Tag Archives: Do it Yourself

Shoulder pads

How To Remove Sewn-In Shoulder Pads

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Shoulder pads

All fashions come back around. What was in style during one season will definitely make an appearance again after some years. However, certain aspects of style take longer to come back into current trends again. This is the case of the shoulder pad. Extremely popular in the 80s and early 90s, they have yet to come back to popularity, especially to the same degree as they were at that time. While some coats have small built-in shoulder pads to create shape, gone are the blouses, dresses and even dressy T-shirts with shoulder pads. Such looks are not likely to come back anytime soon.

So what does someone do with clothes that still have the shoulder pads attached. Many of the outfits of that era are back in style again now, without the extra padding. If you have kept any of your clothes from that era and would like to wear them again, you can do so by removing the shoulder pads.

Removal of shoulder pads from most garments is relatively easy. In most cases, the pads have been attached with a couple of very small stitches after the garment was finished being made. What this means is that to remove such pads you will need a seam ripper or a tiny pair of small scissors and good light.

Turn the garment inside out and carefully examine the shoulder pads and the way they are attached in good light. Only when you are sure that you can remove the stitches without pulling out any of the nearby seams should you proceed. Slip the pointy end of the seam ripper into the stitches and slowly with a slight rocking motion, cut the threads. This will allow you to easily lift out the shoulder pads. Remove any loose threads and discard them.

If you happen to find that the shoulder pads have been sewn into the garment along the seam, you may still be able to remove them without ruining the item. If it is simply the pocket that the actual foam pad is in that is attached to the garment, you can remove the bulk of the shoulder pad by cutting a neat slit in the pocket and removing the pad itself. You may leave the pouch in place if the piece of clothing is bulky enough so that it doesn’t show. If it shows through the fabric or creates bulk, you can solve the problem by carefully cutting the pocket down to size so the only part remaining is what is attached to the seam.

Once you have removed the shoulder pads from your article of clothing, you should iron the item or steam it. This will help to give it its new shape and make the absence of the padding less noticeable.

Quick and easy clothing surgery like this can revitalize even the oldest items in your closet. Don’t be afraid to make changes to items you own in the name of fashion. If you’re not wearing it because it’s not in fashion, you have nothing to lose. So go ahead and be brave with your clothing surgery.

How to Remove an Itchy T-Shirt Neck Tag

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An itchy tag is something that can be an annoying part of any day. Trying to shop or carry on a conversation while trying to reach for an itching tag is no way to go about your day. There are a number of ways that an annoying tag can be dealt with, however.

To get rid of an itchy tag, many people reach for the scissors. This can have one of three outcomes. The tag can be cut short and become even itchier, it can be cut even shorter and become comfortable or a hole can be cut in the neck of the t-shirt. Because all tags are not attached the t-shirts in the same way, taking the same approach to removing every tag can result in severe damage to the shirt. To remove the tag the proper way, take a look at how the tag is attached. Only after the tag and the stitching have been evaluated should you actually try to remove the tag.

There are tags that are sewn into the shirt with the same line of stitches that holds the seam together. For these tags, there is little that can be done besides cutting the tag as short as possible. This should be tony with fine scissors so that the tag is not left too long and the stitches are not cut accidently.

For tags that are sewn on with a different line of stitching from the seam, there are more options available. The tag can be cut away from the t-shirt by using a seam ripper. This small device will pull the stitches out of the shirt quickly and efficiently. If you don’t have a seam ripper, however, there are other options. To get the tag to fall away from the shirt, you might cut one or more of the stitches holding it on and then try to pull the thread to pull out the rest of the stitches. You may need to push and pull the thread a few times to do this, but it can be done with many items. Tweezers can sometimes be helpful when trying to remove tags with this method.

You can also use a small pair of hair-cutting scissors in place of a seam ripper. The small points at the end of these scissors will enable you to get a blade in between the tag and the thread. The thread can then be simply cut away from the tag, enabling it to be easily removed.

If the tag does have separate stitching from the seam, and the stitching doesn’t look very tight, you might be able to simply rip the tag out of the shirt. This should of course be done only after assessing the tag and making sure that the seam will not be affected. If it doesn’t work, it may loosen up the thread so that it’s easier to cut it away from the tag. If you do try pulling the tag out, pay attention to how it is affecting the garment. If it looks like the neck is being stretched out, stop pulling and try another method.

How Make a Vintage Looking T-Shirt at Home

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There is a better way to create the ultimate vintage looking T-shirt, without paying outrageous prices for a cotton blend shirt that’s faded juuuuust right. With a little more time and a lot less money, you can achieve this look at home. Just follow these instructions:

Follow these steps to make your t-shirt look aged or vintage:

1. Soak your T-shirt in a solution of 8 cups water and 1 ½ cups of salt for around 3 days. To make the solution, bring the water to a boil and slowly stir in the salt. Remember to let the mixture cool off before adding your shirt, or the shirt may shrink.

2. After the 3 days are up, wring out your T-shirt and rub down both the inside and outside briefly with a super fine grit sandpaper. Go easy over any designs, silkscreening or iron-ons–the paper will take them right off.

3. Hang your shirt out to dry and fade in the sunshine.

4. Rinse the shirt quickly and wring it out in your sink.

5. Wash your shirt in the washer and dry in the dryer and you normally would.

A soft, perfectly aged T-shirt should emerge. If you have any other tips on how to create a vintage t-shirt we would love to hear them.