How to Make Leather Sewing Stress-free

Leather is one of the most difficult materials to sew. It’s also not an ideal fabric for beginners to start with. However, as long as you have the right tools, know a few tips and tricks, plus a bit of patience and practice frequently, you can successfully make projects with leather.

Here are some tips to make sewing leather a piece of cake.

Use Leather Needle

This is important because if you don’t have a heavy duty sewing machine for leather, you may break a needle in a standard machine while doing your projects. An ideal needle for sewing leather should be the size 110/80.

If you can afford, invest in one of the top rated heavy duty sewing machines not to worry about choosing proper needle and thread. A heavy duty sewing machine will be equipped with features and tools that help you sew through every thick layer of leather or any heavyweight fabrics.

Don’t Use Pins or Clips

It’s better to use pattern weights to hold your leather fabric in place. Pins and clips will not be able to help you keep your leather in the way you want. It can move around while you are sewing. A doubled sided tape is also a good alternative.

Change Your Presser Foot

In case you need to sew leather with your standard sewing machine, it’s necessary to change to a Teflon presser foot. It enables your thick and slick leather to get through your machine.

Again, if you are using the best heavy duty sewing machine for home use, you won’t need to do this. Or, if you don’t have a Teflon presser foot available, you can replace it with a piece of invisible tape on the bottom of your regular presser foot.

Use a Nylon or Polyester Thread

It’s crucial to choose the thread you use when sewing with leather properly. There are a lot of heavy duty threads to choose from like nylon or polyester threads. Using these kinds of threads with a good heavy duty sewing machine will help you complete your projects faster and more perfectly. Refrain from using a cotton thread because it will erode over time when working with tannins in leather.

Make Sure You Know What You Are Sewing

It’s important to plan your project well to avoid any mistakes because leather is truly an “annoying” material to deal with, especially if you’re new to it. Put the best heavy duty sewing machine in your plan if possible to reduce the difficulties you might encounter.

Besides, don’t forget to use a piece of leather to test if all the tools work smoothly. The stitch length, tension, or thread need to be checked carefully to ensure that your project is accomplished successfully.

Conclusion

Sewing with leather might be challenging, but above mentioned tips can help. With a couple of time practicing, plus the best heavy duty sewing machine, you will quickly know how to sew with leather and create your leather masterpieces.

I hope that your first ever leather project will be successful. Happy sewing!