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From: lendube
Date: 12-20-2006, 12:22 PM (1 of 6)
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I posted this on General Sewing but Pam suggested there'd be more of a chance you'd see it here and you're the one to ask. Thanks. A friend just asked me what could be wrong. He's trying to upholster a chair with cowhide (with hair) and leather. He's using a basic Singer machine, a leather needle and upholstery thread. I've never sewn with any of this so I don't have much advice. He ran a seam totally by hand one stitch at a time and then all of a sudden the machine took off and did a fine job for a bit. Then the bobbin thread went haywire, he adjusted it and then it was fine for a while again. After that it went haywire again. All I could recommend was that he clean the bobbin case, check the bobbin to make sure it was installed correctly, rethread and maybe rewind the bobbin. Don't know what else to tell him. Any ideas??? Pam (and I) are guessing that it's just too much for the poor machine. Thanks, Lennie |
User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 12-21-2006, 01:24 AM (2 of 6)
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Lennie, thanks for asking. Depending on which model it is that weight of leather may be to much for it but my first guess would be the thread. Most Singer machines do not do well with thread over #50. Which ever upholstry thread he is using is probably much heavier than that. If he needs to use heavy thread he should try to use a machine with a full rotary vertical hook. Top loading bobbin machines have trouble with heavy thread because of the way the bobbincase has to be secured. A Pfaff with IDT would be the best machine to use because the walking foot(IDT) would help pull the hide for more uniform stitching. (a walking foot attachment would not help at all since they don't really pull the fabric). Another alternative is an old Pfaff, Necchi, Vigorelli, or even an old black Singer (that doesn't have a top drop in bobbin). You can ussually find these machines very inexpensively, $20 - $50. They should handle what he is doing pretty well. There are other older machines that will handle it. These are just the ones that come to mind. Bill could probably recommend some more. Sorry I could'nt give you a simpler solution. Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: lamx
Date: 12-21-2006, 08:07 AM (3 of 6)
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I can't think of any family machine that would do a good job of sewing cowhide to leather. Even the machines Tom mentioned are not designed for that weight and will only do a marginal job, at best. They won't evenly feed work of that weight and the varying thickness of cowhide will make tension adjustments a nightmare. If an industrial walking foot machine is not available, I would recommend hand sewing, rather than trying to trick any family machine into performing this industrial task. Ed |
User: lamx
Member since: 05-04-2006 Total posts: 44 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 12-21-2006, 12:12 PM (4 of 6)
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I would agree with Ed but since you said the basic Singer was almost doing it I would think one of those machines should handle it. But like Ed said it will not be nearly as uniform and easy as an industrial would be.
Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: lendube
Date: 12-21-2006, 12:36 PM (5 of 6)
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Hi Tom and Ed, You guys are wonderful. I appreciate your thoughtful replies so much. This friend is a paramedic that works for my husband and coincidentally he's on duty today. I'll print up your answers, take them to him and let him take it from there. Thank you and Happy Holidays to both of you and your families. Lennie 
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User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 12-22-2006, 12:04 PM (6 of 6)
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This may not be appropriate here, since I don't understand what kinds of leathers you are talking about....but a lot of years ago, I bought a split cowhide suede hide from Tandy Leather co, and sewed my DH (at that time , he was still DH) a suede vest on my Singer Featherweight 221 .. I used a leather needle and tips I got from the County Agent's office here... I had no trouble at all doing that project.. I used regular sewing thread.. Coats & Clark Dual Duty is what I always used at that time.. (late 60's or early 70's, I'm not sure which.. Last I heard he still had the vest..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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