People who are fond of sewing and needlework have to deal with patent leather at least once in their lives. Working with this material is very different from working with fabric.
Instructions
Step 1
The marks on the skin from needle punctures remain forever, and this adds complexity to the work. When cutting out paired parts from leather, remember that they must be cut in one direction, since the leather stretches more in the transverse direction than in the longitudinal one. You can sew leather on a typewriter with special faceted leather needles that do not leave visible marks on it. Soft, thin leather can be sewn with ordinary needles No. 80-90. For sewing thick leather, you definitely need a special triangular leather needle and a special machine with a stronger mechanism. The stitching when sewing leather is set large, since with frequent punctures there is a risk of cutting through the stitching line along the entire length.
Step 2
A special machine for sewing leather is desirable, since on an ordinary sewing machine there is a great chance to break not only the needle and ruin the leather, but also break the whole machine. If the instructions for the sewing machine indicate that you cannot sew leather on it, it is better not to try. There are specialized machines for thick leather, shoes and bags, they are used for replacing zippers in leather jackets, sewing patches. In terms of power, no industrial machine can compare with it, since it sews 4-5 mm of hard leather. The threads in it are used either ordinary reinforced or shoe nylon.
Step 3
It is impossible to cut patent leather for cutting with ordinary scissors. Scratches easily appear on this material, and when cutting with ordinary scissors, it will wrinkle and deteriorate. This will dull the scissors very quickly. The skin is cut on a plastic board or plexiglass with a special sharpened special knife. Auxiliary materials are used in the form of rulers or patterns to make the cutting lines smoother.
Step 4
In the event that the machine does not advance the skin well, you can use paper, placing it both above and below, in order to remove it later. It is most convenient to use tracing paper for this, since through it you can see the direction of the seam and the general course of work. Nylon threads are not suitable for sewing patent leather, as they quickly fray it. It is best to use strong and elastic reinforcement. To prevent the top part from pulling against the bottom when sewing two pieces or folding an edge, you can purchase a special foot for leather or a foot with a Teflon sliding coating. Machine stitches on leather goods cannot be fastened back and forth in the standard way, this will create a torn hole in the fabric. To prevent the stitched from unraveling too quickly, you should fix the edge of the stitch with several knots. If you need to iron patent leather, this is done from the seamy side through the fabric, with a non-hot iron without steam and water.
