How to Repair Stitching in Leather and Heavy Fabrics

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Torn or worn stitching in light weight leathers can be repaired easily with sewing equipment you can buy at any fabric or department stores. Items like chaps and half-chaps, flashes, saddle pads, blankets can be a do-it-yourself repair that takes minimal time and expense.

You’ll need:

* Sharp scissors
* 2 leather needles
* Heavy duty thread for canvas or leather—the color and weight should match the existing stitching​

 

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Clean up Loose Ends

Trim away any loose and frayed thread. Here I am reattaching a length of zipper on a pair of half chaps. The thread has unraveled and frayed and I am clipping it away being careful not to accidentally cut the leather or the zipper.​

 

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Measure and Cut Thread

Measure out about 2 feet of thread. A longer thread will be too easy to tangle and shorter will be harder to work with. Thread a needle on each end of the thread as pictured.​

 

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Begin Stitching

I am holding the half chap between my knees—a vice like “stitching horse” would be used by a professional doing hand sewing. Begin sewing by inserting the first (either one, just choose) needle through a stitch hole about an inch (2.5cm) behind the area you are replacing so that your new stitching anchors over the existing stitching. Pull the thread tight so that you have an equal amount of thread on each side of the leather and a needle in each hand.​

 

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Continuing the Stitching

Insert a needle through the next stitch hole. (You will always be putting the needles into existing stitch holes, not piercing the leather to make new holes.) Pull the needle through. You will now have both needles on one side, with one thread behind the other.

If you find it difficult to push the needles trying protecting yourself with thimbles or use a "palm". Thimbles you'll find almost anywhere you can buy fabrics and palms are available through leather craft retailers.​

 

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Continue Alternating Needles

Now pass the second needle through the same hole that you passed the first needle through. The needles will now be on opposite sides again.​

 

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Reaching the End

Continue to pass the needles back and forth through the stitch holes until you reach the end of the missing stitching.​

 

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Back-tack to Anchor Stitching

When you reach the end of the repair anchor the end of your threads by stitching back over the existing stitching. This back-tacking eliminates the need for knots that may come undone. If your thread runs out before you finish your repair, begin back at Step One, anchoring your thread about an inch (2.5cm) back into the existing stitching.​

 

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Clean Up The Finished Result

Clip the ends of the thread very close. Your item is now ready for use.​