Sewing With The HD9
Sewing Leather With The Janome HD9
Project of the day
It’s raining outside, but for 8 hours it’s just me and my sewing machine. I’ve been spending so much time in my sewing room that I have neglected to take my favorite fall pillows off the couch. Not only do I love fall but I love those pillows because of their lovely feather stuffing. I decided today was a day to finish pillow covers and update my decor. Who doesn’t love a decorative pillow on their favorite chair?
Decisions, decisions
First, I had to choose the fabric/ textile I was going to use. The fabric often dictates the pattern, size of the sewing needle and thread, along with which machine I use to get the job done.
I wanted a pillow that wouldn’t slip down or fall off my leather couch. So, I chose to use suede and waxed pull-up leather for my project.
Picking the leather for my project and machine capabilities:
I used a soft suede and a waxed pull up leather for my pillow. I chose these leathers because they are soft and supple so the needle will easily penetrate the leather with no skipped stitches.
I used the Janome HD9 for this project with a size 18 needle and #69 bonded nylon thread. Sewing together leather requires a thread that is strong, won’t rot, and will hold the seams for many years to come.
Setting up my machine for this project required me to change out my bobbin case with one that I have cranked down, adding greater tension to the bobbin case. I used the heavy weight thread path on my machine.
Machine Is Set Up And Ready To Sew
Now that I have my machine set up, with the exception of my foot, I looked over the pattern options.
Since I’m sewing leather I wanted to choose a pattern with the least number of folds. A simple pocket with a zipper will do.
When attaching a zipper to leather you only need to top stitch the zipper. No need to sew then flip and top stitch. The leather I used has a finished edge and we don’t have to worry about fraying.
I added a little fawn and used a straight stitch to appliqué it on to the suede. The project came together quickly and I’m happy with the results.
