Leather Lacing Directions

Leather lacing is easy with the right tools.

Leather lacing can be as simple as hand-stitching with regular cloth if you use the right tools. Because leather is thicker, specific tools are needed to punch holes before stitching. Once the holes are punched, there are several different kinds of stitches to use, depending on the desired design.

Things You'll Need

• Leather
• Thonging chisels
• Leather round punch
• Leather lacing
• Waxed thread
• Wide-eyed needle

Instructions

Holes and Threading

1. Holes should be placed about 1/8-inch from the edge of your leather piece and evenly spaced. Round holes are made with a hole-punch tool. When using leather lacing, rounded holes allow for easier sewing. More preferable holes are made with thonging chisels, which look somewhat like a bent fork. Slit holes are best when using waxed thread with a large-eyed needle. Make sure holes are slightly larger than the kind of thread or lacing used for ease when sewing.

2. The easiest stitch is the running stitch. Using two pieces of leather, line up holes and run thread in and out, from one side to the other. Tighten as you go along. For more security, do a double running stitch: Once you have sewn along the whole project, go back in the opposite direction using the same running stitch. Be sure to measure enough thread to go in both directions. Holes need to be wide enough to allow for the extra lacing. It's best to use waxed thread for this stitch.

3. The whip stitch offers more of a decorative look and can be used for projects that will not have as much stress on the seams. To start, measure three-and-a-half times the length of lace to the length of the project. Line up the holes in both pieces of leather. Begin the first stitch between the two leather layers, leaving 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch of lacing to tuck under the stitching. Bring lacing over the edge of the leather project and in through the next hole. Pull taught, then move on to the next. Continue wrapping thread around the edge, entering through one side only and coming out on the other before moving on to the next hole. Leather lacing is best used for this and the following stitch, although waxed thread can also be used.

4. The cross-whip stitch is similar to the whip stitch, but with a slight variation. This stitch will take six times the length of lacing required for the length of the project. Using the same action as the whip stitch, make the stitches from top to bottom, bringing the needle over the edge of your project. However, to make a cross-whip stitch, you will need to skip a hole between stitches as you make your way around the project the first time. At the end, come back in the opposite direction, threading through all of the skipped holes. This creates an "X" pattern and offers more stability in the seams.

References

• Lacing and Stitching for Leather Crafts