Basics of Making a Leather Project

What’s Involved?

1. Assessing the leather your working with: (I’d say the most important step) Have a look at the sheet of leather you plan on using for your project. Is it the right thickness? Not sure? Here’s a leather weight chart. Is it the right type you want to use? I.e natural veg-tanned or chrome-tanned? Dyed or natural? Once you have your leather picked out, have a good look over the hide for any imperfection that you might want to avoid I.e cuts, holes, stretched or wrinkled areas.
2. Measuring and marking: Mark the panels you’re using, whether it’s with a template or measuring with a ruler. Make sure your marks are clear to see using a marking tool so you can make the right cuts.
3. Cutting the panels out: Using a cutting mat and knife or a pair of scissors, carefully cut out the panels you marked. Tip; if you are using scissors you may be best to switch to a craft knife to make crisp inside corners when cutting your panels out.
4. Dying the leather: If you plan on dying your leather this would be a good time now that all your panels are cut out. Do it in a well ventilated are and make sure the work area is protected in case of spills.
5. Burnishing the edges: (note; possible option at this point) Check to see that you burnish now any inside edges that would be hard to burnish later once the panels are stitched together. Otherwise you might find it hard or impossible to burnish them once the panels are all stitched together.
   • Apply a thin coating of tragacanth gum to the edges and rub it in using a slicker until you achieve a nice polish. Burnishing the edges will help seal and protect them.
6. Grooving: Using a groover, set a groove along the edges of your panels where you will be stitching. The groove you make will make the thread site flush with the leather surface and protect the threads from chaffing.
7. Punching holes for stitching: Using a stitching chisel with the desired spacing or a scratch awl over a punch mat, follow the grooves you made in the previous step around the edges.
8. Stitching: Now it is time to pull all the panels together into one piece. Once you have chosen the preferred thread for the project and whether using a sewing awl or heavy duty needle, begin stitching the panels together, making sure to pull the thread snug on each stitch. A tip-and-trick here is to finish your stitching about 2-3mm (1/2-1″) from the ends so you have a clean look when finished.
9. Burnishing the edges: Note: Tips-and-tricks I’ve learned when burnishing two or more layers at a time is to use a sheet of sandpaper along the edge to even out the layers before burnishing.
   • Like in step 5, we can now burnish the edges of our leather with a light coating of tragacanth gum and a slicker until we get a nice polished edge.
10. Snaps, rivets and hardware: If your project has snaps, rivets or other hardware like buckles or rings, you may have to install them during the stitching process in step 8. Snaps and rivets require a hole punch and setting kit. Buckles and rings usually require installing using a flap of leather and stitching it in place.