How to Make a Leather Applique

Textured and colored leathers make eye-catching appliques.

Leather appliques can spruce up a faded piece of furniture, add some decoration to a leather purse or add a dramatic punch to a vest or sweater. Make yours a one-of-a-kind application by using snakeskin or other exotic leathers. Making your own leather appliques is easy and leather is the ideal fabric for an applique because it won't fray or ravel.

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard and pencil
• Scissors
• Leather or pleather fabric
• Pen or marker
• Cutting board
• Straight edge
• Utility knife

Instructions

1. Draw or trace a pattern for your applique on a piece of heavy cardboard and cut it out with a scissors. Be sure that the design will fit on your background fabric and make sure it is not too big.

2. Lay a cutting board or cutting surface on your table.

3. Place your piece of leather on the cutting surface with the right side down. Trace around the pattern with a marker or pen.

4. Use a straight edge and a sharp utility knife to cut the leather along straight lines of your pattern. Press firmly on the straight edge as you cut the leather. For the rounded edges of your design, use your cardboard pattern for a cutting edge if it is heavy enough. If not, use a scissors to cut the remainder of the applique.

5. Sew around the edge of the applique to attach it to the background fabric. You do not need to worry about turning the edge under as you do with a fabric applique. The edges will not fray. Leather appliques can also be glued in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Examine your leather piece for scratches, grain marks or wrinkles to decide the best place to lay your pattern.

• Appliques can also be made with patent leather or "pleather" which is plastic leather, but they are not as easy to work with as real leather.

References

• Ling Home Idea; Renew Your Old Cushions With Leather Appliques; October 2009
• "Making Leather Handbags and Other Stylish Accessories; Ellen Goldstein-Lynch,et al.; 2004