Hey all, new project coming up. I'm starting to redo my interior in leather, i'm going to start with the seats, then move to door panels, dash, center console, rear speaker panels.

I have a very nice sewing machine (really my mothers but she's interested in learning how to sew leather also), but i'd like to know from those of you who have worked with leather in the past if there are any needles that work best, and if you have found thread that you like more than others.

Essentially any tips and suggestions for sewing leather, including where to order materials like needles and thread, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Ethan

 

i will be following you as far down into the abyss as the door panels....






excited to find out where your adventure eventually leads, Ethan.

 

your sewing your own interior leather?? niiiiice.

 

This will be fun to watch!

I can't offer advice on sewing though, sorry.

 

Good luck... only because I'd pretty much do anything else to a car myself before attempting to sew an interior!

 

 

Ethan, on the door panels this is not a do-it-yourself kind of deal.


i'm having a leather upholstery specialist do my doors....


i'll be doing the rest of my center console myself in a couple of weeks. my cassette box/armrest is already done.


i was told by these guys, the work on the door panels would come out perfect,

as they use a large industrial machine to produce the required stitching....


http://www.hubleatherrepair.com/



materials:


http://www.leatherunltd.com/leather/...FRD75wodUVWVuA



/

 

Having sewn (completely handsewn) MANY 18th century uniform parts, and civilian clothing (including a complete polonaise gown for my fiance), as well as variety of leather projects (both vegetable and brain tanned leather) including 18th century brogans...

I'd strongly suggest just buying most of the "bits" for your interior. Fitting (in my experience) is the greatest challenge to sewing anything. An auto interior is no place to learn the skills required either to sew with competence Or to fit with completence.

Do some simple accessory bags or a flat panel or two. Purchase the leather pre-sewn and fitted and stretch it on. You'll be glad you did!

Jim 1987 944S

 

Hopefully your mom has a HD walking foot type industrial machine that can sew through several layers of material. I've been sewing for over 30 years, own a very good Singer industrial, and still only do smaller projects when it comes to leather seats. Getting the welting or french seams right requires some skills you don't pick up over night. Good luck, it can be done but be ready to waste some expensive materials in the process.

 

i have always wanted to get my dash leather wrapped.

 

For a DIY'er...I'd buy the sets cut to size from Robb Budd, then install them.

 

i've already purchased a bunch of very nice leather that i got for a steal, it should be here late this week. We have two Husqvarna machines, one is a Designer 1 that has some impressive features and can do all kinds of embroidery and has presets for sewing leather.

i've done some practicing on scraps of leather that i have, and so far the only thing i have a problem with while stitching the leather is the thread. I have some old upholstery thread, but it doesn't work well with the machine, i think it's waxed heavily or something like that, because the machine just doesn't like it. Other than that, the machine has no problems sewing through several layers of leather.

 

You'll want a bonded nylon thread when sewing leather. Size 92 is probably your best bet depending on the weight of the leather.

 

Is your door card in good enough shape to sew leather onto? I have mine out and the cardboard has turned to mush so much so that I don't see any stitching having anything to hold it all together.

I was planning on fiberglassing the back of it to give myself some rigidity but I have no idea if that will work.

 

yeah...door cards may be the last thing to be done, because i may make custom panels and then cover them in leather, instead of trying to reuse the old ones. i think mine might be in good enough shape to sew leather onto, but i have an odd pair of door panels, because the drivers door is an early door, so i had to modify the late door card to fit it on the early door panel, so i'm thinking i might make a replica door panel, deleting the cupped door pocket area (since i removed the carpeted door pockets) to make a flatter panel.

royalschwarz, thanks for the thread suggestion! i'll start looking into that, i appreciate it!