Many people like patches to increase the beauty of their leather items, so some people are confused about how to attach them. The safest and most reliable methods of attaching patches to leather are the use of a sewing machine and attaching with hands. Both of these methods will be described in this post. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Using sewing machine
Setup of sewing machine
You need a machine that can sew leather. After getting this machine, set it up with an 18 gauge needle and a wide stitch. You can change the stitch length. Stitch the patch by using nylon or polyester upholstery thread. Stay away from cotton thread because it is not the best option for leather.
Using spray adhesive or glue sticks
Use the spray adhesive to keep the patch in its place. If you do not have spray adhesive, you can use a glue stick for this purpose. Gently press the patch to make it secure.
Start sewing
Start sewing near the border of the patch. Sew the patch carefully around the curves. To sew at an angle, push down the needle, lift the foot and rotate your leather item. Before resuming the sewing, you have to push the foot back down. To make it more secure, overlap your stitches. After overlapping, pull the item and cut the thread. Now it is ready to go.
Tips:
- The use of pins can leave holes in the leather.
- Practice on a scrap of leather before applying the patch to the leather.
- A sharp needle should be used because it easily passes through the leather.
Sewing by hand
Patches can be applied by hand. It is one of the most reliable and oldest methods of applying the patch. Things that are required in this method are thread, tape, scissors, needles, and patches.
Here are the steps to follow:
- Place a tape piece (rolled-up tape) on the back of your patch. This will help to sew the patch in its place but remove it before finishing.
- Place the patch in the desired place.
- Pick the thread of nylon or polyester for sewing patches on leather, you can get it at a craft or fabric store.
- Pass the needle up through the back of the leather and come out through the front of the patch. If you start from the corner, it will be easy for you. Sew close to the border of the patch.
- Pass the needle back through the leather next to the patch. Tighten the thread to increase the security of the patches. You have completed your first whipstitch. You can select running stitches as well as whipstitches. Whipstitches are visible, but running stitches are not.
- Continue doing whipstitches around your patch and make sure that the stitches are tiny and tight.
- Remove the tape that is placed underneath the patch through a gap.
- Finnish the stitching on the back of the leather and knot the thread tightly.