Leather - natural material. Each hide is checked for defects before processing. Detected defects are marked on the reverse side of the skin. The skin stretches more strongly in the transverse direction than in the longitudinal direction, so all parts should be cut out along the spine line of the skin. When cutting suede, you must ensure that the pile on all parts of the product is directed in one direction.
It is recommended to first make a sample of the product from dense cotton fabric, try on, make changes to the patterns and only after that cut out the product from leather. It is impossible to change the finished leather product due to the punctures left by the needle.
Patterns for paired parts of the product are made in two copies in order to lay them out on the skin separately. The patterns of the parts can be fixed on the wrong side of the leather with adhesive tape or using weights.
When connecting parts of a product on a sewing machine, you should use a special foot with Teflon or similar coating. This will ensure good transportation of the parts while sewing. The stitch frequency in machine stitching should be medium.
To work with thin leather, you can use a standard machine needle. If the leather is thick, then it is better to use a machine needle with a special sharpening of the blade.
Leather can be ironed using an ironing iron (a piece of fabric).
Processing seams of leather goods
The seams of a leather product can be processed in different ways.
Most often, the parts of the product are connected with a stitch seam. The parts are cut out with seam allowances, folded right sides inward and stitched to the specified seam width. Seam allowances can be glued with special glue, placed on both sides of the stitching, or secured with finishing stitches.
Another option for joining parts is with an overlay seam with open cuts. In this case, one part (bottom) is cut out with a seam allowance, and the other part (upper) is cut out without an allowance. The upper part is superimposed on the lower one along the marking line and adjusted.
If the connecting seam allowances are glued, then their width is designed to be 1 cm. If the seams are adjusted or unstitched, then the width of the allowances depends on the distance at which the finishing lines are laid.
When connecting parts with an overlay seam, the patterns of the parts should be made with seam allowances and mark on them which part will be the top and which will be the bottom. The width of the seams depends on the distance at which the stitching lines are laid.
Marking
The seam lines are marked with a special light-colored pencil.
If the parts of the product are connected with an overlay seam with open cuts, then on the lower part, on the front side, a line is drawn with a pencil, with which the cut of the upper part is aligned.
Technology
1. When connecting parts with a stitch seam, they are folded with their right sides inward and connected with a machine stitch, which is laid at a given seam width (Fig. 1).
2. The seams are laid out on both sides of the stitch and smoothed with a leather roller or ironed (Ill. 2).
3. When joining parts with an overlay seam with open cuts, the upper part (without seam allowance) is overlapped with the seam allowance of the lower part according to the markings and adjusted to the edge (Fig. 3).
4. If the length of the product will be determined only during the fitting process, then the folded allowance for the hem of the bottom of the product can be fixed with paper clips (Fig. 4).
5. When processing products made of thin leather, which has a tendency to deform, the hem allowance for the product is duplicated with a strip of adhesive interlining material. Then the hem of the bottom is glued with glue or double-sided adhesive tape (Fig. 5). The glue is applied little by little, otherwise the bottom of the product will deform (become wavy).
If the hem of the bottom is stitched, then it does not need to be glued.
6. Fix the hem allowance with a leather roller or iron (Fig. 6)
Stitched buttonhole on a leather item
Using a sanding paper template, you can quickly and easily sew a buttonhole on a leather item. This method is also used when processing stitching loops on fabric products.
Preparation
Cut a template out of paper measuring approx. 4 x 7 cm. Draw a rectangle on the back of the sanding paper. The length of the rectangle is equal to the length of the loop, the width is twice the width of the loop frames (5 mm x 2). Cut out the resulting rectangle with a breadboard knife. Parallel to the longitudinal sections of the rectangle, draw two more auxiliary lines at a distance of 5 mm (i.e., at the width of the frames).
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Cut out two loop facings (Fig. 1). The length of the facings is equal to the length of the loop plus 1 cm on each side, the width is approx. 3 cm. Fold the facings in half lengthwise with the right sides facing out and glue them with glue or adhesive tape. Trim the facings with a roller knife to a width of 1 cm.
Duplication
On the wrong side of the main part, duplicate the place for the loop with adhesive cushioning material for leather.
Marking
Mark the end points of the loop with two pins. Glue the template with adhesive tape to the front side of the main part, focusing on the pins. Important! The adhesive tape should only be placed at the location of the loop hole; if you stick the adhesive tape on the outside, then removing it can damage the facial layer of the skin.
Technology
1. Place the loop facings on top of the template, right sides down, aligning the folds of the facings with the marked auxiliary lines on the template, while the loop markings (beginning and end) are visible on the template. Sew facings, laying lines at the width of the loop frames, i.e. along the cut edges of the template hole. The length of the stitches is equal to the length of the loop in finished form, i.e. the length of the template hole (Fig. 2). Remove template and adhesive tape.
2. Cut the main part in the middle between the lines, making inclined cuts at the ends towards the ends of the lines. Fold back the facings, placing their folds end-to-end (Ill. 3).
3. Smooth the facings with a leather roller or iron them (ill. 4).
4.Secure the ends of the loop by placing stitches along the base of the corners of the seam allowances (Fig. 5).
5. Trim the edges of the facings on the wrong side, rounding the corners (Fig. 6). Glue a piece of adhesive edge to the front edge of the loop.
6. Process the loop from the hem side. This can be done in two ways. The first method is to cut a hole on the edging in accordance with the position and size of the loop, then glue the cuts of the hole to the wrong side of the loop facings processed on the main part, and stitch the edges of the loop with a through stitch (Fig. 7).
7. The second method is without cutting the edging, stitch the edges of the loop onto the edging from the front side of the main part, stitching to the edge (Fig. 8).
8. From the hem side, cut a loop in the form of a rectangle, leaving an allowance of approx. 2 mm (Fig. 9).
IMPORTANT. A button on a leather product should always be sewn with a subbutton to avoid tearing the leather.
Welt pocket in a frame in a leather product
A welt pocket in a frame can be processed in the traditional way. But an alternative technology is shown below: the pocket facings are not sharpened, but are adjusted to the prepared entrance to the pocket. You can process a pocket with a leaf in the same way.
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Pocket length 13 cm when finished. The width of the finished pocket frames is 1 cm each.
The top facing is cut equal to twice the width of the frame 1 cm x 2 = 2 cm with allowances of 1 cm on both sides. The length of the facing is equal to the length of the pocket entrance 13 cm plus 1 cm on each side. The bottom facing is cut out in one piece with one piece of the pocket lining. Its width is equal to twice the width of the pocket frame plus the depth of the pocket lining plus 1 cm seam allowances. The length of the facing, cut in one piece with the pocket lining, is equal to the length of the pocket entrance plus 1 cm seam allowances on each side.
The second part of the pocket lining is cut out in one piece with a valance, with seam allowances of 1 cm on each side.
Prepare a cardboard template with a hole for cutting the pocket (Fig. 1).
Marking
Use a special pencil or silver gel pen to mark the location of the pocket in the form of a rectangle. The length of the rectangle is equal to the length of the pocket (13 cm), the width is equal to twice the width of the pocket frames (2 cm).
Duplication
Duplicate the pocket entry area with an adhesive pad. You can glue a border along the edges of the pocket entrance.
Glue the adhesive edges to the wrong side of the pocket facings to protect them from stretching.
Technology
1. In the middle of the marking for the entrance to the pocket, cut the main part, making inclined cuts to the corners of the marking (along the bisectors of the corners). Using the template, iron the pocket opening allowances to the wrong side (Ill. 2).
Iron the top facing in half lengthwise with the right side facing out. Iron the bottom facing to the wrong side by 2 cm.
2. Glue the pocket opening allowances to the product without stretching the edges (Fig. 3), you should get a beautiful rectangular entrance to the pocket.
3. Apply double-sided adhesive tape to the seam allowances. Fold the facings end-to-end and glue them on the wrong side with adhesive tape (Ill. 4).
4. Positioning the folds of the facings strictly in the middle of the pocket opening, glue the facings to its allowances on the wrong side, removing the protective layer from the double-sided adhesive tape (Ill. 5).
5. On the front side of the main part, stitch the bottom facing, laying a stitch at a distance of 1-2 mm along the edge of the pocket opening, do not cut the stitch threads (Fig. 6).
6. Bring the stitching threads to the wrong side and fasten (Fig. 7). Place the second part of the pocket lining, cut out in one piece with a valance, over the facings, face down.
7. Sew the top cut of the second part of the pocket lining, cut out in one piece with a valance, to the cuts of the top facing, stitching from the wrong side (ill. 8).
8. On the front side of the main part, stitch the top facing with the second part of the pocket lining, cut out in one piece with a valance, and the ends of the pocket, stitching at a distance of 1-2 mm from the edges of the pocket opening (Fig. 9). Do not cut the stitching threads, bring them to the wrong side and fasten them.
9. Sew the pocket lining along the edges (Fig. 10) with the specified seam width (1 cm).
Leather products are good because they look noble and are durable to wear. These two factors fully justify their high cost. A more affordable and no less interesting thing can be obtained by finding out how to sew from leather and what is required for this.
“Correct” patterns for leather products
When sewing leather items, you should give preference to patterns that do not require a precise fit. Darts on leather are difficult to perform; usually, special stitches are used.
Making set-in sleeves on leather products is also problematic. For this reason they prefer one-piece sleeves(raglan type). If this is not possible and the style requires a set-in, it is most advantageous to make it in a shirt cut - with a looser armhole.
It is advisable to take proven patterns that you have already used in your work. If the pattern is new, it is recommended to test its fit on a model made of any non-woven material.
Since sewing from leather is not easy, before starting work it is advised to learn as many nuances as possible related to the processing and elaboration of the material.
Due to its specificity, genuine leather is sold in large pieces. Since the material may have a variety of visual defects (roughness, uneven coloring, tears), it is important that these defects do not occur in the part of the product that will be visible all the time. To do this, when choosing leather for work, you need to have a complete set of patterns, which will allow you to correctly calculate the required amount of material, taking into account all its features.
Not every variety is universal and suitable for every product. The thickness of the leather material depends on the quality of the workmanship and the type of original raw material. Finely crafted leather is good for gloves and jewelry - it stretches and can highlight the beauty of small things. For bags, it is more profitable to take thick leather - more durable and wear-resistant. If elastic and thin material is chosen for accessories, additional padding must be used for strength.
When cutting paired pieces, it is important to keep in mind that the leather stretches better in the cross section than along the fibers. Thus, patterns for paired parts should always be laid out in the same direction.
When working with suede, take into account the direction of the pile - otherwise the color of the parts will vary. The pile always “flows” from top to bottom.
The leather is cut with a special knife (the so-called “shoe knife” or “shoe knife”) on a plastic covering or plexiglass. Wooden surface fits less because the blade cuts wood, and this significantly complicates the work.
Due to the nature of leather as a material, any punctures - be it with a needle or a pin - leave marks on it. At the same time, it is absolutely necessary to baste the parts of the product together before sewing. There are several options for how this can be done.
How to sweep up leather fragments
- If pins are used, then do so only in the area of the loose fit allowance, without affecting that part of the part that will subsequently be visible. Experts advise sticking them in perpendicular to the future line. The seam is made without removing the pins.
- In order to completely avoid the appearance of punctures, sometimes the parts are fastened with ordinary paper clips.
- Often they use special tailor's adhesive tape or a special pencil to fix the seams of leather products.
- It is not forbidden to use PVA glue or “Moment” (or any rubber glue). To do this, glue is applied to the cleaned material with a special brush. Afterwards, you need to let it dry well and connect the parts together. The parts are pressed so tightly against each other that they can “stick together”—a press or a hammer often helps. This method has its drawbacks: the glue tends to build up in the eye of the sewing machine needle. This may cause skipped stitches and broken threads.
When sewing, it is important to carefully secure the seam threads. Ideally, it is recommended to make several strong knots. First of all, this applies to machine stitches that do not secure the thread - this subsequently leads to its rapid unraveling.
Since leather is a very dense and tight material, it is quite difficult to sew. To facilitate the work process, it is recommended to first moisten the cut parts on the reverse side with a special solution of water, salt and glycerin.
Such a product is ironed exclusively from the wrong side; a lining of dry fabric is required. The iron should not be very hot - this tightens the skin and makes it hard. The steam function is also disabled.
Materials and tools
- Punch, hammer, awl. For making punctures on fabric.
- A special knife (the so-called “shoe” or “shoe knife”).
- Plastic surface or plexiglass for cutting.
- Universal glue (PVA, “Moment”) or rubber.
- Strong and elastic threads. Ideally, linen, pre-lubricated with wax (waxed). This will ensure easier passage of the needle through the material when sewing, and will also increase wear resistance.
- A strong needle with a special triangular tip.
- Thimble.
- Buttons for the front side and “sub-buttons” for fastening on the back.
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How to sew from leather
Leather products can be sewn either by machine or by hand. The second method is more preferable for many tailors, since not every sewing machine is capable of working efficiently with this material.
Hand sewing
Slots are marked on the prepared material for further stitching. To do this, you need a guide line along which you can lay them at equal intervals. The holes are pre-marked with a sharp needle, then knocked out - using, for example, an awl.
Before starting the work itself, the paired halves of the parts are folded in such a way that all the intended punctures coincide with each other. It is better to stitch with a needle with a thread folded in half. The length should be at least a third longer than the intended seam.
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Along the previously made holes, seams are laid “forward with a needle” or “back with a needle.” Some tailors prefer to work with two needles at the same time. To do this, one needle is inserted into the initial hole and pulled through. The second one is threaded through the next slot and pulled down. Then the same needle should pass from the back side just above the first and extend again. After this, the two needles pass further together and are pulled out in the same way.
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“Fasteners” are made at both the beginning and the end of the seam. Four consecutive stitches are made, then another seam of four is placed along them. Excess threads are tied in a knot and melted with the flame of a candle or lighter. The nodules are immediately pressed against the skin - in this case they will stick and the seams will not come apart.
If it is not possible to use the necessary needle for leather, you can work with an awl. In this case, it not only punches holes, but also pushes the thread through. It is only worth noting that this is not the most optimal alternative to a needle, since an awl quickly wears out the thread and can ruin the leather itself.
If you have a crochet hook in your arsenal, it is preferable to choose it. The hook is pulled through the hole, grabs a loop of double thread and pulls the thread to the front side. Next, the hook is threaded into the next slot, grabs the loop from the wrong side and pulls it so that it is about 1 cm higher than the front side. After this, the previously formed end of the thread is pulled into the resulting loop to tighten the stitch. So the entire seam is laid using the stitches described above. At the end of the work, four additional ones are made on those already laid - for fastening.
How to sew on a machine
Not on every sewing machine it will be possible to stitch the skin. Before you start using it, you should read the manual and make sure that it can perform the task. Otherwise, there will be a possibility of harming not only the needle, but also the sewing machine itself, as well as damaging the parts of the future product. Durable, old sewing equipment is best for leather processing.
In general, only soft, not too thick leather up to 1.5 mm wide is sewn on a sewing machine. For thin and delicate ones, use simple needles No. 80 or No. 90. For successful results when working with thick skin, you need a special needle with a multi-edged blade instead of a round tip. It actually cuts through the fibers of leather or suede, and does not just push them apart.
Sets the maximum stitch width. Leather, especially thin leather, tears easily, and frequent stitching can cause the fiber to break.
It is advisable to stitch the part in one line.
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Subsequently, it will not be possible to iron the seams, so it is recommended to make closed or sewn seams. They can then be glued with a special glue, which retains its elastic properties even after drying. If there is no glue, the loose fit allowances can be stitched in the desired direction.
If, when all conditions are met, the stitching on the skin cannot be completed, you can do the following:
- take a thicker needle;
- use less dense and rough leather;
- if the upper thread is not tightened, try using nylon threads instead of waxed linen threads;
- to help move the leather along the conveyor when sewing, experts recommend a special Teflon or roller foot;
- sew over tracing paper - this will increase the degree of slipping of the leather under the machine foot;
- Sprinkle the material in front of the foot with sunflower oil to increase glide.
How to sew from genuine leather– we will try to answer this question in detail in this master class. There are several simple rules when working with genuine leather.
We will tell and show you detailed photos how to sew a basic seam on a sewing machine, work seam allowances and secure threads, and how to sew a simple seam by hand.
How to sew from genuine leather: necessary tools and equipment
How to sew from genuine leather with your own hands? In addition to the material itself, you will need a number of required tools.To cut and work with seam allowances, you should purchase a knife, a hammer and glue. A basic option for beginners can be bought at a construction supermarket, while more professional tools are available in sewing accessories or shoemaking stores.
Knife should be sharp and comfortable.
Hammer you should choose a small one, with a wooden or rubber head, it is designed for tapping seam allowances.
There is a professional glue for those who work with leather goods, it is often sold in large packages and it makes no sense to buy it for one or two projects. Choose a clear, waterproof polyurethane adhesive. Make sure leather is included in the list of materials for which it is intended.
To pre-fix some parts you can use double sided tape. Special adhesive tape for leather is available in the hardware departments, but it is quite expensive. You can use ordinary stationery double-sided tape, but only where the machine stitching will later be laid.
It is also advisable to have rubber mat, which is convenient for cutting leather. Also useful scissors And small pliers.
How to sew from genuine leather on a sewing machine? Ideally, you should have a machine designed to handle heavy fabrics and industrial-type leather. However, you can sew simple models made of medium-density genuine leather using a regular machine.
You will need for this special plastic foot and machine skin needles, which have a special spatula-shaped tip. You also need to purchase leather threads, durable and slippery. The combination of these three components will allow you to sew natural leather on a household sewing machine.
Let's say a few words about purchasing material. Sold in skins of different sizes, measured in dm2. The price is indicated for 1 dm2 and then the total cost of a particular skin is calculated. Very often, natural leather exhibits various defects: scratches, holes, coloring and texture defects. In order to buy the right amount of material, take all the necessary patterns to the store and lay them out on the skin, avoiding problem areas.
So, let's learn how to sew from genuine leather!
Cutting Basics
Carefully inspect the entire piece of leather in good daylight from different angles. If there are a small number of defects, mark them on the wrong side; if there are many problem areas, mark them and lay out the pattern on the front side.
Cut out the main parts as close to the center of the skin as possible. The edges of genuine leather are thinner and may stretch slightly. They can be used for small decorative details: flaps, belt loops, cuffs, etc.
If you are sewing from natural suede, please note that suede has a distinct pile direction and parts cut in different directions will differ from each other.
If thin leather is wrinkled, you can try ironing it from the wrong side through a slightly damp cloth. Be sure to try it on a small scrap piece first!
Simple seam and seam processing
Remember that, unlike fabric, all needle or pin marks on genuine leather remain forever!
Place the pieces right sides together and align the edges. For additional fixation, you can use office clips or clothespins. Set the stitch length to 3.5-4 mm. Sew to the required length. On both sides, leave the ends of the threads at least 3 cm long.
Pull the threads to one side and tie a double knot at the beginning and end of the seam.
Apply glue to both seam allowances, including the knots.
Unfold the seams and press them to the base. Tap each seam allowance and seam with a hammer.
Pull the threads to the wrong side and tie a double knot. Apply glue to the knot and cut off the tails of the threads.
How to thread the ends of the threads
When working with genuine leather, there is often a need to secure the threads in a place where both the front and back sides are in open access.
Thread both threads through a regular thin needle and stick it into the stitch hole next to the knot. Pull the needle out after 2-3 stitches.
Use pliers and a thimble to remove the needle.
Pull the tails of the threads firmly so that the knot goes inside the stitch, into the stitch hole.
Cut off excess threads with scissors.
Hand stitch
Sometimes while sewing, the bottom thread runs out, but the machine still has time to make a few stitches. It happens that the machine cannot cope with the thickness of the leather part and you can only make a series of punctures with a needle. In all such cases, you will need to sew the seam manually along the finished punctures.
Insert the bobbin thread into the needle. Insert the needle into the nearest free hole.
Bring the needle to the front side and stick it again into the same hole, forming a loop around the top thread.
Pull the needle out and pull both threads at the same time, tightening the stitch evenly. Continue until the end of the seam.
Having thought through the design of the future product, made a layout from paper and drawn out the necessary patterns, we begin cutting. Leather does not have a fractional direction, which we are used to taking into account when cutting fabrics. Therefore, the patterns are positioned however you like, just to make fuller use of the usable area of the skin.. Suede must be cut taking into account the direction of the pile. Depending on this, the light is reflected differently from the surface, and two adjacent parts with different pile directions will look darker, the other lighter. It is better if the pile is directed from top to bottom.
The cutting lines are drawn from the side of the regular bakhtarma ballpoint pen. They cut it from the same side, placing it on the cutting board with the side up.
Basting stitches are not recommended when working with leather., since stitch marks remain forever. It’s better to grab the parts before final sewing rubber glue. An unsuccessfully laid seam cannot be undone; rows of holes from the needle will remain on the skin. So just write for sure.
Leather that is not too thick will be easier to stitch with a needle by hand and even sew on a machine if its edges are first beveled at an angle or, as experts say, “lowered.” This is done with a sharp shoe knife or razor (Fig. XII.6). The skin should lie horizontally, and the blade should move only “from itself”.
Turn seam it will work if the edges of the parts to be sewn are lowered from the side of the bakhtarma. Apply a thin layer of glue to the edges of the parts along the face, let it dry a little and then connect the parts (this is instead of basting) (Fig. XII.7 a).
Unfold the stitched seam, clean off traces of glue before it sets, and lightly tap it from the inside with a hammer so that it is finally straightened and leveled (Fig. XII.7 b).
Now apply more durable “Moment” or “Mars” glue to the lowered edges from the bakhtarma side. It would be good to reinforce the seam with fabric tape, gluing it from the inside out and stitching along the edges(Fig. XII. 7c).
Butt seam often used for leather sets - like mosaics from small pieces of leather of medium thickness. Precisely fitted parts with evenly cut edges are glued onto a fabric lining, immediately removing any excess glue with a rag and, without waiting for it to dry, a large piece of glue is laid on the machine. zigzag seam(Fig. XII.7 d).
Lapped seam often used to make mosaics from small pieces of thin leather. This is how you can assemble a bag, a belt, and even a vest or miniskirt from seemingly useless small scraps. There is no need to lower their edges.
On a fabric lining cut out according to a pattern, lay out the prepared scraps of leather so that the lower scraps overlap the upper ones by 4-5 mm with their edges. Start attaching them to the lining, moving from bottom to top. This connection, unlike a reverse seam, is smoother and softer.
Butt stitch for thick leather(Fig. XII.8) allows you to avoid rough thickenings, but requires careful adjustment of the parts. In fact, it is done as if overlapping.
The edge of one part goes down the face, and the other goes down the bakhtarma. They are glued together, and the connection is strengthened from the inside with braid, which is attached with two seams.
It is unlikely that you will be able to get a fairly even edge running down the bakhtarma, so it is better to first bend its narrow edge inward and glue it, and only then connect the two parts.
It is impossible not to mention the traditional seam, which the peoples of the North have long used to connect the parts of their clothes, shoes, bags, and mittens. They always emphasize the cut lines with piping made of light, most often white leather (Fig. XII.9).
To do this, two finishing strips are cut out of soft and thin leather: one 1-1.3 cm wide, the other 3-4 mm wide and slightly longer. The parts to be sewn are folded together with the side facing inward. A wide finishing strip is folded in half and inserted between the main parts. Its fold should protrude 2-3 mm above the edges of the parts. A narrow strip is applied along the stitched edge of one of the parts on the front side (Fig. XII.9 a).
And now a seam is laid that holds all these four parts together at once. Using a needle and thread, pierce both main parts and the wide finishing strip folded in half. In this case, the thread also grabs a narrow strip with an oblique decorative stitch (Fig. XII.9 b). The result is a beautiful colored edging, framed by a raised border like a twisted cord. If desired and skillful, you can lay the same narrow border on the other side (Fig. XIII.9 c). Do not forget that you need to cut out a narrow strip for the border a little longer, since it forms a series of small tubercles in the seam.
Now about the intricacies of working on a sewing machine. The leather under the machine foot behaves differently than the fabric.
Watch our video lessons on the topic of stitches on the skin: “ “, “ “, “ “.
Firstly, it stretches quite noticeably, and you will soon find that the upper part under the presser foot is pulled out, but the lower part is seated by the rack of the fabric motor. The seam “leads”, especially if the pieces of leather differ slightly in thickness. The situation will improve if before work you wipe the area of the future seam with a cloth soaked in machine oil. And the line will lie smoother. It also helps to pre-glue (baste) the seam with rubber glue, which does not allow the parts to noticeably move relative to each other.
In any case, the stitching on parallel edges must be laid in the same direction each time. For example, when sewing in a zipper, you cannot do it in one pass, turning the work at the end of the zipper and attaching its other edge in the opposite direction. Both seams must be laid separately and in the same direction. Thin soft skin It’s better to scribble using a strip of tracing paper, which can then be easily torn off. Tracing paper will add additional rigidity, and the stitching will lie smoother and will not tighten the skin.
Tough leather, which is difficult to pierce with a needle or awl, is easier to sew if it is slightly moistened.
Despite the apparent strength, machine stitches on the leather unravel easily. The fact is that threads experience less friction in the skin than in fabric. Therefore, the ends of the threads must be pulled inside out and securely tied there with several knots.
Thick, tough leather cannot be sewn by machine. You have to do this manually, marking the seams with a knurl or a jagged marking ruler, as discussed above. By puncturing a series of holes with an awl along the basting, it will be easier to lay the seam using one of the methods described in the article “”. To this it remains to add the method of working with two needles, each with its own thread (Fig. HILO). Note that it is better not to sew by eye without markings by hand: the seam will look sloppy.
For bags, wallets, key holders and other crafts from thick leather, decorative braiding of the edges with a thin cord or a narrow strip of leather is often used (Fig. XII. 11). In this case, fairly large holes are needed, and it is better to make them with punches (Fig. XII.3).
You don't have to have a long piece of leather to get a strip of leather long enough to braid together. This strip can be cut from a small piece of paper.
Wet the resulting leather strip in warm water and wrap it tightly around the bottle. Wet skin stretches well and should lie flat. When it dries, you will have a long and straight leather braid. For example, from a piece of leather measuring 100x60 mm, about 2 m of a strap with a width of 3 mm is obtained.
Strips are also used for decorative braiding of parts. artificial leather without backing (such as polyvinyl chloride).
In Fig. HP.13 shown different types decorative braids. A needle made of an elastic steel strip (Fig. XII. 14), in which the tip of the braid is pinched, will allow you to speed up the work. Otherwise, it takes a lot of time to thread the soft tip of the ribbon into the next hole.
The article uses materials from the book: Kachanauskaite Laima. " ". To fully familiarize yourself with the materials in the book, we recommend purchasing it from distributors or the publisher.
Surely every person who wants to buy a purse or purse self made, is interested in the question of how strong and reliable the seams on the selected product will be. Will they tear or wear out over time, thereby creating the risk of losing money or documents at a crucial moment? Therefore, the best option for stitching handmade items is the saddle stitch itself.
A little history
This seam got its name due to the fact that in ancient times it was used to sew horse saddles and harnesses, for which a strong, reliable seam is a very important issue, since a person’s life may depend on it. It is considered practically the strongest, which is used for stitching leather. A saddle stitch on leather has incredible strength compared to a machine stitch, since it is made manually with two needles along pre-punched holes. The principle of its operation is as follows: the needles are brought out to the opposite side of the skin and intersect each other with each stitch, thereby creating a strong bond. When using this type of seam, if one stitch breaks, it will practically go unnoticed, since it is supported by thread on the other side of the leather. Therefore, you simply will not see holes in it. This is where all the charm and uniqueness of this seam lies - strength and reliability for a long time. Those things that are stitched with this device will last much longer than things stitched with a sewing machine.
Beginning of work
Next, we will consider the question of what is the correct saddle seam and how to make it using the example of inserting a zipper into a handbag. There are two stitches - easy and difficult, and they both require some practice, care and perseverance. If we are talking about a more difficult method, we need to remember that the holes are marked only with a special metal wheel, and are punched with an awl with a new stitch. It takes some practice to make this seam even, beautiful and durable. What we need to do at the very beginning of our work:
- To punch holes, it is better to use a metal punch.
- Poke the punch into the wax as you work so that it can slide in and out of the skin smoothly.
- Directly punch a series of holes in the place where you plan to make a stitch for further work.
- To secure the zipper and even stitching, you need to glue it to the skin with glue in advance. You can also use double-sided tape, but the downside is that it will cling to the needle.
Preparing to sew with a saddle stitch
You need a piercing tool or a bending fork that has a couple of slanted teeth. This makes the seam smooth and beautiful. Tools with straight teeth are usually used for braiding and lacing, but not for stitching. So you should first check whether you took the right tool. They come in different sizes depending on how many stitches per centimeter you want to make. First of all, you need to choose a fork with wide tines, otherwise you will waste a lot of time stitching.
Stages of manual firmware
Scarring, shading is the process of squeezing out lines, which will serve as a guide when making holes for stitching. You can also resort to a compass if you don’t have the right tool nearby.
Making holes - these are usually punched into the surface of the leather using a rubber hammer or a pricking device. Its purpose is to mark the places where the holes will be, but not to make them with one blow.
Handling bends, if any. If you need to make holes along a curved area, use a pricking roller. This is a guarantee that all your holes will be at the same distance and subsequently the work will be done beautifully.
We open the holes. For this process it is necessary to use an awl (cross-shaped with a diamond-shaped point). Hold the awl handle in a vertical position and press down on the hole.
Fixation. Saddle stitching (such as saddle stitching) requires both hands in operation. A clamp-clamp will help you with this, where you can place your product. The standard clamp for this type of stitching is a piece of wood shaped like a large pliers.
Dratva (waxed) As a rule, the saddle seam is made with just such threads. Before use, they are treated with wax so that they do not smear and easily penetrate leather products.
Threading a needle. To sew large items by hand, you need to choose needles with a blunt tip.
Fixing the thread. You need to pull the end of the thread and twist it into a loop.
What do we need for sewing?
Now we need sewing needles, which should have slightly blunt tips so that they fit freely into the holes and do not catch. For our purpose we will need two needles. Next, we move directly to the threads, it is better if they are waxed. Standard No. 10 is not suitable for such purposes, as it will tear very quickly.
To make a strong and reliable seam, we need good, durable threads; it is better to use linen (waxed) threads. Shoe shops will tell you where you can buy them. Now it's time to create the saddle stitch. We will look below at how to do it according to all the rules and to make it reliable and good.
Stitching rules
Stitching is carried out according to the following rules:
- We thread the tip of the thread into the eye of the needle, then inject it at a distance of about 6 cm from its tip.
- Next we pull the needle through the loop.
- Then pull it out completely, hold the thread by the short tip, and then tighten it tightly.
- We do the same with the other needle at the second end. As a result, we get a long thread with needles at both ends.
- It is better that the length of the thread is several times longer than the section that we are sewing (remember Golden Rule: “The thicker the skin, the larger the thread”).
Let's start the sewing process
First of all, you need to remember how to properly sew with a saddle stitch so that your item is reliable and strong and lasts a very long time. Let's look at the stitching rules step by step:
- We thread the needle through the first hole, then you need to align the thread so that the length is the same.
- Then we thread the left needle, which is in the left hand, into another hole.
- Then we do the same manipulations with the right needle (the one in the right hand) into the same hole. It is advisable not to pierce the thread.
- Next you need to tighten the thread tightly - pull the two ends until it is tight.
- We thread the left needle into the third hole.
- We pull out and pass the right needle into the same hole and take it out on the other side
- You need to tighten it very tightly, at both ends.
So we sew until the very end. It is necessary to remember and know how to finish the saddle stitch so that it does not come apart very quickly. We don't need to make any knots because the double stitches are very strong on their own. All you need to do is make three stitches “back with the needle” in the last holes. Then you need to cut the thread.
If the seam was made according to all the rules, then it will not unravel and will last a long time. Therefore, the end must always be tightened tightly. The downside of this work is that very soon your fingers will hurt and the thread will cut your skin. Over time, everything will pass, and you will get used to it, but for now it is recommended to wrap your little finger with a plaster where the thread cuts the skin. It’s better, of course, to immediately remember how to sew a saddle stitch correctly, and learn how to do it quickly and efficiently.
So that the work is of high quality
You need to do the following: the needle on the left passes through the hole and rests on the needle in the right hand with a cross. You need to hold the needle with your index finger and thumb right hand and then pull it out with the left hand. It will be a little awkward and perhaps awkward at first, but the handles will quickly get used to it and your stitches will become even. After completing the work, the seam must be tapped with a rubber or leather hammer so that the stitches go into the hole. Now this seam will last you for many years, and you can be proud that you made it yourself.
So, we found out that the saddle seam is very strong, and the integrity of the product does not suffer, even if one thread breaks in any place. This is a necessary seam, which is very often used for decorative purposes. It represents not only style and beauty, but also a guarantee of excellent quality and reliability.
