I love the smell of leather

I love the smell of leather and the character a bag takes on when it's made of leather, although working with it can be a bit tricky at times. My industrial Singer sewing machine and I are still getting to know each other after 2 years, it has taken a little bit of warming up to and when I bought it I didn’t know what I was in for.
I was running with the idea that I know how to sew now so this will be a piece of cake, I was mistaken. This machine has guts and a powerful motor behind it that is frightening – it was definitely a reality check when I sat at it properly for the first time to sew.

Brother Sewing Machine

Singer Sewing Machine

At first and maybe still a little bit now I was afraid of my machine, but slowly I have been getting over that fear. I think the fear stems from the power this machine has over my little Brother sewing machine that I love and does amazingly well, just not with leather.

There have been quite a few broken needles and bent plates from me trying to force through thick bulges and yes the machine has the capacity to do get through it, but I don’t help the situation by pulling it from behind – I need to let the machine do what it has to do. I guess I try to pull it through so my hands are completely away from the needle, but every time I do this the needle snaps and it thankfully gets stuck in the leather and doesn’t fly up at me, but I still wear my glasses to sew on my Singer machine hahaha, I guess paranoia remains.

Yesterday’s projects were a complete success on the Singer, granted the leather was a little thinner than I usually use (which is couch leather from my brothers friend who gets me off cuts), but none the less it worked a treat. I have mastered the art of hammering the seams to flatten the bulge a bit, so it’s easier for the needle to get through – it might sound crazy but it helps.

My foot pressure is something I’m still getting used to, but I’m getting there and every time I use the machine I get a little more confident. The stitching isn’t always consistent due to my foot pressure going from fast to slow or slow to fast, but in time I will get there – at this point the bag is for me so until I can maintain the foot pressure and stitching I will have a lot of bags hahahaha.

I have a new appreciation for leather goods and for all those amazing people out there that work on these industrial machines day in, day out.


xoxo