SnappingDragon Report post Posted September 16, 2011 Hi please excuse the possible simplicity of my questions as I am a sewing machine noob. I usually work with tooling leather but I was given a very large box of thin garment (?) leathers and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it all. I have a regular home sewing machine that mostly gathers dust but I brought it out and decided to try my hand at sewing leather with it. I bought some leather machine needles so I'm all set there but when I started to try and do a very simple practice project of sewing two pieces together I already ran in to problems. What kept happening time and again was that the layer that was on top kept getting pulled along and thus it wouldn't line up with the bottom piece. I was reading a bit on the interwebs and saw something that made it sound like I should be using a leather sewing machine foot rather than the regular foot I was using. Is this the missing piece here? Or is there something else obvious I'm missing? Obviously you can't pin the 2 pieces together because it would leave holes. Many thanks to anyone with pointers for me. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted September 16, 2011 You have experienced the reason why leather workers use modified commercial/industrial machines. Home machines are for the most part inadequate for sewing leather, other than perhaps some VERY thin lining leather. Please read the following thread: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=25239 This should explain things pretty well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spinner Report post Posted September 16, 2011 Hi please excuse the possible simplicity of my questions as I am a sewing machine noob. I usually work with tooling leather but I was given a very large box of thin garment (?) leathers and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it all. I have a regular home sewing machine that mostly gathers dust but I brought it out and decided to try my hand at sewing leather with it. I bought some leather machine needles so I'm all set there but when I started to try and do a very simple practice project of sewing two pieces together I already ran in to problems. What kept happening time and again was that the layer that was on top kept getting pulled along and thus it wouldn't line up with the bottom piece. I was reading a bit on the interwebs and saw something that made it sound like I should be using a leather sewing machine foot rather than the regular foot I was using. Is this the missing piece here? Or is there something else obvious I'm missing? Obviously you can't pin the 2 pieces together because it would leave holes. Many thanks to anyone with pointers for me. Cheers I sew thin leathers as well as sew the felt backing to my 6oz veg-tan tank bibs using a Viking Emerald 316 home machine, it's a bit more of a workhouse than most home machines. There should be a tephlon foot with your machine, this will help a great deal in allowing it to slide over the top layer easily & drop the feed dogs down to the next to lowest setting (1 notch above 0). You'll need to practice at getting the pressure on the foot pedal just right, if done correctly you can slow the machine down enough to control and still punch the leather. I use Schmetz 80/12 Leather sewing needles and size 69 thread. The thread is available at Tandy and other places and the needles can be found at any large sewing supply store. It's not the optimal set-up for leather sewing but for stuff that only needs size 69 thread it does the trick until I can afford a real machine. I have sewn up to 12oz (3x 4oz) leather but commonly just do the 6oz + felt and in a few spots + adhesive backed velcro. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SnappingDragon Report post Posted September 16, 2011 Thanks so much for your pointers guys. I'm off to read the thread you linked to. Thanks for taking the time to answer I really appreciate it. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tina Report post Posted September 16, 2011 I use my Husqvarna home sewingmachine (around 20 years old) to all my thinner leathers...As Spinner says, use a tephlon foot and the problem should be solved. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mojo66 Report post Posted September 16, 2011 You could always stick the two layers together using double sided tape. Or you could tack them together at intervals before stitching. Use the same holes to stitch through to avoid any extra holes you don't want. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted September 16, 2011 Tina's comment reminds me that I have used my Viking 4240 for sewing liner leather to 3/4. I have a roller presser foot for it and that seems to work 'okay', but anything thicker than 5 oz is really just too much for the machine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ladykahu Report post Posted September 17, 2011 Hi Sorry to hijack a little.. but its in the same vein... Do hand crank singer home machines work on thinner leather? The old style treadly type ones.. I am thinking about doing a few months bus tour around aus.. and would like to take a machine with me. Natalie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGGUNDOCTOR Report post Posted September 17, 2011 When I was younger and making some knife sheaths, my Mom used her 1950 Singer to sew them up for me. The sheathes were around 1/4" thick at the seam, and it did fine. I believe that she used her hand to spin the flywheel on the back for some of the sections being done. As to them slipping, try tacking them with doubleback tape, or gluing them first. A drop of Super Glue would hold them fast, and be quick. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
