pleat across the bottom of the jacket.

Step 2: Make a 4 to 5 inch cut carefully along the edge of fold of the lining pleat.

Step 3: Insert your hand into the hole and pull out one of the shoulders of the jacket to expose the pad.

Step 4: Remove the pad by picking the threads holding it to the jacket. I used a small thread picker and pair of small scissors.

Step 5: Push the shoulder back into the jacket, extract the other shoulder pad, remove the pad and push the shoulder back in.

Step 6: Sew the cut in the lining back up again. This can be a bit tricky as the lining material may tend to fray. I used a couple of different stitches depending on how the lining behaved. Be careful not to sew to the jacket itself. You may have to iron the liining a bit to make is lie flat again.

I rescued 4 jackets today. I no longer look like a Romulan when wearing them. The rest are still going out due to other factors.

[spaskinstyle]

I'm about to toss a lot of very nice jackets because they have built in shoulder pads and make me look like a female football player.

I was wondering how feasable it would be to take the lining apart and try to remove the pads.

Has anyone had any experience in removing shoulder pads from jackets?

[B]Dina, I've taken many a pad out of my old eighties blazers. Just use a razor blade and slit the lining. Know that the pad is sewn in usually in two places at the top on the left and the right but once you snip that thread they come right out. Then you could sew the lining and you would never know the difference. You could even take them to the cleaners and have them do it for you hon. Take care, Theresa

[Donna Louise]

On the lighter side. Yes do be careful. I say this as I had an experience that makes me chuckle now but not at the time.

I was replacing buttons on a coat. I was double breasted and heavy wool. Well I sewed them on in the exact position of the old buttons. Put it on and it fit just like it used to.

I stuck my hands in the pockets. Lo and behold. I had sewn the button right through the pocket. I had remove 2 buttons and resew them. I was a little hot at my stupidity but today it is something to laugh about.

Imagine all that work, then you stick your hand in the pocket and have sewn right through the middle of both.