Husqvarna Viking Sewing Machine

The Leather Sewing Machine – The Goliath of Sewing Machines

As with most appliances there are different classes of machines. This holds true for sewing machines as well. Sewing machines come in all different sizes and capabilities, all the way from the hand held tacking and hemming machine to the Goliath of sewing machines, the leather sewing machine. These machines are made tough enough to handle sewing leather hide that can be as much as 3/4 of an inch thick.

Experienced sewers know that all machines are not created equal. There are specific sewing machines for specific jobs, no matter what advertisers will try to convince you of. Many leather sewing machines are built with cutting edge technology, pun intended. The leather products that these heavy-duty machines produce are of the highest quality because the product is being sewn on a machine specifically designed to handle the complexities of sewing leather.

A true leather sewing machine will have several types of stitches available, but one of the common stitch methods used with leather is the over-lock stitch. The stitch is used because this best holds the leather to shape, which those who work with leather know can change with a consistent pull in any direction. This is the stitch that is found in the most recognizable brand name products of leather goods.

The trade of leather sewing takes time to learn. Many start out in a sewing shop as an apprentice that will study under a master sewer for a couple of years to learn the techniques of creating superior leather products. As they master the ability to run a leather sewing machine, the work they produce becomes more beautiful and recognizable as quality leather goods. Saddles, saddlebags, purses, boots and much more are sewn on a leather sewing machine.

Many years ago leather was sewn by hand with a hand held needle. Technology has made the process of sewing leather into an even finer art than the artisans of old produced because the computerized technology will create designs that would have been nearly impossible by hand.

The leather sewing machine uses a rotary blade cutter that allows the leather to be trimmed to stop fringing and fraying.

Leather sewing machines require a special weight of thread to stitch the leather correctly. The industry standard thread to sew leather with using a leather sewing machine is a blend of both polyester and rayon for strength and durability. Cotton threads are not used because the cotton breaks too easily and will not age well in the leather. The very best thread that is used is a blend of rayon, silk, fine metal and polyester. This thread will most often be found in fur coats and some bomber jackets.
When shopping for a leather sewing machine, make sure that the machine is fully adjustable on stitch lengths, thread sizes, needles, and tension. The quality of product that you will turn out is dependent on these factors. The chisel point needle is used specifically for leather. This needle will slice the leather rather than punch through the leather like a round point needle. With these tips in mind, do your research and get your leather sewing machine from a reputable dealer.