Leather Upholstery How-To Book, Website?
07-04-2021, 12:52 PM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 5,012
Leather Upholstery How-To Book, Website?
I've been working with leather lately, recovering my couch, and I have looked and looked for a really good book, or website that offers up tips and tricks in sewing with leather. I have found a lot of simple stuff, like using clips instead of pins (duh,) cutting one piece at a time, lengthening your stitch and using nylon thread. These are things that I already know about, but I'm sure there are many more "nuggets of knowledge" out there regarding this topic. Anyone have any suggestions?
07-05-2021, 12:42 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: PA
Posts: 680
I use double sided basting tape to hold seams when sewing leather. It comes on a roll & is available in sizes from 1/8 inch wide to 1 inch wide. The 1/4 inch size is what most use. It has paper on one or both sides you peel off, depending on the brand. There are many brands. It is left in & hidden in the seams. Professional leather sewers use this. You can find it on Tandy Leather, Wawak, Sailrite, Amazon & many other sites.
To prevent drag place a piece of thin paper under the leather & sew right thru it, then rip the paper off. Those junk mail fliers work well & are free. You can use tissue paper or even computer paper (last choice). The thicker the paper the harder it will be to rip off without causing pull to the stitches.
If you are top stitching always tape the seams back & hammer the seam to flatten it before sewing.
Leather has stretch, so note how you cut it.
Back stitching is not always a good thing when sewing leather, so instead tie/double knot off the thread at the end of the seam leaving a tail.
Use a Teflon foot or a leather rolling foot or a leather walking foot. I use a walking foot.
To prevent drag place a piece of thin paper under the leather & sew right thru it, then rip the paper off. Those junk mail fliers work well & are free. You can use tissue paper or even computer paper (last choice). The thicker the paper the harder it will be to rip off without causing pull to the stitches.
If you are top stitching always tape the seams back & hammer the seam to flatten it before sewing.
Leather has stretch, so note how you cut it.
Back stitching is not always a good thing when sewing leather, so instead tie/double knot off the thread at the end of the seam leaving a tail.
Use a Teflon foot or a leather rolling foot or a leather walking foot. I use a walking foot.
