1. Select the Right Needle and Thread

• For genuine leather (thin to medium weight), use a leather needle size 90/14 or 100/16 with a chisel or wedge point.
• For vinyl, faux leather, or laminated fabrics, use a microtex or sharp needle size 90/14 to 100/16.
• For very thick leather or upholstery vinyl, consider size 110/18.
• Thread your machine with polyester or bonded nylon thread for strength and durability.
• Wind a matching bobbin and insert it into your machine.

2. Install a Specialty Presser Foot

• Attach a walking foot, roller foot, or Teflon foot to your machine to prevent the leather or vinyl from sticking and dragging.
• A walking foot feeds the top and bottom layers evenly and is ideal for thick or slippery materials.
• A roller foot has small wheels that roll over sticky surfaces without gripping.
• A Teflon foot has a non-stick coating that glides smoothly over vinyl and laminated fabrics.
• If you don’t have specialty feet, try placing tissue paper or tear-away stabilizer on top of the vinyl to reduce friction.

3. Adjust Machine Settings

• Set your stitch length to 3.0–4.0 mm (longer stitches reduce perforation and prevent weakening the material).
• Lower the presser foot pressure if your machine has this adjustment (consult your manual).
• Use a straight stitch for seams; avoid zigzag unless finishing raw edges on faux leather.
• Set tension to normal or slightly reduce upper tension if the seam puckers (test on scraps).

4. Prepare Your Fabric Pieces

• Cut your leather or vinyl pieces with sharp fabric scissors, a rotary cutter with a fresh blade, or a craft knife on a cutting mat.
• Mark seamlines and placement guides with tailor’s chalk, a washable pen, or chalk pencil (test first on scraps to ensure marks can be removed).
• Do not pin pieces together; instead, use fabric clips, binder clips, Wonder Clips, leather glue, double-sided basting tape, or washable fabric glue stick to hold layers.
• For curves or shaped seams, apply small dots of leather glue along the seam allowance and finger-press layers together; let dry briefly before stitching.

5. Test on Scrap First

• Layer two scraps of your leather or vinyl together and stitch a test seam.
• Check for even feeding, no puckering, clean needle penetration, and balanced tension.
• Adjust stitch length, presser foot pressure, or needle size as needed.
• Confirm your specialty foot is preventing sticking and that the fabric moves smoothly..

6. Stitch Your Seam

• Align the fabric edges or marked seamlines and secure with clips.
• Place the fabric under the presser foot, lower the foot, and begin stitching at a slow to moderate speed.
• Guide the fabric gently without pulling or pushing; let the feed dogs and walking foot do the work.
• For thick seams or intersections, hand-walk the machine over the bulk by turning the handwheel manually.
• If the vinyl sticks, layer tissue paper on top or underneath and stitch through it; tear away the paper after.

7. Finish Thread Tails

• On thick leather, avoid backstitching at the start and end; instead, leave 4–6 in thread tails and tie off manually with a square knot on the wrong side.
• On thinner faux leather or vinyl, you may backstitch carefully or use a locking stitch if available.
• Trim thread tails to about 1/2 in after securing.

8. Press or Flatten Seams

• Never use a hot iron directly on vinyl, faux leather, or coated fabrics—it will melt or leave permanent marks.
• For genuine leather, you may carefully press seams with a low-heat iron and a pressing cloth; test first.
• For vinyl and faux leather, finger-press seams open or to one side, then flatten with a seam roller, bone folder, or rubber mallet.
• Use clips or heavy books to hold seams flat while they set if needed.

9. Topstitch or Edgestitch (Optional)

• To secure seams or add a professional finish, topstitch 1/8–1/4 in from the seamline using the same long stitch length.
• Use a walking foot or Teflon foot and sew slowly for control.
• Consider using contrasting thread for a decorative effect, or matching thread for an invisible look.

10. Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Needle breaks or bends: Switch to a larger or leather-specific needle; sew more slowly; hand-walk thick areas.
• Skipped stitches: Use a fresh needle; ensure you’re using the correct needle type (leather or microtex); reduce sewing speed.
• Fabric sticks to presser foot: Install a walking foot, roller foot, or Teflon foot; or layer tissue paper on top.
• Seam puckers: Increase stitch length; reduce presser foot pressure; loosen upper tension slightly.
• Permanent pin holes: Always use clips or glue—never pins—on leather or vinyl.
• Thread breaks: Check tension settings; use strong polyester or bonded nylon thread; ensure thread path is correct.