Leather Stitching Directions

You can hand stitch leather pieces together to create garments and accessories.

You can create many garments and accessories by sewing together leather skins. You can sew leather relatively easily, as long as you have sufficiently strong needles and thread. Although a properly outfitted sewing machine provides an easy method for sewing leather, you can also use the simple back stitch, a basic leatherwork technique that is quite durable. You can use this stitch to create new items or repair your leather clothing or accessories easily.

Things You'll Need

• Leather skins or a torn leather accessory
• Waxed linen or polyester thread
• Leatherwork sewing needles
• Leather hole punch
• Fabric glue
• Strong sharp scissors
• Pencil or chalk

Instructions

1. Lay your leather skins next to each other in the configuration that you will be stitching them. Make sure they are the proper size, and trim them with sharp scissors to make smooth edges.

2. Mark with a pencil or chalk where your stitches will go. A small dot will mark each spot where the needle will enter and exit. Consider how long your stitches should be -- shorter for very soft leather and clothing; longer for accessories and very stiff skins.

3. Glue your leather skins together with fabric glue. Allow a small, less than 1/2-inch overlay, and use a small amount of glue. If your leather is curling and does not lie flat, place a heavy block or book over the seam while the glue dries.

4. Use your leather hole punch at each stitch mark once your glued seam is dry. If your leather skins are very soft and thin, try your leather needle first. If you are able to penetrate the leather easily, you can bypass the hole punching and use your needle to make your holes.

5. Thread your needle. Pull an end through the eye of your needle and leave a short tail. Unlike sewing fabric by hand, you don't need to double up your thread and tie it off when working with leather. You can cut your thread generously longer than the seam itself, or leave it on the spool as you sew.

6. Begin your stitches by looping the end of the seam line. Go in one hole and around the end of the garment seam, and back through the first hole. Continue to sew through each hole or at each mark this way; through one, then back through the previous one, creating a consistent line of thread on both sides of your seam.

7. Complete your leather seam by making a similar loop at the ending side, going around the end of the seam and back through the final hole. A small knot can reinforce the stitch here.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find leatherwork to be fun and interesting, and want to try more complicated projects, consider working on a sewing machine with polyester thread and leather-grade needles.

• When purchasing leather skins, take your time to select matching pieces. Minor variations in color and texture will appear quite drastic in the finished product.

References

• LOTR Costume: Hand Sewing Leather