Matching Leather With the Right Sewing Machine Foot

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Selecting the right presser foot is essential for learning how to sew leather with a machine. Leather types can vary significantly in texture and rigidity, so they interact with presser feet differently — and an incompatible foot can leave scuffs, dents and scratches on your leather. Protect your projects by exploring the best presser feet for leather. In this blog, we’ll discuss the types of leather presser feet. Then we’ll recommend a foot to use with different leathers for damage-free sewing.

Matching Leather With the Right Sewing Machine Foot

Presser Foot Options

When sewing leather, choose the presser foot that will best preserve the leather’s unique look without marring the surface. Sailrite^® offers three options for presser foot textures: sawtooth, knurled and smooth. Each type has unique properties that affect the results of your leather sewing. We’ll cover presser feet for walking foot sewing machines in this blog.

A sawtooth foot comes standard on the Sailrite^® Fabricator^® and Sailrite^® Ultrafeed^® Sewing Machines. If you have one of these machines, you may be tempted to use the sawtooth foot to skip the extra expense of buying a specialty leather foot.

X Ht 300775 3 — The sawtooth foot set's teeth are too aggressive for most leathers.

While you technically can use the sawtooth foot to sew leather, it’s not a good option. This foot set has large teeth on the feeding surfaces that aggressively grip materials. This is great for fabrics, but leaves unsightly dents, scuffs and other damage on leather. For that reason, we don't recommend using the sawtooth foot to sew leather.

Instead, you’ll want to use either the smooth foot or the knurled foot. Let’s explore the features of these special foot sets to show you why they’re better choices for delicate materials. We’ll also tell you which leathers they pair best with.

Smooth Presser Foot

X Ht 300775 4 — This three-piece smooth foot set for the Fabricator includes the center presser foot.

The smooth presser foot is polished and texture-free, so it won’t leave marks or impressions on delicate leathers. Instead of textured feeding surfaces, this presser set feeds leather with the pressure from the foot and feed dog together. The gentlest presser foot Sailrite offers, this foot is ideal for smooth, soft leathers that are easily marred or scratched by any texture on the foot — not just aggressive teeth.

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Knurled Presser Foot

X Ht 300775 5 — A pattern of diamond-shaped ridges gives the knurled foot and feed dog their texture.

The knurled presser foot features a ridged surface that provides a subtle grip on materials. This foot has enough texture to maintain control over the leather’s movement, but not so much that it marks the material. The added grip is ideal for thicker or more textured leathers, such as suede, which need extra traction to sew smoothly. Just note that a knurled foot may leave slight marks on the softest materials; if you’re working with extremely delicate leather, the smooth foot set may be a better choice for your project.

A knurled presser foot comes standard on the Sailrite^® Leatherwork^®, meaning this heavy duty leather sewing machine is ready to stitch right out of the box.

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Best Presser Feet for Different Leather Types

To select the right sewing foot for your needs, it's important to consider the specific properties of the leather you want to use. Different leathers react differently to pressure and friction. Key properties to keep in mind include:

Softness: Some leathers are pliable, while others are stiff. In general, softer leathers are more prone to marks from the presser foot. However, keep in mind that firm veg tan leather holds impressions well.
Thickness: Thicker leather requires a foot that can handle greater bulk without slipping. However, take care not to use a foot that will mark the leather simply by exerting the pressure needed to feed a thick material or assembly.
Surface Texture: The leather’s texture affects how much texture the presser foot needs to feed it successfully. Textured leathers give the presser foot more to grip onto, but they also produce more friction when fed through the machine.
Scratch Resistance: Certain leathers are more easily marked by textured presser feet or excessive pressure, while others can withstand more friction or texture.
Surface Finish: Some leathers have coatings or finishes that protect the surface from damage, such as the waxy finish of pull-up leather. Avoid scuffing away the finish with a foot, as this can compromise more than just scratch resistance.

Now, let’s match specific leather types with the presser foot that our leather expert, Corbin, recommends for each one. We’ll focus on the types of leathers that Sailrite currently offers.

Vegetable Tanned Cowhide

Vegetable tanned cowhide is known for its dimensional stability and natural, rugged appearance. It often starts out firm but softens over time with use. This untreated leather is highly sensitive to scratches. Smooth, firm veg tan is also very prone to holding impressions — a great quality for stamping and tooling, but not great when sewing with a textured foot that may leave track marks.

X Ht 300775 6 — Veg tan sewn with a smooth foot (left), knurled foot (center) and sawtooth foot (right). Notice the gouges from the sawtooth foot and the dimpling from the knurled foot.

Best Presser Foot: A smooth presser foot glides over the surface of veg tan without leaving visible marks or scratches. The lack of texture on the presser foot minimizes friction, feeding the leather smoothly while reducing the risk of marring the surface.

Chrome Tanned Cowhide

Chrome tanned cowhide is generally softer and more flexible than its veg tan counterpart. It's widely used in applications that require pliability and a smooth finish. Chrome tan leather is also more resistant to scratches than veg tan, although it can still be marked by heavy pressure.

Best Presser Foot: This soft, supple leather benefits from the smooth presser foot’s non-abrasive surface, ensuring the leather maintains its integrity. Adjust the downward pressure of your sewing machine’s presser bar as needed to avoid marking the leather with excessive force.

Chrome Tanned Pigskin

Chrome tanned pigskin is thinner and more delicate than cowhide, with a soft, supple feel. It is lightweight, making it suitable for lining applications and smaller projects. It is less scratch-prone but can still stretch and deform under excess pressure.

X Ht 300775 7 — Pigskin sewn with a smooth foot (left), knurled foot (center) and sawtooth foot (right). Note the marks that the two textured feet left behind.

Best Presser Foot: The smooth presser foot is the best choice for this leather. Although gentle, the texture on the knurled foot may still mar or stretch this sensitive material. The smooth foot is less likely to cause distortion or unnecessary pressure on pigskin leather.

Chrome Tan Buffalo Leather

Chrome tan buffalo leather is known for its combination of softness and durability. While thicker than cowhide, buffalo leather is more pliable and has a distinctive grain that gives it a rugged, textured appearance. Despite its toughness, it can still be sensitive to pressure during sewing.

Best Presser Foot: The knurled presser foot is the best choice for chrome tan buffalo leather. The leather’s natural grain gives the knurled foot’s gently textured surface something to grab onto. The smooth foot may not offer enough control, while the knurled foot strikes the right balance between grip and gentleness.

Suede

Known for its soft, napped texture, suede is very different from full- or top-grain leathers. Suede is less durable when it comes to abrasion and pressure. Its delicate, velvety surface can be damaged easily by rough handling, but its texture calls for a foot with some grip to feed it smoothly.

Best Presser Foot: A knurled presser foot is the best choice for suede. The knurled surface gently grips the leather’s fibrous surface, feeding the suede smoothly without causing visible damage.

Corbin's Most-Used Presser Foot

Corbin uses both of these presser feet in the course of his leather projects. But is there one that he uses more often than the other? Yes — and it comes down to the type of leather he sews most. Here's what he told us.

X Ht 300775 8 — The Left Zipper Foot doesn’t have a right toe. Use it to sew very close to the material's edge or to an obstacle like a zipper.

"My go-to presser foot for leatherwork is the Smooth Left Foot Set for the Sailrite Leatherwork and the Left Zipper Foot for the Sailrite Fabricator. Since I work with a lot of natural veg tan leather, I don't want to risk marring it with a textured foot.

"I love left presser feet because they allow me to get very close to the edge and clearly see the piece as I sew. This setup is extremely versatile for the type of work I do, and it’s how I have my machine set up at least 90% of the time."

Although he mostly uses the smooth foot, Corbin recommends both feet for leatherwork depending on the leather you're using.

Start Off on the Right Foot

Now that you understand the differences between these fantastic presser feet and how they interact with various leathers, you can select the one that will improve the quality of your sewing and preserve the beauty of your finished item with every new DIY. The guidelines in this blog should help you choose the sewing machine walking foot that will give you the best results with any leather.

Save yourself the time, money and headache of having to restart a ruined project by adding leather foot sets to your workshop before you sew a single stitch. Investing in specialty foot sets upfront will pay massive dividends in the quality of your finished leather goods. And don’t forget to test a scrap piece of leather to verify your foot choice before you start your project!

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If you have any questions about how to machine sew leather that this blog didn’t answer, please reach out to us via phone, email or the chat function on our website. Our highly trained customer service team and dedicated leather specialist are ready to help you find the solutions you need to create pristine leather projects!