How Do You Do Upholstery With Leather?
Leather usually comes from cowhide. Cowhide has about 3 yards of usable material. If you want to reupholster a chair, you will need two or three hides that match in color and texture. These can be purchased from tanners. Your sewing machine must be able to do heavy work. You will need special leather needles. Try to tackle a smaller project first to get the feel of working with leather, but with a little confidence, you can take on a whole chair. Use the existing upholstery as your pattern. This project is a leather pillow with welting and button tufting that will get you started. Find the straight grain of the hide, and mark it on the back side of the material. If you are using buttons, calculate a little extra yardage because the buttons pull the material in and shrink the project slightly. A 12-inch pillow with a center button and four more should be at least 14 inches to begin. Cut two squares. You will also want welting at the edges of your pillow, so cut 52 inches of hide on the
