Along with the practical advantages of stitching, sewing leather can produce stunning aesthetic outcomes. With the proper leather thread, this will be simple to integrate into leather products. When stitching leather, you'll need a leather thread that is tougher and more durable than standard cotton thread. Therefore, the size, color, material, and sewing technique will all influence the kind of thread that is used while stitching leather. The kind of thread chosen for projects involving stitching leather will depend in part on these elements.
Types of Leather Thread
For sewing together pieces of leather, a leather thread is usually utilized. Using a durable thread that can bind leather together under tension is important when stitching leather. As a result, a thread can be useful for a variety of project specifications. We'll look at some of the best main thread types in the section ahead.
The Polyester Thread - Polyester is a fantastic material because it can simulate the look and feel of many other fabrics. Polyester threads are renowned for their durability and ability to withstand both the wear and strain of hand stitching as well as the pressure of high-speed sewing and quilting machines. When washed or cleaned with a leather saddle or gentle cleansers, the colors on polyester threads never bleed. Polyester threads are often designed to have significant stretch and elongation, preventing breakage under tension. Inherently, polyester threads are more moisture-resistant than cotton and linen fibers.
The Linen Thread - The fibers of the flax plant are used to create the material known as linen. Although producing linen can be challenging, the final fiber is incredibly strong, absorbent, and quick to dry. Although linen threads are probably used in sewing machines, it isn't very strong. To make sewing a little easier, linen thread must pass through a wax pot en route to the machine's stitching needle. In hand-sewn leathercraft, linen threads are frequently utilized. The thread used for almost all hand-sewn leatherwork projects is waxed linen.
The Nylon Thread - Synthetic nylon threads are frequently used as a monofilament clear thread or as a fuzzy, textured thread. It is among the least expensive types used for sewing. The bonded Nylon thread is ideal for leatherwork and will complement your work excellently. Bonded nylon thread is an excellent choice for sewing leather since it comes in a number of weights that work well with leather of various densities and thicknesses. Bonded nylon is a sturdy and incredibly resilient thread. The strengthening and friction-reducing effects of the bonding processes make stitching faster and easier.
These threads are all available waxed or unwaxed. It is best to stay away from the waxed thread while using a sewing machine since it might cause clogging and jamming. On the other hand, the pre-waxed thread will help keep things in place longer owing to its bind, harden to prevent stretching, and be more water and rot-resistant. Attempt to break the thread by tugging it apart after you've wrapped a portion of it between the fingers of both your hands. If you have a quality thread, this will be extremely difficult or impossible.
Sizes of Leather Thread
Your thread should be the appropriate size for the thickness of your leather. It is typical to need to increase the size of your thread as you get toward thick leather. Knowing that thicker thread can withstand more pressure is important since heavier leathers will be utilized for more susceptible products. The thread size varies across brands and is measured differently. Metric sizes are used to sell most threads.
Use tiny size threads less than a millimeter for typical leather items as a general guideline. Additionally, you may utilize thread sizes greater than 1mm for large, heavy objects like sheaths, holsters, saddles, briefcases, baggage, etc. Depending on the style you desire for a leatherwork job, you can also use any sort of thread.
The leather's abuse could also be taken into consideration while determining the best size. This means that even though a wallet and a couch cushion may have the same size leather, the sofa will be sat on, stretching and compressing, necessitating a thicker thread than the wallet.
Shapes and Colors of Leather Thread
All of this is more of an artistic choice for your project, but it has the potential to easily create or kill a craft. It truly depends on the maker and what they believe looks nice because there are so many different colors available to choose from. Earth tones go well with leather in terms of hue, especially when working with leather that has been vegetable tanned.
Earth tones including brown hues, lighter browns, gray, white, and black will give your creations a beautiful stitched finish. It could be helpful to you to have a concept of how various color contrasts work well with the leather dyes you already have if you have the choice to purchase a few additional colors.
Different shapes can also alter the appearance of the thread in addition to color. These can provide a very distinct look from one another and are referred to as cord thread or flat thread.
The Ease of Use
The degree to which you improve your talent over time can help determine this. The thread you select has to be structured in some way. When hand sewing leather, linen threads are sometimes floppy and challenging to use. You'll discover that polyester thread has greater structure and can even be static without support, allowing you to thread a needle with it all by yourself.
Another thing to think about is how simple it is to thread a needle. To use a straightforward comparison between linen and polyester, linens are more challenging to thread than polyester threads. Even without waxing, polyester threads can be easily threaded through a needle in a matter of seconds, whereas this is very true with linen threads.
The Price
Depending on your budget and personal preferences, you can select any price range of thread. The cost of threads created from natural materials is often higher. For instance, the cost of cotton or linen threads can be three times more expensive than the cost of a polyester thread. Although linen threads are more costly, they often last longer. You can be sure you won't need to replace your thread anytime soon if you invest in them.
In Search of Genuine Leather Goods?
Bennington Leather is a well-known manufacturer of handmade, custom-made leather products. Although we provide ready-made leather products that are crafted by hand, we excel at producing leather products for clients that are specifically customized to their requirements. We provide stylish, practical, and functional leather items. Our crew of leather professionals would be happy to work with you to design and construct the ideal leather craft item you've always dreamed of. Do you have any queries or are you looking for a certain type of leather? Reach out to us at 360-955-1360.