How to Hand Sew Leather

Hand sewing a leather jacket is possible with the right tools.

Hand sewing leather is not as difficult as it may sound. As long as you use the correct tools, it's really not more difficult than sewing cloth. Before you begin your project, you will need special thread and needles. Needles for hand sewing leather are usually (but not always) larger and stronger than needles used for sewing cloth. These needles are also shaped differently than regular sewing needles.

Thread for leather work will generally be waxed. You can buy it already waxed, or you can wax the thread yourself with beeswax. Alternatively, you can use artificial sinew. Sinew is very strong and easy to work with, and gives Native American and Western pieces an authentic look. What thread you should use will depend a lot on what you are creating and the look you want to accomplish. If you are hand sewing leather gloves, for instance, you will be better off using waxed nylon thread rather than sinew, unless the gloves are meant to look anachronistic.

Things You'll Need

• Synthetic sinew or waxed sewing thread
• Sewing needles specifically made for leather work
• Scissors
• Awl for leather workor leather hole punch
• Rubber mallet or small hammer
• Glue

Instructions

1. Measure and mark the leather in the spots where the stitches should go. If you are making a leather cowhide wallet using sinew, your stitches can be further apart than if you are making suede gloves.

2. Create guide holes for the thread with an awl or leather punch; or, if working with soft leather such as suede or buckskin, you can simply mark holes with a pen and sew through the leather directly. Creating guide holes in the leather or marking the spots for the thread help keep the stitching even.

3. Glue the two pieces of leather together as they are to be sewn. Use glue sparingly and let it dry before handling the leather. Also, don't place too much glue near the areas to be sewn--if glue seeps to the guide holes, sewing through it will be a chore.

   Some leather patterns will not need to be glued before being sewn. Pieces that require precise measurements (gloves, for instance) will.

4. Thread your needle with artificial sinew or waxed thread. Unlike with sewing cloth, you will often use only a single strand for sewing leather; the waxed thread or sinew can be tied directly to the needle eye.

5. Guide the needle through one corner of the leather piece and make a small knot in the end of the thread/sinew. This knot will keep the thread from slipping from the leather as you sew. Now you can hand sew the leather using a running stitch, whipstitch or whichever stitch you've chosen. Sometimes running stitches are used first, and then whipstitches are used around the edges for extra hold. Either stitch can be used alone, however.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice sewing your stitches on a piece of small piece of leather of the same thickness as the leather you'll be using for your project.

• If you are having a difficult time getting the thread through the leather, the thread may not be waxed enough. Have some beeswax on hand to add wax to the thread if necessary.

• When using an awl or punch, make sure your leather pieces are on a sturdy table or board. (Make sure, also, that you don't mind if the table or board gets marked by the awl.)

• Don't make the guide holes too big.

• Use a thimble or wear a pair of thick gloves so you don't poke your finger.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Brettuns Village Leather: Catalog