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 own clothes easily. However, as much as sewing is quite simplified nowadays, the effort required to stitch leather is much more as compared to sewing regular 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. 
Editor’s Choice Best Leather Sewing Machines
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 really 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 effortless. This ensures that you get everything 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.
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.
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 at a convenient position for quick access.
Features at a glance
- Adjustable presser foot pressure.
- Automatic needle threader.
- Powerful motor makes it quite easy for the needle to pierce through thick seams and tough fabric.
- Sewing speed of 1100 stitches per second.
- Top drop-in bobbin with transparent case cover.
- 32 built-in stitches.
- Extra high presser foot lifter.
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 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. Comes with an automatic needle threader.
- Maximum stitching speed of 800 stitches per minute.
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 stitching thick 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.
- 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 free arm.
- It has a maximum speed of 860 stitches per minute.
- Reverse stitch lever for switching between front and reverse stitching.
Consider Before Buying Best Leather Sewing Machines
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.
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. Conclusion
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