Leather is a tough material compared to normal fabric and as such, you need a heavy duty sewing machine that will properly sew leather materials. One of the challenging things with leather is that once you punch through it, you create a permanent hole in it and if you mess up, you can end up with messed up projects in your hands.
Another challenge with sewing leather is that it tends to get stuck on the presser foot or the throat plate of most ordinary sewing machines. Another problem is that the needle can get stuck in the process creating an ugly permanent hole.
The best leather sewing machines take these problems into consideration and one of their features is that they will provide you with a longer stitch length option. Longer stitches are better when working with leather because longer stitches provide a stronger, more secure seam.
In this guide, we will be reviewing our recommended leather sewing machines that can sew tough materials with ease and make your sewing experience an enjoyable one.
Janome HD3000 Sewing Machine
The Janome HD3000 may not be a pretty looking machine compared to other models but was built to be tough and handle difficult sewing jobs, including leather.
The Janome HD3000 is designed to sew leather as well as other fibres such as synthetic materials, linen, cotton, wool, fur, and extra thich fabrics as well.
There are a lot of interesting features on this machine which we will look at below:-
* The machine has an inbuilt automatic needle threader that greatly reduces the frustrations that come with threading a needle. It also has a jam proof top loading bobbin system that allows you to easily change your bobbin.
* On the front of the machine there is a stitch selection dial that allows you to easily choose the stitch that you want to you. There is a total of 18 built in stitches to choose from.
* The machine also has an adjustable presser foot pressure . A quick and simple turn of a dial will adjust the presser foot pressure allowing you to sew a big selection of fabric thicknesses.
Accessories that come with this machine include:
– Case cover
– Pack of bobbins
– Ultra glide foot
– 2 pack of leather needles
– Blind hem “G” foot
– Overedge “C” foot
– Rolled Hem “D” foot
– Zipper “E” Foot
– Buttonhole “B” Foot
– Automatic buttonhole “R” foot
– Screwdriver plus a small Screwdriver
– A large and small spool holder
– Additional Spool Pin
– Lint Brush
– Seam Ripper
– Foot Control/Power Cord- Quilter Bar
– Felt
Why I Like This Machine
* The easy to understand instructions made it easy for you to get started
* This Janome machine is a workhorse that can sew through layers of heavy fabric like denim and leather without any problems.
* The needle of this machine stops immediately the moment you remove your foot from the pedal compared to other models where you have to complete a stitch and raise it to the “up” position
* Quiet machine
* Has strong feed dogs
* Has many features than the average sewer will need.
* Perfect machine even for beginners.
Cons
* There is no way for you to shift the needle left (only right) to enable you adjust stitch width
* This is a pricey machine compared to the rest. But the reviews show that its worth the price
Singer 4411 Heavy Duty Machine
The Singer 4411 heavy duty sewing machine is one great machine that has been built to handle all your leather sewing needs with ease. It comes with a host of features and accessories which we will look at below.
Features
* This machine has 11 built in stitches; these are 6 basic stitches, 4 decorative stitches and 1 builtin buttonhole. This gives you a good range of stitches to work with for sewing fashion items, crafts home decor and much more
* The need position of this machine can be adjusted to any of the 3 set positions to add zippers or a decorative touch with top stitching and cording.
* The frame of this machine is made up of heavy metal material that ads stability to it. The machine has a strong motor that provide greater piercing power that can do 1100 stitches per minute enabling you to sew a greater number of items faster and more efficiently.
* There is an adjustable presser foot control that gives you the allowance to sew light to heavy fabrics with ease.
* Voltage is 110 volts
* The drop in bobbin system has a clear view cover enabling you to monitor the thread supply as you sew.
* You can adjust the appearance of a stitch by decreasing or increasing the distance between stitches. This is achieved through the dial that is located on the front right hand side of the machine.
* Built in reverse sewing system enabling you to secure a seam at the start and end to help prevent unraveling.
Why I Like This Machine
– The machine does 1100 stitch per minute which is quite impressive
– Comes with 11 built-in stitch patterns
– Ability to sew through folded multi layer seams with no problem
– It has a 25 year warranty on the head for either home or commercial use.
SINGER 4423 Heavy Duty Leather Sewing Machine
The Singer heavy duty 4423 sewing machine was created for heavy-duty projects such as sewing leather, canvas, denim and other heavy materials (as well as light fabric).
Below are the features of this machine:
* Comes with 23 built-in stitches that include; basic stitches, stretch stitches, decorative stitches, and buttonhole stitches. This wide selection of stitches allow you work on a variety of
* Automatic threading feature allow you to thread the eye of a needle without much effort or frustration.
* This sewing machine is designed to sew 1100 stitches per minute. This is good for industrial projects as well as those who like to sew fast at home. The motor has great piercing power allowing you to punch through tough materials such as leather.
* The heavy metal internal frame coupled with the stainless steel bedframe provides stability as you work on your project.
* Its convenient drop-in bobbin inserts and comes out easily. The clear view cover makes it easy to monitor the bobbin thread supply
* Comes with a 25 year limited warranty
Accessories include: All-purpose foot, buttonhole foot, zipper foot, quilting guide, button sewing foot, needles, bobbins, seam ripper/lint brush screwdriver, auxiliary spool pin, spool pin
The major difference between the 4423 and the 4411 machine is that the 4423 has 23 built-in stitches while the 4411 has 11 in built stitches.
Why I Like It
* Its has a low noise level, easy to use and its fast speed. The speed, ie 1100 stitches per minute is impressive compared to the conventional speeds of 400-500 stitches per minute.
* You do not have to adjust the tension when changing fabric weights
* This is a mechanical machine as opposed to a computerized one, which will make it easier on you when you want repair it.
* Its a machine designed to do heavy work and handle thick material or heavy fabric. One user of this machine said that he used it through 6 layers of vinyl upholstery as well as plastic piping
without a struggle.
* Sews well through multiple layers of fabric.
Cons
* Some say the automatic threader is a bit cumbersome, but that’s a minor point
* Someone said that the instructions that come with the package when you buy it are not very detailed, but there are many instructional videos on Youtube to help you out.
* Its said the tension sometimes goes nuts for no good reason, resulting in loud noises or even freezing. You correct this problem by re-threading.
The Juki DNU-1541 Sewing Machine
Below are some of its features
* Max. Sewing Speed: 2500 stitches/minute
*Max. Stitch Length: 9mm
* Unit dimensions (LxWxH): 48 inches by 20 inches by 48 inches
*Needle: 135 X 17
* 110V with industrial clutch motor
The Juki DNU-1541 sewing machine has been classified as an industrial grade machine and as such it only requires a single needle to complete any sewing task you want to do. Also, this machine uses a dual tension mechanism, which ensures high-tension sewing.
High tension sewing is what enables leather sewing machine to sew high-quality stitches through thick fabrics.
The machine has the walking foot technology, a rectangular feed coupled with a higher needle stroke enabling heavier materials such as leather to be sewn with ease. When you buy this machine, you buy it as a complete unit which includes the machine head, motor, table, drawer, stand, sewing light plus other components installed and ready to sew.
The sewing table is a wonderful bonus as many other manufacturers require you to buy the sewing table separately.
Why I Like It
* Comes with a sewing table, which you dont have to buy separately compared to other models.
* Smooth machine
* Comes fully assembled and ready to use
Brother CS6000i Sewing Machine
The Brother CS6000i sewing machine come with many automatic features that helps you get started quickly. It also has many advanced features for more experienced sewers.
This is an affordable machine yet it is packed with many features. Below are some of its features:-
* User friendly computerized sewing machine
* It has a switch selector that allows you to easily see and choose a stitch that you prefer
* Has an automatic needle threader that helps ease the frustration of threading manually.
* Adjustable sewing speed – This machine come an adjustable stitch speed
* Another feature of this machine is its wide table designed for quilting and other large projects.
* The machine does 850 stitches per minute
* An built-in free arm that makes work easier when doing intricate sewing projects. The free arm helps you to sew sleeves, pant legs and other cylindrical items.
* You will notice the easy-to-see, super bright work area that comes in handy when working with dark fabrics
* Sold with a 25 year limited warranty.
*The CS6000i machine is made with 60 built-in sewing stitches that include decorative stitches and 7 styles of one-step buttonholes.
* It also has 9 presser feet included in this machine – overcasting, buttonhole, zigzag, monogramming, blindstitch, button fitting, zipper, walking and spring action quilting foot.
* The machine weighs 13 pounds.
Why I Like It
* 60 Built-in stitches
* 7 styles of buttonholes
* Easy machine to thread
* Automatic buttonhole maker
Cons
* The bobbin can be finicky where it snags the material in the feed dogs