Learn the proper methods to embroider leather and suede to create fabulous stitchouts every time.
Types
Leather is available in a variety of types, including:
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Full-Grain: Leather that doesn’t have the top grain and split layer separated. It’s commonly used to make furniture and shoes.
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Split: Leather that’s brushed on the right and wrong side to provide a soft finish. It’s typically used to make skirts and other garments.
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Top-Grain: Leather that has the split layer separated. It’s thinner, it’s more pliable, and it has a greater resistance to stains than full-grain.
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Corrected-Grain: Leather that has an artificial grain applied to its surface.
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Patent: Leather that has been treated with a high-gloss finish.
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Suede: Leather that has a napped finish. It’s typically made from lamb and has a soft hand. Suede is less durable than leather.
Leather is typically cattle hide, but it’s also made from a variety of other animals, including snake, pig, lamb, and deer. Suede and leather are available in a variety of weights, ranging from light- to heavyweight. Some varieties have a soft hand, while others are rough. Authentic leather and suede is costly and available by the sheet or square foot. Faux leather and suede are available by the yard at reasonable prices. When selecting leather, choose the weight and type that best suits the project, the design, and your pocketbook.
Leather and suede are great for making a variety of garments, such as skirts and pants, home décor items, and bags.
Sewing Tips
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Use chalk marker to mark leather and suede.
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Use a rotary cutter and mat to precisely cut suede and leather.
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Don’t use pins, as they produce permanent holes in the fabric. Use fabric weights or double-sided tape instead.
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Use a PTFE presser foot to easily feed leather through the machine when stitching (A).
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Double-topstitch seams for a professional look (B).
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Fuse a piece of interfacing to the suede or leather wrong side using a press cloth to add stability, if desired.
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Gather leather by topstitching along the fabric length. If using elastic, use a durable sport variety (C). Increase the stitch length, if necessary, to accommodate the fabric thickness and prevent tearing.
Embroidery Tips
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Don’t use the perimeter basting function, as needle penetrations leave permanent holes in the fabric.
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To prevent hoop burn, cut a piece of flannel the size of the embroidery area. Place the flannel over the leather or suede right side and hoop both layers with a piece of cut- or tear-away stabilizer. Cut out a square or rectangle of flannel the size of the design, revealing the leather underneath. Embroider the design.
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Import decorative stitch patterns from the sewing menu into the embroidery menu to create unique designs and all-over patterns (D). The stitches are easy to work with and are typically available in 9 mm to 36 mm widths. Choose a wider stitch to embroider the fabric more quickly, if desired.
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Choose thread depending on the desired finished look. For example, use metallic thread for extra sparkle or cotton thread for a matte finish.
Needles
Use a size 90/14 or 100/16 leather needle. Leather needles have a sharp tip to easily penetrate without tearing. Test-stitch on a fabric scrap to make sure the needle and fabric work well together.
Stabilizer
Use self-adhesive cut- or tear-away stabilizer for light- to medium-weight suede or leather varieties. Hoop a piece of stabilizer with the paper side facing up, score the paper, and then remove the paper to reveal the adhesive. Place the fabric over the adhesive; finger press to secure. Cut-away stabilizer may also be used. Don’t remove the stabilizer on the fabric wrong side if stability is needed.
Designs
Choose a less dense design with plenty of open areas. Overly dense designs may cause thread breakage or perforated fabric.
Test-stitch on scrap fabric to make sure the needle, fabric, stabilizer, design, and thread work well collectively.
Select designs or decorative stitches that correspond with the project size (E). Don’t choose overly large designs for small items.
Look for unique decorative stitch patterns on a quilting machine to import into the embroidery menu. Use embroidery software to aid in positioning, resizing, duplicating, and mirror-imaging designs, if needed. Once the embroidery is complete, press using a press cloth on a low heat setting. Don’t use steam.
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