Quilting leather

[GavinO]

Hi all,

I am looking to experiment with quilting leather. I use old/discarded/surplus upholstery leather so it is a little lighter and has a bit more movement than some of the traditional craft leathers. 

I am inspired by the style and details of vintage cars so I would like to reproduce that kind of lush voluminous bulk that you get in something like those old car seats. 

I have done a little - just put some fleece in between the lining and the leather and sewed it down. While the result feels nice to handle it doesnt have the nice chunkier relief I am looking for. 

Is it a matter of a bulkier layer? Or I need to create non flat channels and stuff them then sew it down/seal it in maybe? I don't know how to quilt with standard quilting fabric, and I amn't looking to make patchwork, more just sewing shapes to get volume and shape (like classic Chanel bags, but I want to experiment with different shapes too) 

Any help much appreciated!

Gavin. 

 

[LatigoAmigo]

12 minutes ago, GavinO said:

Any help much appreciated!

You might try using foam rubber instead of fleece. You can buy it by the roll and in various thicknesses. It should sew right in and provide you with the "chunky relief" you are looking for. 

 

[GavinO]

1 minute ago, LatigoAmigo said:

You might try using foam rubber instead of fleece. You can buy it by the roll and in various thicknesses. It should sew right in and provide you with the "chunky relief" you are looking for. 

 

Ah ha! Now this looks intersting. Where would you normally get this? 

[LatigoAmigo]

1 hour ago, GavinO said:

Where would you normally get this? 

From Amazon. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BKP6KFX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[ryano]

1 hour ago, GavinO said:

Hi all,

I am looking to experiment with quilting leather. I use old/discarded/surplus upholstery leather so it is a little lighter and has a bit more movement than some of the traditional craft leathers. 

I am inspired by the style and details of vintage cars so I would like to reproduce that kind of lush voluminous bulk that you get in something like those old car seats. 

I have done a little - just put some fleece in between the lining and the leather and sewed it down. While the result feels nice to handle it doesnt have the nice chunkier relief I am looking for. 

Is it a matter of a bulkier layer? Or I need to create non flat channels and stuff them then sew it down/seal it in maybe? I don't know how to quilt with standard quilting fabric, and I amn't looking to make patchwork, more just sewing shapes to get volume and shape (like classic Chanel bags, but I want to experiment with different shapes too) 

Any help much appreciated!

Gavin.

Gavin,

The product usually used to get the quilting effect is sewfoam, it is foam with cloth glued on it so the stitching does not pull through. To get the quilted effect and not have the quilting sewn to the liner, sewfoam is it, if you do want the quilting sewn into your linet, then just use foam. You can make sew foam by spray gluing old sheets to the foam or super cheap and thin linen.

Now you have to add a shrinking allowance to your cut leather as it shrinks as it gets sewn, be sure to glue the foam to the leather and start stitching in the center and work your way out. Practice to get your shrinking allowances, there is a Latino gentleman on youtube that does a great job teaching and he does not say a word, he does a great job with leather upholstery, i will try to find him and give you the link. Good luck,

[GavinO]

36 minutes ago, LatigoAmigo said:

From Amazon. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BKP6KFX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thank you! 

7 minutes ago, ryano said:

Gavin,

The product usually used to get the quilting effect is sewfoam, it is foam with cloth glued on it so the stitching does not pull through. To get the quilted effect and not have the quilting sewn to the liner, sewfoam is it, if you do want the quilting sewn into your linet, then just use foam. You can make sew foam by spray gluing old sheets to the foam or super cheap and thin linen.

Now you have to add a shrinking allowance to your cut leather as it shrinks as it gets sewn, be sure to glue the foam to the leather and start stitching in the center and work your way out. Practice to get your shrinking allowances, there is a Latino gentleman on youtube that does a great job teaching and he does not say a word, he does a great job with leather upholstery, i will try to find him and give you the link. Good luck,

Thank you! So is sewfoam a generic term or a brand? Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Bosal-493-36-R-Form-Fusible-Stabilizer-36/dp/B01I06AD48/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=sew+foam&qid=1610674306&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A307EOO7SO3VAU&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyUUhESFM4UE5QQkRRJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODMzNTAwM0RNWjBRUEFTSUc5MCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODA3MTQ4Mjg1VFdENTA3U1dNWiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=  ? 

 

Thanks,

 

Gavin. 

[GavinO]

11 minutes ago, ryano said:

Gavin,

The product usually used to get the quilting effect is sewfoam, it is foam with cloth glued on it so the stitching does not pull through. To get the quilted effect and not have the quilting sewn to the liner, sewfoam is it, if you do want the quilting sewn into your linet, then just use foam. You can make sew foam by spray gluing old sheets to the foam or super cheap and thin linen.

Now you have to add a shrinking allowance to your cut leather as it shrinks as it gets sewn, be sure to glue the foam to the leather and start stitching in the center and work your way out. Practice to get your shrinking allowances, there is a Latino gentleman on youtube that does a great job teaching and he does not say a word, he does a great job with leather upholstery, i will try to find him and give you the link. Good luck,

Oh i just found this video-  I understand it now. Do you have a sorce you would recomend? 

  I und

[mike02130]

https://www.rmleathersupply.com/collections/view-all-leather/products/luigi-carnevali-olso-reinforcement?variant=13992321974381

[toxo]

8 hours ago, ryano said:

Gavin,

The product usually used to get the quilting effect is sewfoam, it is foam with cloth glued on it so the stitching does not pull through. To get the quilted effect and not have the quilting sewn to the liner, sewfoam is it, if you do want the quilting sewn into your linet, then just use foam. You can make sew foam by spray gluing old sheets to the foam or super cheap and thin linen.

Now you have to add a shrinking allowance to your cut leather as it shrinks as it gets sewn, be sure to glue the foam to the leather and start stitching in the center and work your way out. Practice to get your shrinking allowances, there is a Latino gentleman on youtube that does a great job teaching and he does not say a word, he does a great job with leather upholstery, i will try to find him and give you the link. Good luck,

Can only be Cechaflo.

[ryano]

4 hours ago, toxo said:

Can only be Cechaflo.

That is he, and he does have a video on quilting, he glued the linen onto the foam. I do not have a good source for the foam anymore, there are different grades of linen applied to the sew foam, but I never had any issues with the low grade linen, actually I think it may be by thread count. There is an Amish buggy shop just down the road from Weaver Leather that use carry it, but I cannot remember their name, but Cowboybob or sewmun may know, they may also know a good soarce, all you can do is as them as they are father and son that owns Toledo Industrial Sewing Machine. Have you asked your leather source about sewfoam?

I use the memory foam, like mentioned in the above post, to redo old Harley and Indian seats. I have never quilted with it, but again you would have to glue linen on it. Good luck and practice with cheap vinyl upholstery as it will act almost the same as your leather.

[Rahere]

https://www.youtube.com/user/Cechaflo