I have no experience with rebuilding the padding part but I love using a plain piece of braodcloth (so inexpensive usually at JoAnn's). It's folded double and I simply clamp it to the ironing board using those big binder type clips. Using a large quilting pin I kind of gather/pleat the shape of the pointed end, pinning underneath. The beauty of this is the ease of removing it when it's too full of starch etc and throwing it in the wash. The main downside is if you also iron a lot of shirts - which I avoid at all costs!!!- the clips can get in the way a bit.