How to Buy Leather Fabric
Whether making a purse, bag, shoes or upholstering a piece of furniture, you may need leather fabric. Many fabric stores will not carry leather, so you need to know where to locate good leather in the right texture for your project.
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Instructions
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Consider the size of your project. If not using a pattern that clearly states how much leather you need, measure and add all the areas you will be covering in fabric. Add about an inch to each measurement for seam allowance. As a general rule in sewing, three yards of fabric will complete most projects.
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Check the upholstery section of your local fabric store. If no leather is available on the floor, talk to a salesperson for suggestions on leather vendors. Also, ask if you can special order fabric through the store.
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Ask for a swatch before buying all you need if you are purchasing the leather in person from a store or vendor. Take the swatch home and consider it in its future setting. This is particularly important for an upholstery project.
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Leather is also available for sale online. Not all vendors will offer free swatches. Some, such as Tandy Leather Factory, instead offer a swatch book to allow you to get a sense of what the leather will be like. For the most part, though, websites will give you magnified, detailed photos of their leather fabrics.
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Check thrift stores or yard sales for old leather jackets, bags or skirts. You may be able to repurpose the leather into a new project.
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Tips & Warnings
Always buy a more leather than necessary to account for mistakes. You can use the scraps for a smaller project later.
