WOW, so glad I read all these posts as my son just gave me a Deer Hide to made pillows out of, I'll need to get a leather needle for sure then I'll try expirmenting before sewing the pillows. Its a very soft hide too.

Forgive my butting in but those are some ugly machines. Do people really spend money on things like that?

I have never seen so many people with so much knowledge. I love this board! We can ask about anything and get good instruction.

You bet they do - then they make something nobody else can because THEY have the machine that will do it. MistyK you are welcome to 'butt in' anytime you want.

I use a strip of light weight interfacing on the inside seams of leather or hydes. It will protect it from the feed dogs. You can leave it in where it doesn't show or remove it where it does. It also helps to glue the seams together. You can stitch right through the glue. It does not stretch as much when it has been glued. I have just altered a leather vest that I had to top stitch around the armholes. I glued the armhole seam to the inside and then arranged the lining at the armhole. I used the interfacing strip inside the seam where it was glued. You only get one chance to top stitch and it worked out really well. I used a regular needle sz16 to top stitch. Go slow and be sure to keep the article flat as you stitch so that bunching does not occur if you are not doing a straight seam.

Thank you. I am reeeeally new to sewing and quilting and looking around for a machine. I just couldn't believe anyone would be buying something like that. I mean, an old machine is one thing, but those looked like they would get dirt, gunk and rust all over anything someone was trying to sew. I know I have a lot to learn, this shows how much. LOL

Misty, you would be surprised how much you can clean those dirty old machines and how well they will work. Here is a link to a little Japanese 15 clone I cleaned up http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...r-t169127.html and here is a link about Singer 319 in really dirty condition http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...c-t162425.html and yes they do sew just fine now that they are clean.

Yep we sure do spend money on our vintage sewing machines. Actually the prices we pay are very small compared to the computerized, plastic sewing machines available today. I enjoy the challenge of the "HUNT" and "FIXING". Our vintage girls were built to last and they have. Most of the time all they need is some cosmetic cleaning and oiling that can be done by ourselves. A local sewing and repair shop quoted me a price of $120.00 to service one of my first class 15 Singer clone machines. All she needed was oil, motor grease and a thorough cleaning and lint removal underneath which I did myself. She sews and purrs like a kitten. Trust me, once you are bitten by the "Vintage Sewing Machine Bug" you will be incurable.

Really, if you think about it - the vintage machines are CHEAP even the expensive ones. If you look at what they paid back when and then what you would pay in today's dollars....... they are cheap. AND they will last a very long time with good care. The newer machines will go awhile and then go in a land fill - so much plastic and stamped metal. The old machines are so well made - even the most basic machines were better made than the new machine you can buy for the same money - actually you can't touch them...

You will want to go ahead and use the leather needle and a rather long stitch length. If you look at commercial leather goods, this is most likely what you will find. For hand stitching my husband and son use the waxed thread available from Tandy/Leather Factory. At this time they have not done any stitching of leather on a machine as they mostly use the heavier weight leathers for their projects. Since you are using a lighter weight leather, I would think you could use upholstery thread very successfully on your machine. Let us see pictures of your pouch when done!