Delicate articles of clothing require special care to preserve their shape. Padded hangers are great tools for keeping these apparel items organized and looking their best in a closet. Commercially produced padded hangers can be found in housewares stores, but often, these store-bought versions are not as sturdy as they should be. Also, it can be difficult finding exactly the right fabric, color and pattern you desire.
Our padded hangers can easily be created at home, and they make great presents for friends and family. Select sturdy wooden hangers with high-quality hooks. We used curved-style wooden clothes hangers for this project; before beginning, we removed the pants bar from the bottom of the hangers. When selecting fabric for this project, consider using a tighter-woven cotton material. This type of fabric is easier to manipulate and will fray less than cotton with a loose weave.
TECHNIQUE
Padded Hangers
Materials:
- Cotton-poly batting
- Scissors
- Wooden hangers (with pants bar removed)
- Flexible tape measure
- Staple gun
- Staples
- Straight pins
- Hand sewing needle
- Thread
- Pencil
- Craft paper (for creating a template)
- Round object (for creating a curve on the template)
- 1 yard of desired fabric
- Sewing machine
- Pinking shears
- 3/4 yard of 1/2-inch ribbon
Directions:
- Cut batting into strips measuring 3 1/2 inches wide. To create a four-layer thickness, fold each strip in half across its width, then fold in half again. For each padded hanger you plan to make, measure a strip of prefolded batting twice the length of the hanger.
- Locate the midpoint of the folded batting. Using the sharp point of a pair of scissors, poke a small hole through the batting at this midpoint, making sure the hole penetrates through all of the layers of batting. (Only make the hole as large as it needs to be to fit snugly. If the hole for the hook is too large, it will be more difficult to cinch the batting together.) Insert the hook of the hanger through the hole. Stretch the batting across the length of the top of the hanger and wrap the batting around the bottom of the hanger. Using a staple gun, staple the ends of the batting together at the bottom center of the hanger. Cut away any excess batting. To secure the batting along the sides of the hanger, fold the top of the batting over its bottom. Hold the batting in place with straight pins. Using a hand sewing needle and thread, secure the batting with large basting stitches. When you come to corners, tuck them under neatly.
- You will need to make a template for the fabric covering for the batting. Using a flexible tape measure, measure the circumference of the hanger including the batting layer. This measurement will determine the final width of the fabric coverings. (Note: When measuring the circumference, do not stretch the tape measure tightly. Doing so will result in coverings that will be too tight to fit properly on the hanger.) Divide the measurement of the circumference in half, and add 1 1/2 inches for seam allowance.
- Measure the hanger from the center to one of its ends. Add 1 1/2 inches of seam allowance to this measurement. Using the measurements in this and the previous step, create a pattern on a piece of craft paper. To easily create a curve at one end of the rectangle paper pattern, use a round object to achieve the proper curve. Trace the fabric covering pattern onto a piece of fabric and cut out the shape from the fabric. Each hanger will require four pieces of cut fabric.
- With right sides facing, pin two pieces of the fabric together. Using a 3/4-inch seam allowance, sew along three sides of the fabric, allowing the short, straight end to remain open. Trim along the seam allowance with pinking shears. Turn the fabric covering right side out. Repeat the sewing procedure for the remaining fabric coverings.
- Slide each fabric covering onto each side of the hanger, being careful not to tear the batting. Make sure the seams line up along the sides of the hanger. At the middle of the hanger, tuck the unfinished edges of the fabric under so that the sides of the fabric just touch in the middle (the fit should be snug). Stitch the fabric coverings together with a hand sewing needle and thread, matching the seams as you go.
- Position a length of 1/2-inch ribbon around the hook so that it drapes over the front of the hanger. Pull both of the ribbon ends underneath the hanger, then pull them back over the front on each side of the hook. Tie the ribbon into a bow in the front of the hook.
Button Padded Hangers
While padded hangers are great for preserving the shape of delicate articles of clothing, such as silk undergarments with straps, they often allow clothes to slip to the floor. To keep clothes from sliding off the cushioned hangers, use simple sewing materials--buttons with shanks, a hand sewing needle and thread--to customize padded hangers for specific types of clothing. Sew a button near each end of the hanger arms; then, place the garment on the hanger. The buttons will act as guards, keeping your precious items on the hangers and off the floor.
SPECIAL THANKS
Nancy Rohrbaugh
Michael Vyskocil - Michael Vyskocil has been a feature writer for Recipes on Suite101.com since 2006. He currently serves as the Topic Editor for Recipes.
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