SEWING WITH LEATHER UPHOLSTERY
When sewing with leather upholstery, you may experience skipping stitches. If this happens, don’t stop sewing, just keep going. What you want to do is when you have finished all the machine stitching, go back and hand stitch the missed areas. Start by anchoring the needle between layers of clothing, and then pull it through the first hole you skip.
As you are sewing leather garments, you might experience skipped stitches. If this happens, do not stop stitching, just keep going. What you want to do is when you have finished all the machine stitching, go back, and stitch over those skipped areas by hand. Start by anchoring the needle between the layers of the garment and then bring it up through the first skipped hole.
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HOW TO SEW LEATHER UPHOLSTERY
These two tools will make sewing with leather upholstery on your home sewing machine infinitely more manageable, and in some cases where the layers of leather are thick or sticky, it will be easy to get started.
If you don’t have heavy duty thread, general purpose thread will do. I couldn’t find a thick thread that matched my skin, so I went with universal. It’s not ideal, but it holds up well. You can use contrasting thread, but I don’t recommend it if you don’t have an experienced hand, small mistakes will be more noticeable.
Use the notches and pre-marked corner lines to join the seat pieces together. To keep the leather from shifting, sew seam allowances in cuts and other strategic places as you see fit. It’s brilliant and works like a charm to help you keep everything in order as you sew. Be sure to remove the staples after you finish sewing.
Drive very slowly when you get to corners. Manual bending of the needle is recommended. When turning the work piece, remember to plunge the needle all the way in and then stop it when it starts to reach the top position. This ensures that the bobbin thread is lifted and you don’t skip a stitch. Raise the presser foot by turning a stitch or two, turn and adjust the leather, then repeat until the corner is completely turned. It helps to practice on some scrap leather first.
THE BEST THREAD FOR SEWING WITH LEATHER UPHOLSTERY
Bonded nylon thread is an excellent choice for sewing with leather upholstery and comes in a variety of weights that work well with different weights and thicknesses of leather. Bonded nylon is a strong thread and the bonding process it goes through adds strength and reduces friction, making sewing on an industrial sewing machine smoother and faster. It is ideal for hand stitching leather as the binder (a type of resin helps to dissipate friction during the stitching process. Its strength prevents the thread from unraveling when pulling through layers of leather and other thick materials.
Matching the thread to the skin is important. When sewing leather on a sewing machine, the stitches must be short enough to ensure a tight seam, but not so short that the leather is weakened by too many perforations. Bonded nylon holds the seams tightly and looks attractive, especially when sewn with decorative stitches.
To create a smooth, continuous stitch along the seam of a piece of leather, the initial knot, which is formed by the top thread and the bobbin thread, is best hidden inside the layers of leather. This helps ensure a clean and polished look to the stitch line. Soft leather, such as that used on purses, wallets, or purses, can be stitched with #46 or #69 nylon thread.
These two thicknesses are on the lighter weight scale and are usually used when stitches are intended to be closed or decorative. Or thicker, it is recommended sewing with #207 or #277. When sewing with thick thread such as these two sizes, the stitch length should be increased to create even spacing.
It is quite unfortunate if the stitches are not even, as this could put too much stress on the leather material itself, which could lead to degradation and tearing. Sewing leather 3/8” to 3/4” thick will be better paired with our thickest bonded thread, size #346. This high tenacity thread is extremely strong and holds a stitch well.
TOP THREE BRANDS FOR SEWING WITH LEATHER UPHOLSTERY
sewing with leather upholstery, Some sewing machines handle leather beautifully, others stretch the leather and mark it as unusable, and the machines recommended here are the best sewing machines for leather upholstery.
Singer 4423 sewing machine
This sewing machine works well with leather and other heavier fabrics. Overall, this is a solid machine for anyone who wants a basic mechanical machine that can sew leather up to medium thickness. The lighter seller may take some getting used to, but it’s available for less than $200 and is quite a bargain.
PROS
- The inner frame of this sewing machine is metal, which gives it a more solid feel
- Comes with a 25-year limited warranty
CONS
- It’s not the prettiest sewing machine
Brother ST371HD sewing machine
The Brother Strong & Tough sewing machine is another mechanical machine that can handle leather and other heavy weight materials. This sewing machine is not only strong and tough for leather and other fabrics like denim and canvas, but it can also sew lighter fabrics beautifully as well. The addition of varied sewing machine feet means you won’t need to buy many additional accessories on top.
PROS
- Possibility of free attachment of the arm
- Sews nicely on heavier fabrics and leather
CONS
- It’s more “plastic” feeling than other options
- The back button can be tricky
SINGER Heavy Duty 4411 sewing machine
The second Singer machine on this list of leather sewing machines this one is more ‘heavy duty’ than the Singer 4423 we looked at first of all. With a heavy duty internal frame made from metal this machine is a bit of a beast under the plastic. While there are some great reviews for this heavy duty Singer, there are almost just as many complaints. Yes, it can sew 1100 stitches per minute, and handle leather well, but for the price point, your money could be spent better elsewhere.
PROS
- 1100 stitches per minute makes for some speedy sewing
- Metal inner frame makes this machine quite a solid option
- Great for other heavy weight materials like denim and canvas
CONS
- Like all Singer sewing machines, they are sometimes prone to issues
- Limited functionality compared to other machines around this price point
THE BEST NEEDLES FOR SEWING WITH LEATHER UPHOLSTERY
sewing with leather upholstery, Leather sewing needles are specialized needles that are designed to work well with leather and other tough fabrics like faux leather, real fur, and all types of vinyl. In this tutorial, we’ll take a look at what makes leather sewing needles different from other types of needles, and we’ll discuss some of the best ways to use them for your next leather project.
Working with leather can be both challenging and rewarding. This unique material is known for its distinctive appearance and texture, as well as its durability. And while leather can seem daunting due to its thickness and unique texture, using the right tools and accessories makes it much easier to work with.
In particular, leather needles are a critical tool for sewing leather projects. Whereas standard universal needles run the risk of not working well, breaking, and damaging your leather, leather needles have a specialized design that allows them to work easily through leather without causing damage or breakage.
With leather needles, you can achieve consistently beautiful results every time you work with leather or other similar materials like faux leather or vinyl. Whether you’re an experienced leatherworker or just starting out, leather needles are one key tool for working with these unique materials effectively and safely.
CONCLUSION
When sewing with leather upholstery, you do not need a special pattern. You can simply choose a fabric pattern that you like and use leather instead of other fabric. Just be sure you choose the pattern carefully since some patterns will have multiple seams that do not work well when sewing leather. Sewing leather is not really that difficult but most people feel a little uncomfortable with it. If you want to create something using leather, you can always start with a small project first.
