【客戶提供 | Guest Post】DIY Leather Costume Tips and Tricks


Leather can be sewn into almost any kind of costume out of it. A lot of people are often apprehensive about using leather for their costume because it's hard to work with. But in this article, we'll be sharing how to make your leather costume dreams possible. Here are some tips and tricks to get you started with your leather costume.

Test Your Material

Before you start with your DIY, you need to test your leather first. You need to test it for its flexibility, durability, and the type of stitch that suits the material. You want to get to know the kind of material you're working with, so you can adjust how you'll work around it. Once you've tried the type of leather you'll use, you have a better sense of whether it's the kind of material you're looking for.

Another important reason why you need to test your material is that you want to eliminate all potential sources of mistake. If the material is something you can't work with, then at least you can look for alternatives.

Make Sure it Fits Perfectly

One of the reasons why you’d probably want to wear or use leather is for tight costumes. Often, many cosplayers use leather in their costumes because it accentuates their bodies and portrays their character better. To make their cosplay realistic, they even wear crazy and clear contacts for cosplay to complement their look. Tight leather costumes are popular today, and if there's one thing you should know before you do your project, is to get all the measurements down.

You can’t afford to make a mistake in the measurements, because there’s no redemption. Once you’ve punctured a hole on your leather, there’s no going back for you unless you start all over again. You need to get the proportions down accurately, so all you'll have to do is sew and wear it afterward. If you make a mistake, you'd have to work on the entire thing again. Working with leather is unlike other materials, and it's for this reason, which makes leather often challenging to work with.

Never Use Pins

When you use pins to work with your leather, you're tearing your material and leaving it with a hole. Unless you're going for this kind of look, you should never use pins. In the alternative, tape and clips are great to work within crafting that seamless and flawless look for leather materials. Invisible tapes are also used often, especially if you want that smooth look.

Cut Your Patterns One At A Time

If you have any patterns for your costume, make sure to trace it one by one on the material, so each cut out ends up with the same. Don't forget to put the sketch on the opposite side of the leather and use a marker or tailor's chalk to guide you. Instead of using scissors for cutting, rotary cutters can do the job correctly. Don't rush cutting your patterns and cut it one at a time if you have to. There's little room for error when you're using leather, and rushing things won't make it any better.

Choose Your Needles Well

There's no way for you to sew your costume without using needles. This being the case, you need to choose a needle that works well with leather. You need to remember that leather, unlike other materials, is denser and thicker. You'll be needing a durable needle that can pierce the material smoothly. You don't want to risk any needle getting stuck on your leather because it's too thin or light compared to the material you're working on.

Scotch Tapes are Your Friends

One of the problems you'll experience when sewing leather is that it'll stick to the presser foot or throat plate at any time. This is very annoying for many sewers because a lot could go wrong, especially when you're working with leather. One of the major disasters you might face is when your leather gets stuck on the plate, and the material rips when you pull it.

You can avoid this from happening entirely by using scotch tape. Who knew that scotch tape could be such a good solution. If you place scotch tape on the bottom of your plate or universal foot, leather can glide smoothly as you set your costume.

Don’t Mind Unfinished Seams

Once your costume is done, you're next to target is it probably clean out the seams. When you're working with leather, you don't have to worry about having an unfinished seam because sometimes keeping it as is often looks better. However, if you want to put seams on your costumes, make sure to consider which ones would look good for your overall outfit. You can choose from:
       Single or double topstitched;
       Faux flat-fell; and
       Lapped;

If you don't want the hassle of finishing up your seams, you can opt to glue them instead with an adhesive compatible with leather.

Now that you know the tips and tricks in handling leather, you're now ready to craft your leather costume. You can finally achieve that effortless, seamless, and elegant look you've always wanted, without breaking a sweat. Our tips and tricks are easy to remember, but it sure is helpful and essential for anyone planning to make their DIY costume.


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