Leather baby shoes are both adorable and practical for small, growing feet. Studies show that learning to walk barefoot is best for a baby’s development, and soft leather soles allow little feet to be protected while still providing the flexibility and feel of walking barefoot. Sewing leather can be intimidating, but I’m here to show you that it’s doable for even an advanced beginner seamstress. In this post, I’ll show you tips and tricks for how to make leather baby shoes with a standard (vintage) sewing machine.
Sewing Leather with a Regular (Vintage) Sewing Machine
While it is best to sew leather with a machine specifically for that purpose, not everyone is ready to invest $1-2k in a machine when new to leather sewing.
The least expensive way to start sewing leather is with a vintage sewing machine! Vintage machines are made of all steel and are much stronger than new plastic machines. They can often be found for free or very cheap!
One day I went into my local sewing shop because my sewing machine was having a problem, and the owner informed me that it was because I was using thick topstitching thread in my machine. Apparently, my Pfaff 3.0 can’t handle anything thicker than standard thread!
I was bummed about this and expressed that I loved the look of thick thread on my linen garments and that I also wanted to learn to sew leather. He left the room and immediately came back with a vintage Kenmore machine that he GAVE to me for free!
For reference, my vintage Sears Kenmore sewing machine is series 158. 15000. It was made in 1969 and is very heavy. Kenmore 158 series machines are well-loved as workhorse machines. Some have been dubbed “The Beast”, and I’ve been told they can sew through a wooden yardstick! (Though I don’t plan to test that capability)
One of the most well-loved vintage Kenmore machines is the 158. 1941, featuring a more powerful motor than many machines at that time. Kenmore was one of the last companies to switch from all metal construction to plastic. If you can get your hands on a Kenmore made in the 60s or 70s, you are off to a great start sewing lightweight leather!
Supplies needed for sewing leather baby shoes
Leather Sewing Needles – These are the needles I use. Make sure that whatever you get is compatable with your machine. If you can’t find leather needles, use a size 16 needle.
good scissors – a pair of quality scissors is needed to cut out the leather pieces. An Exacto knife set can also be handy for cutting out small pieces.
#69 bonded nylon thread or other heavy thread. I have also used Coats Outdoor thread
sewing clips – holes from pins and needles are permanent in leather, so it is best to use clips to hold the pieces in place while sewing. Some people even like to glue their leather pieces together before sewing, so nothing shifts.
Grommets (optional) – grommets (also called eyelets) come in many sizes. They come with a little die to set to hold them in place while hammering.
Snaps – Similar to grommets, snaps can be hammered into place by hand, or you can use a snap press to apply them.
A Hammer for applying snaps and grommets
A baby shoe pattern (see below)
Leather scrap (see below)
Where to Find Leather Scrap for Sewing Baby Shoes
Sewing can be an expensive hobby, so I always recommend checking thrift stores for materials when you are just starting out. I have found inexpensive leather items such as a $5 leather apron (shown above), which I used to make baby shoes.
My favorite place to find leather is Springfield Leather Company in Missouri. I live in California where leather shops are scarce, so when I visit family in Missouri it is such a treat to go to Springfield Leather. They have bags of scrap leather free with purchase, and I’ve used those free bags to make many pairs of baby shoes! They have a good online presence as well, so check them out and see if you can pick up some inexpensive leather scrap to get started.
Etsy is also a great place to find leather! I have bought little 8″x10″ or 12″x12″ pieces of printed leather, such as the floral leathers shown in this post. The floral leathers shown on this page are from PeggySueAlso on Etsy, while the coordinating solids came from free leather scrap packs.
JoAnns Fabrics also has a little bit of leather. Sometimes they have scrap bags, and with one of their 50% coupons, it’s an inexpensive way to get started!
Patterns for Sewing Leather Baby Shoes
This Ruffled Mary Jane shoe pattern is a favorite shoe pattern that I have sewn. It may not be best for your very first pair, as the ruffle and double layer with elastic in the strap make it a little trickier. But how cute is it?!
I must say I had this pattern saved in my Etsy favorites a full decade before I made it, though that was partly because I didn’t have a daughter to sew for until I was a decade into motherhood.
It works with very thin leather. If the leather is not thin enough to gather, I have also left the ruffle off, and it is still adorable and fits so well on little feet.
Here is first pair of leather baby shoes that I sewed, made of free scrap leather in a burgundy color. They were not perfect, but my absolute favorite shoes on my 1-year-old.
Another pattern shop I’ve purchased shoe patterns from is L’Enfant Kidswear Patterns on Etsy.
This pattern is a great beginner pattern, simpler than the ruffled shoes shown above. This shop has many other cute shoe patterns as well!
No-Sew Leather Sandals
If you’re intimidated by sewing leather or don’t yet have a machine to use, this no-sew Sun Sandals pattern looks like a really cool place to start! I haven’t tried these yet, but I’d like to make them for my daughter in the spring. Barefoot shoes are gaining popularity, and this pattern looks like a perfect way to dip your toe into shoemaking. (pun intended)
Final Thoughts on Sewing Leather Baby Shoes
I hope this post has given you some inspiration and ideas for how to make leather baby shoes! Learning a new skill is so satisfying!
It can also be frustrating at times. I’ve temporarily thrown in the towel a few times, like when the bobbin winder broke on my old machine. I resorted to hand-winding the bobbins, but it wasn’t sewing well.
One day it occurred to me that hand-winding might cause tension issues. I rolled up my sleeves, took the top of the machine off, and ordered a new bobbin winder. When it arrived, I screwed the new one in, and I was back to producing beautiful shoes once again! Don’t give up, keep learning and growing.
Maybe this will be your step to falling in love with leather sewing and eventually going on to buy a beautiful high-end leather sewing machine!
What do you think? Have you ever tried sewing leather?
Do you have a vintage machine sitting around just begging to be used?
Happy Leather Sewing!
Looking for more leather crafting ideas?
Check out these 12 Free No-Sew Leather Project Gift Ideas
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My first sewing machine was a vintage Singer! They definitely don’t make things like they used to. Although I do like the buttonhole maker on my cheap plastic sewing machine. Until I had this machine, I avoided buttonholes!
All of the shoe patterns you shared here are so cute, but my favorite is the tan beginner pattern with the little eyelets. 😍 It would be so fun to interchange different laces!