Using Glue on Washable Leather Appliques
If you are like me, you have had problems sewing (or keeping) small pieces of leather appliqués on your washable goods. There are a lot of glues available for leather artists, but none of them were designed to stay on through the washing cycle. Not too surprising, considering most leather items were never intended to be washed.
Leather’s tendency to rip along perforated lines makes it impossible to reinforce small pieces of an appliqué as well as they should be to prevent them from coming loose in the wash. Whether you are adding a leather appliqué to a clothing item or attaching it to the top of your soft-sole leather shoe, the proper glue can make a huge difference.
Contact Cement
When I first started having problems with pieces of my appliqués washing off I contacted my local leather store and was told to use Contact Cement. After purchasing a bottle I took it home and tried it out. It worked fine on rough leather, just not finished or smooth leather. The instructions actually state that you need to “roughen” up the area. How do you roughen up (with sandpaper, mind you) a space the size of a pencil head? I used contact cement on some antenna balls on an appliqué for my son’s shoes. They stayed on through three days of intense play and then I washed them. One antenna made it through the wash, the other did not.
Fabric Glues
Since I wanted the item to be washable, I decided to try fabric glues. I tried several different brands; some adhered immediately and others had to sit for 24 hours. All of them came off in the wash. I finally tried Liquid Stitch and I’ve been using it ever since. It’s easy to use, easy to clean up afterwards, and EVEN ON SHINY leather it holds through the washing machine!
Applying the Glue
Applying the glue, Liquid Stitch, lightly has worked out best for me. After cutting out my appliqué pieces I apply glue to them and assemble them on the shoe top exactly as they should go. This allows me to be sure the appliqués are placed exactly in the same place on each shoe and facing the correct way. It will also prevent the leather of the shoe or the appliqué from becoming stretched while sewing the appliqué on.
When the glue is dry I sew around any open edges; making sure each piece of leather has some seam through it. The glue allows me to use less stitches and keeps the appliqués in place; even through the wash.
About the Author
Misty Marquardt is the designer and owner of Make Them Yourself patterns. She has over 20 years experience sewing with all fabrics and is currently teaching classes on making leather shoes at the University of Texas. Visit her site to check out her pattern line: http://www.makethemyourself.com.
