Sewing your own clothes and linen can be very fun to do and at the same time, can save you lots of money. If you want to learn how to sew your own things, whether for personal use, for business or as personalized gifts to your friends, you should read this article below. This would be more interesting for you if you are planning on sewing leather. There is also a list of materials that you need to buy before you start sewing.
Materials that you will need:
- Sewing machine
- Leather material
- Sewing machine needle for leather use
- Rayon thread
- Spare sewing machine needles
Table of Contents
Replacing the regular sewing machine needle with a leather needle
Since leather material is significantly thicker than normal fabric, you will need a special kind of needle for it. The leather needle has a thicker body and a slightly bigger eye. The leather needle actually slices or makes a very small incision on the leather and not punctures it like the typical fabric needle. This is needed so that the leather fabric does not tear over time.
Calculating the right stitch size
It is a bit tricky to sew leather since you cannot sew close to its edge. This is because a stitch close to the edge will probably tear quickly and therefore put your entire leather material at risk. You can practice this by sewing on scrap materials first before on your actual project. You can therefore adjust the size of your stitches as you practice.
Using binder clips instead of fabric pin
While normally on regular fabric, the seamstress will pin the fabric together so that it will not move as you sew the pieces, you will be needing binder clips or sometimes called alligator clips, to prevent it from moving around. Naturally, pins will damage the leather surface and unlike fabric, cannot be disguised as easily.
Selecting the proper thread
Since leather is heavier than normal fabric, you would need to use more durable thread for your project such as a rayon spool. A very thin thread will not hold the material together. Rayon thread is the preferred thread for those working with leather since it is a bit coated, so it feels smooth against the leather and at the same time, has multiple strands that can definitely hold your pieces in place. Rayon thread is easily available from your favorite sewing supplies stores or hobby shops.
Knowing where to start sewing
When you are ready with all of your materials, it is time to start sewing. Remember that as a rule of thumb, always sew at the middle of your project and not at the end so that you can easily adjust and avoid stitches that are too close to the end of the leather.
With the tips above, you should be able to start sewing leather immediately. Start with smaller projects such as patches or small leather pouches. A great way to enhance the look of your project is by selecting contrasting colors. Most leather manufacturers just use the closest thread color to the leather material. Although this disguises mistakes more, a contrasting thread selection makes a far more interesting piece to show.
