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I’m living in the mountains of Northern California, where the majority of the fabric we sew on is made of leather. I’m lucky enough to have a few friends who sew patches on leather and I’ve always wanted to join them. In the last year, I’ve been sewing patches on leather and making leather jackets.
If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that I was the only one who ever worked on leather patches and that they would never hire me again, I wouldn’t be able to afford a leather jacket. I’ve tried to tell anyone who would listen that the patch is far more than just a utilitarian piece of leather. It’s a form of social expression.
Patch making is a very interesting business. So many people in the leather and apparel industry have been looking for a way to make a living from their trade. Many of the companies making leather patches have opened factories in other countries to take care of the local leather trade. The process of sewing a patch on leather is very much like sewing a stitch on a pair of jeans. Like the jeans, the patch will need to be sewn on in several places.
Patch making is a very skilled trade. It is by far one of the most difficult to learn, and requires great training and dedication. But the rewards can be very rewarding. This week, for instance, I spent an hour on a patch sewing class. It took me about an hour to learn the skills needed to make patches, plus I learned a little about the business. I’m still learning, so I’ll keep you updated on my patch making journey.
I also learned that if you don’t pay attention to the threads, you will never make your patches. That’s because all the thread is made of thread, which is a very slippery substance.
I don’t know about you, but the only threads that I keep on a pair of jeans are the ones that are made of the hardest material. I guess this is why I usually wear jeans that are made of denim. But I guess you can’t really go wrong with leather patchwork. I just wish I would have paid more attention to the thread.
I think it’s really great that leather is actually treated with such care. It really makes a really nice, smooth texture. I have a pair of jeans that I purchased in 1999 that are made from a leather that was treated with a special paste. They are absolutely magnificent.
As great as leather jeans are, the quality of leather is not what you expect from a patch. You’ll be pleased to know that most patches contain just one layer of the leather, while others are double-layered. Double-layered patches are made with a special, thicker glue that helps the leather adhere to itself.
I’ll admit, I don’t know much about leather. I have a leather jacket, but I’m not exactly sure how that would apply to patching.
The new Deathloop is a really cool game that’s coming to Xbox 360 and PS3 in the fall. It’s a game with a few flaws, but it’s definitely great if you’re a fan of stealth games that are really hard to play. And, like a lot of games, it has a multiplayer component. You can play Deathloop with up to six other people.
