The 10 Best Leather Sewing Machines Reviews & Complete Guide 2021

The demand for hand-made wearable items is on an upward trend, and this could be attributed to the fact that hand-made products are easily customizable. The materials, gear, and accessories used in making these products are also quite affordable, while the process of stitching has been simplified due to the rapid advancement in technology of sewing machines.

This means that you can either buy or make your clothes easily. However, as much as sewing is quite simplified nowadays, the effort required to stitch leather is much more as compared to regular sewing fabrics. You will also need a stronger sewing machine to work on leather material because it is tougher.

Most sewers find it difficult to get the right machine for this job because many manufacturers do not specify whether they are suitable for handling leather or not. 

Therefore, it is important to do some research and get the correct information before investing in any machine. This article reviews some of the best leather sewing machines from which you can choose from. 

What is the Best Sewing Machine for Leather?

Sewing Leather is challenging, and you can’t afford to use an ordinary sewing machine for sewing Leather. Even though there are many good sewing machines for Leather around these days, you may find it hard to choose one without proper guidance.

This guide has four great sewing machines for beginners, and this should help you find a suitable one for your project. We tested as many as ten machines, spending some hours before coming up with this guide.

Singer 4423

Singer 4423 is a 97 stitch applications heavy duty sewing machine with enhanced speed, ideal for handling thicker fabrics and long seams. The machine comes with a powerful motor for extra-high sewing speed, which 1100 stitches per minute at the max.

Users can use 4423 for a variety of projects since it includes 23 built-in stitches, including basic, stretch, decorative, and buttonhole stitches. You can also have excellent convenience with 4423 since it contains 4 Presser Feet, an Automatic 1-Step Buttonhole, Easy Stitch Selection, and an automatic needle threader.

4423 also includes various accessories such as all-purpose foot, zipper foot, buttonhole foot, button sewing foot, seam ripper/lint brush, quilting guide, needles, bobbins, screwdriver, auxiliary spool pin, spool pin, etc.

Brother ST371HD

Brother ST371HD is a pretty durable and robust sewing machine with brilliant flexibility. Users can use the machine for sewing fabrics of varying thickness.

The metal needle plate in the machine offers smoother fabric feeding and allows the use of heavyweight needles. The machine supports various stitches from decorative stitches for blind hems, stretch stitches, buttonholes, zipper insertions, and more.

Users can rest assured of great convenience of sewing with ST471HD as it comes with features such as an automatic needle threader, drop-in bobbin, a free versatile arm, six sewing feet, etc. ST471HD lets you sew at a maximum of 800 SPM.

SINGER Stylist 7258

The SINGER Stylist 7258 is a decent computerized sewing machine with 100 built-in stitches and various accessories. The computerized sewing machine provides users with a large LCD to select the stitches and preview them.

Users can effortlessly adjust the stitch length and width. The 2 StayBright LED lights get your sewing surface pretty bright for optimal visibility.

Users find 7258 straightforward to use and pretty advanced.

The machine includes excellent features such as a 6-segment feeding system, built-in reverse, horizontal threading, programmable needle up/down, electronic start and stop, automatic bobbin winding clutch, extra-high presser foot lifter, etc.

MZ-518

MZ-518 is a brilliant portable sewing machine for thick materials backed by walking foot technology. The machine somewhat has an old mechanical sewing quality and supports reverse stitching, alongside stitch length adjustment up to 5mm. Users can use both ZigZag and straight stitches.

You can easily sew Leather, canvas material, and jeans on this machine. Most importantly, the machine is exceptionally durable and reliable.

Wrapping Up

We understand how hard it can be to find the perfect sewing machine for your project sometimes, and the same holds true for finding the best sewing machine for Leather.

However, if you have gone through this review carefully, you should by now be able to choose the most suitable sewing machine for your project without any difficulty.

Reviews of the Leather Sewing Machines 2021 – (Editors’ Choice)

1. Singer 4423 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine

This singer sewing machine is a true workhorse. It has a very powerful motor, which makes the machine 60% stronger than other machines of a similar caliber. This gives the needle that extra push, which is important when you are working on thick seams or tough materials such as leather. Additionally, this motor gives the machine a sewing speed of 1100 stitches per minute, which enables you to finish your projects quickly and on time.

With this, you get a variety of built-in stitches. They include 12 decorative stitches, 6 essential stitches, 4 stretch stitches, and a 1 step buttonhole stitch. This gives you an expansive variety of designs to choose from when working on any project.

Its presser foot pressure is controllable, and this makes it possible to work on both light and heavy fabrics with ease. For leather, you just need to decrease the pressure to the point in which it fits snugly between the foot and the feed dogs for perfect stitching.

For convenience, this sewing machine is very easy to thread. It also has a needle threader, which makes the task of threading the needle effortlessly. This ensures that you get everything in order as quickly as possible before you begin working on your leather project.

Features at a glance

• Heavy-duty metal frame construction holds everything firmly in place while also making it more durable.
• 23 built-in stitches.
• Multiple accessories such as buttonhole foot, zipper foot, bobbins and needles among many others.
• Top drop-in bobbin with transparent case cover.
• Extra high presser foot lifter.
• Reverse lever for switching between front and reverse stitching.

2. Singer 4452 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine 

This is a slightly upgraded version of the singer 4423 sewing machine. It features a similar motor, which is 60% stronger than those found on standard sewing machines, and this enables you to stitch through leather with ease. The motor gives you a top speed of 1100 stitches per minute, which is pretty fast and good for speeding up on project completion.

It has 32 built-in stitches, which include 18 decorative stitches, 7 stretch stitches, 6 basic stitches, and a fully automatic one-step buttonhole stitch. This gives you a decent number of options to choose from for home décor, crafts, and leather stitching projects.

The machine features a stainless steel bedplate that facilitates the smooth flow of light as well as heavy fabrics as they are pulled in by the feed dogs. This simplifies your work because you are only left with the task of guiding the fabric to be stitched at the correct line.

It has a conveniently placed storage try that stores all the accessories for easy access. This tray can be removed to expose the free arm, which makes the machine practical in stitching around cuffs and sleeves of clothing such as leather jackets.

Features at a glance

• Reverse lever for automatic switching between front and reverse stitching.
• Adjustable stitch length.
• Automatic needle threader.
• Top drop-in bobbin with transparent case cover.
• Adjustable presser foot pressure.
• Heavy-duty metal frame construction.
• Multiple accessories such as feet, needles, bobbins, a quilting guide, and screwdriver are included.

3. Singer 4432 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine 

This sewing machine has a heavy-duty metal frame construction that holds everything firmly in place for skip-free sewing. It ensures that everything works in order even as you work on thick or tough fabrics at top speed. This tough frame also makes the machine extremely durable.

It has a stainless steel bedplate, which aids in smoothening the flow of fabric as it is being guided into the needle. At this point, the needle can be set to stitch in 32 different ways, and this includes 18 decorative, 7 stretch, 6 utility, and a one-step buttonhole stitch. Each of these stitches can be adjusted widthwise up to 6mm, giving you more flexibility to work with.

The machine’s work area is quite large and has an LED light to help you have clear visibility as you stitch on dark fabrics. Part of this work area forms the top of the hidden storage compartment that can be removed to expose its free arm. This helps you store all the accessories safely and in a convenient position for quick access.

Features at a glance

• Adjustable presser foot pressure.
• Automatic needle threader.
• The powerful motor makes it quite easy for the needle to pierce through thick seams and tough fabric.
• The sewing speed of 1100 stitches per second.
• Top drop-in bobbin with transparent case cover.
• 32 built-in stitches.
• Extra high presser foot lifter.

4. Brother ST371HD Sewing Machine 

This sewing machine comes with a series of needles that include #16 heavyweight needles. These are quite strong and are designed to pierce through a wide range of thick and weighty fabrics without breaking off. This toughness is complemented by the machine’s strong motor, which makes it even better at stitching such types of fabrics.

It has 37 built-in stitches, which are quite many as compared to other leather sewing machines. These stitches are majorly decorative but also include blind hem, buttonhole, and zipper stitches. The machine is mechanical, but the brother has incorporated a clever way of stitch selection.

It features a strong metal chassis as its foundation, which holds all the components in place and enables you to stitch comfortably at high speeds. The frame also gives it a long service life while still maintaining the same level of performance.

Features at a glance

• Metallic needle plate that protects the threading mechanism while smoothening the fabric feeding at the same time.
• Storage compartment for safely and conveniently storing all the accessories.
• 37 built-in stitches.
• Easy machine and needle threading process. It comes with an automatic needle threader.
• Maximum stitching speed of 800 stitches per minute.

5. Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine

This sewing machine has a simplistic design due to its few buttons and a “soft” look appearance. However, this should not fool you; it packs a punch. It has a powerful motor that gives it a top speed of 860 stitches per minute, which is relatively fast. This, combined with its leather needles, make it quite good at stitching thick and tough fabrics.

It has 18 built-in stitches and an easy stitch selector dial, which simplifies the process of switching to the stitch pattern that you want. Additionally, this relatively small number of built-in stitches itself makes it even easier during selection because you have less to dial through.

Each of these stitches can be adjusted lengthwise or widthwise, with the maximum length being 4mm and maximum width 6.5mm. This gives you more flexibility and more options to work with, and to some extent, makes stitches appear a little bit different, which is especially good for embellishment.

This sewing machine has an extra high presser foot lift, making it suitable for quilting as well as thick stitching fabrics. It also has a dial foot pressure adjustment feature that enables you to adjust between high pressure when sewing light fabrics and low pressure when you are working on thick fabrics.

Features at a glance

• Easy threading is further simplified by an automatic needle threader.
• It comes with multiple accessories, which include bobbins, feet, and needles, among many others.
• Adjustable presser foot pressure.
• Adjustable stitch length and width.
• Removable storage tray exposes a free arm.
• It has a maximum speed of 860 stitches per minute.
• Reverse stitch lever for switching between front and reverse stitching.

Are You Looking For Leather Sewing Machines? Here’s What You Need to Consider

Leather material is not like any other fabric. Thin leather is not particularly stressful to work with, but thick leather presents its own set of challenges. Therefore, there are some features that you need to consider before settling down on one sewing machine. These are:

Power

The engine behind the plastic body should have enough horsepower to stitch through leather with ease. Generally, leather sewing machines come with more powerful motors, and therefore, you only need to check which is the strongest. The stronger it is, the easier it will be to stitch, including at fast speeds because it will experience less strain.

Speed

A stronger motor means a higher sewing speed. High stitching speeds mean that you get to complete your project quickly and on time. However, when working with thick or tough fabrics such as leather, high speed should not always be your friend. 

Sometimes you might need to take it slow so that you get the stitching right because leather is not very forgiving. If you get it wrong, undoing will leave permanent marks on the leather surface, which will diminish the quality of your end product.

Needles

Even if your motor is powerful, you cannot achieve much if you do not have the correct needle set. Weak needles might easily break just before they puncture the fabric, and therefore, you should check whether the machine comes with a leather sewing needle and probably more as accessories.

However, these needles are easily available, and you can buy them cheaply in most online stores. You just need to check the needle’s compatibility with your machine so that they fit perfectly. The only downside to this is that you get to spend more on an accessory that your machine should have come with.

Stitches

Different machines come with a different number of stitches. The more they are, the more the stitching options you have to incorporate different designs into your sewing project. More stitches are especially good if you want decorative stitches to embellish your pieces.

However, more stitches might also mean that the sewing machine is more costly, and thus, you have to strike a balance between the price and number of stitches so that you get the best one to suit your needs.

Convenience

Leather sewing machines should be easy to use. Ease of use ranges in many things, such as threading. Ideally, all modern machines should be easy to thread, but you should get the one that you feel most comfortable threading.

The knobs, dials, and levers should be conveniently placed for easy access so that you can automatically use them even without looking.

A storage tray is also an added advantage because it conveniently stores all the accessories close to you for easy access whenever you want to adjust or replace certain things on the machine.

Lastly, an LED light for the work area is an important addition because it simplifies the process of stitching dark fabrics.

How Do Computerized Industrial Leather Sewing Machines Work?

We all want to perform sewing lather on our home sewing machines. Experts say home sewing machines won’t render you the perfect result of a lather project. Yet, they can do well if you consider their ability.

On the other hand, we have a heavy-duty or industrial sewing machine for various materials, including lather items. Then, there are computerized sewing machines that people use at home and in industry. A computerized lather sewing machine makes it easier, and they are apt at precise stitches. If you look in the market, you will find a heavy-duty computerized sewing machine for sewing leather.

In the industry, the heavy-duty leather sewing machine can be a massive one. Also, industries can utilize smaller computerized leather sewing machines. You can own one for two for your small business. Here, we will discuss how computerized industrial sewing machines complete stitching tasks and their other essential details.

Introductory Ideas About Computerized Lather Industrial Sewing Machines

We all know there are computerized home sewing machines. In other words, they contain automated features. Then, there are computerized industrial sewing machine machines. Note that these computerized sewing machines for home-uses and industrial uses have different mechanisms.

Is it different for lather sewing machines that are used computerized and heavy-duty? Sewing machines that are entirely computerized for industrial uses have the same features and working procedure as computerized industrial sewing machines.

Basic Mechanism Of Industrial Leather Sewing Machine

We already pointed in the preceding section that computerized home using machines differ from a computerized heavy duty sewing machine. Commercial computerized machines have some simple automated features; hence we call them computerized. Well, that’s fair enough since they are automated.

But, computerized heavy-duty sewing machines are extensive computerizes. Unlike simple automation is a home sewing machine, industrial sewing machines/lather sewing machines have complex software incorporated with them. Hence, you need to command them from computers.

And automated home-sewing machines can be operated by pressing buttons set on their body and with a convenient LED screen. They are fundamentally computerized, we won’t deny that, but industrial ones are more complex and bigger than a home-use computerized sewing machine.

Step-By-Step Guide To Working Mechanism Of Computerized Industrial Sewing Machines

It goes without mentioning you need to turn the machine on and computer first to allow them to receive command and operate. You have put the steps chronologically here. Please take a look at them below.

Selecting Designs With A Computer

The main activity starts with a computer. On the computer, you can browse the desired designs or even make some custom designs. The software will connect the sewing machine and the computer later on when you send the designs.

Setting The Lather On The Frames

After sending designs to the machine, you need to get the lather material ready. Usually, industrial sewing machines come with a motorized frame to hold leather or any material under the sewing machine. Well, the frame will hold materials, but you need to employ human hands to clip leather sheets on a frame. Briefly, in this stage, you clip lathers to a frame.

Placing Lather Under The Machine

Once a leather sheet on the frame, the next thing you need to do is place it under the sewing machine. We have already mentioned in the previous section that the frames are motorized. With the motor power, the frame goes under the sewing machine carrying the leather sheet with it. You need to place it very carefully, so the machine can start stitching from the right point.

Sending Designs To Machine

This is an ideal time to send designs to the machine’s memory. You can do it at the very beginning, right after choose or make designs on the computer. However, it’s recommended to send designs to the machine after placing a leather sheet under the needle. The software in the machine’s system will help the machine to receive and process designs.

Setting The Machine From The Control Panel

After the machine receives designs, you can’t command it to start stitching through a lather sheet right away. You need to set the machine. Somewhere near the machine, there will be a control panel.

Through that, you select the stitching styles/patterns, length and width of the target stitches, the speed of the needle, working area, the positioning of the machine, and so on. Once you set these options, you can lower the machine and command it to start stitching the leather sheet under it.

Sensor Activities From The Machine

You have learned that you can set the working area on a leather sheet. Mainly, the machine gets to work on a specified area with the help of a sensor. As you restrict the working area in the machine’s system, it won’t be able to go beyond the limited specified.

Taking Away The Leather Sheet From The Sewing Machine

After a design is complete, you move the frame aside with the help of a motor. You can then unclip the leather sheet and send it to another computerized machine to perform the rest of the sewing.

How Does A Smaller Industrial Sewing Machine Get Its Job Done?

Smaller machines are used to handle small lather pieces. Other than that, all the steps are more or less the same. However, smaller industrial leather sewing machines don’t have frames like the bigger ones. You need to move the lather sheet by hand, and the machine will create the design you sent to it. These small machines can be uses to sew other materials too in an industrial context.

Can They Receive Designs With A Computer?

The control panel near the machine contains a display and buttons; it has several ports. Hence, you can put the machine’s design through a USB device or by connecting a handheld device with a cable.

To Sum Up

Industrial computerized sewing machines are more complicated and costly for their enhanced features and efficiency. They are sizeable in comparison to other sewing machined, and their mechanism is entirely different. We hope you have to build a proper understanding of how industrial leather sewing machine work and how they differ from other sewing machines.  

Top-rated Leather Sewing Machines Comparison Chart

Conclusion

Whether you are a beginner or a professional sewer, getting the correct leather sewing machine might be challenging if you do not know exactly what to look for.

However, from this review and buying guide, you should now be in a better position to buy the best leather sewing machines for your project.