You might be asking why is a blog that deals mostly with quilts talking about shoulder pads? It’s because we also carry all the patterns for the Brensan Studios’ line of clothing patterns. We spotted the following on their blog this morning and immediately asked if we could share it with all of you. So, if you are a fan of the Brensan Jacket patterns, read on…
I get quite a few emails asking if I use shoulder pads in my jackets.  I do like shoulder pads and in the Classic Jackets (Topanga & Tasmania) I always use them, but the answer really isn’t quite as simple as that.
A shoulder pad does not have to be thick and make you look like a Block & Tackle (like the 70s styles!), but everyone - yes even those of you with square shoulders – can usually benefit from using a thin shoulder pad in a fitted jacket. The purpose of a shoulder pad is to assist in smoothing out the shoulder line and to fill in the pocket created on the front of our bodies by the arm socket. This ‘smoothing’ is also why you need interfacing in the upper portion of a jacket.
Tasmania Jacket with 1/4" shoulder pads
My favorite shoulder pad is 1/4″ thick – by 7″ long. I prefer the foam filled as they dry quicker when I need to clean the garment, but the fiber fill are ok, too. I always use a lining on this type of jacket and I ‘could’ use the uncovered pads, but by purchasing the covered pads, they are MUCH easier to tack to the inside of the garment.
The problem with the shoulder pads you can find in the chain stores is that they are too short – i.e. from the front to the back. They end right at the pocket on the front that is created from your arm socket and they don’t do what they are intended to do — fill the space over the pocket, thus creating a smooth front.
I looked for a long time before I found the shoulder pads I like and I can only mailorder them. My favorite shoulder pads used to come from Baer Fabrics (I miss them so much!), but Vogue Fabrics still has the 1/4″ x 7″ longer version shoulder pads.
