When working with leather you will need a different set of tools than those normally used for sewing fabrics. Most can be found in hardware stores and should include a rubber mallet, hole-punch pliers, a steel rule, heavy-weight scissors or rotary cutter and lots of leather adhesive. Whether handsewing or using a machine--a strong leather needle with a triangular tip will be required. Don't use a jeans needle. A waxed polyester thread of medium thickness will make for strong seams. Seams are never pinned, but fastened with clips or glued before sewing. When machine-sewing it is best to use a Teflon-coated presser foot or a walking foot, since the 'fleshy' side of the leather does not glide along very well. And these are just the basic tools! Leather can be embossed, embellished, coloured, appliquéd or left natural.
I bought a couple of inexpensive tools and am currently experimenting with rivets on my stash of recycled leather. I knew it would come in handy one day! My BIL kindly supplied a metal plate to be used for hammering the rivets on. It is loud, but kind of fun :)
p.s. - for my readers who were wondering about the bio-packaging (see previous post): yes, it is to protect the environment, and 'taking back' packaging means I would have to ask the customer to send back my packaging at my cost, which I then would have to collect for recycling, also at my cost :(
So, bio-packaging it is!
13 lovely comments:
Hi Duni
Yes I have also worked with leather
its very cool :-)
But its also heavy
I'm always to perfect (thats me) :(
Have a nice day
(@^.^@)
sounds like fun, can't wait to see what you come up with for your first leather creation.
When you mentioned rivets earlier I wondered it that meant leather. Good for you! When can we expect to see a creation?
Wow, you are very expert with what you are doing beside the design talent you have. Thanks for sharing.
Can't wait to see what you are making with the leather! Thanks for answering my question on the packaging!
I read your post about bio-packaging, it's a great idea. Hope our country will also impose same ordinance.
it's great to be back here in the blogosphere!!
umn....leather:) I don't wear or use much of it but it looks like so much fun to work with. Leather is to sewing as metal smithing is to sculpture= rockin!
Good info on bio-packaging. I was not aware about this term until I read your post. I knew about packaging materials that could help protect the environment, but was not aware it's called bio-packaging.
Seek No More
Hello Duni,
You are just full of all kinds of talents. Leather is not easy to work with and like everything else there is a technique to it and looks like you are on the right road. Can't wait to see some of your designs. I know they are going to be exclusive!
Friends 4 Life!
I've never worked with leather, though my father has (native Amercian pouches)...I never realized the extra tools it took.
Glad to hear you're having fun with it!
sounds like fun, can't wait to see what you come up with for your first leather creation.
Glad to hear you're having fun with it!
Wow...you still have no light box? Me neither of course, but especially the photo of the leather equipment and the one of the fabrics and tape measure staging below really look like they were taken in one or with some good natural lighting. It's really tough to find the right lighting when nature is what you're dealing with!
Thanks you gave me an idea on what to do with the bag in my last post. I have a box of recycled leather that I have been saving for a long time, I guess it is time to use it. Thanks for the helpful hints.
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