How can I temporarily mark leather?

[Kevin King]

I am wanting to do some designs which require me to stitch designs in the leather. My question is: What can i use to draw the design on the leather that will come off after the design is stitched? I have tried chalk, and one of those white fabric pencils, but neither seem to want to show up on the leather. Any suggestions?

[Elton Joorisity]

Hey Kevin. One thing I have done in the past on my bucking rolls with boot top style stitching is to draw the design on tracing paper and stick it to the leather with double sided tape. I then stitch right through the paper and tear it off after. I have rarely had any stay under the stitches. It is easy to remove any if it does stay under them though.

[Randy Cornelius]

When I do a fancy stitch design in a padded saddle seat. I draw the pattern out on a piece of heavy paper then sew it on the sewing maching without any thread. This leaves a buch of needle holes. I then lay out the pattern with the holes on the leather. I sprinkle baby powder all over and rub. Lift the paper and the design is transfered by the powder. Stitch the pattern and the powder will wash off with a sponge.

Randy

[Trevor]

Hey there Randy

These are the pens I have been using on leather for many years.

They are a refill type and fit into a pen case of some sort.

You can write or draw lines and things on leather (being careful not to indent too much) then with a little turps or even with your finger just rub off.

Wonderful.

If you can read or get someone to translate here is a picture of what they look like.

Cheers and good luck

Trevor

(Way Down Under)

[Don101]

They are actually refills ... and reads 10 Schmidt mines (refill) 700 silver white to pre draw and write on light and dark surface they are German companys

[Guest]

My procedure is pretty basic. I draw my fancy stitch pattern at the same time I draw my tooling pattern on the leather. The leather is wet and rubber cemented to a hard surface. My tracing lines are very visible and I cut my tooling pattern and punch the holes for the fancy stitching.

Dave Theobald

[Billsotx]

Hey Dave,

Nice stuff! I like your photobucket. What weight leather is best for seats? What do you cement your leather to (hard surface?) before tooling it? Do you rubber cement it after you case it? Do you apply the cement to the leather or the hard surface or both? How do you case it, dip it, spray it, sponge it? Wish I still had my ol' 55 BSA Catalina, it'd probably be about ripe for a new seat by now ... lol!

Going back to look thru you bucket ... very inspiring work!

'til later,

~Bill

[Don]

I use the same procedure as Randy does. I take the thread out of my machine and stitch the pattern into the paper, leaving the pattern in holes. The only thin I do different is I take about a nine by nine inch piece of clothe sheet(bed sheet works well) and lay it on the table. Then pour you a liberal pile of baby powder in the middle of the sheet. The pull all the sides up and put a rubber band around it at the top...incasing the baby powder in the sheet. This keeps your baby powder from getting all over your bench and you don't waste a lot of powder. When you lay the pattern on top of the leather just tap the powder filled sheet on the pattern going over all the holes in the pattern. When you pick the pattern up you will leave a perfect pattern on the leather to sew by.

Hope this helps.

[Zilla]

What about using a pattern tracing wheel? The type they use in sewing.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Kev

[Randy Cornelius]

I have tried to use one of those pattern wheels that my wife gave me. I have had limited success as my hand is not as steady as it used to be and one slip and you have marks on your leather where you do not want it. With the powder you can wash off your mistakes and start over. But everyone has their own way of doing things.

Just my thoughts

Randy