Leather Quilting Score!

Score!
I so love PR friends!

Clothing engineer totally solved the stitching problem. I got Gutterman heavy duty thread and a topstitching needle and I can actually quilt the leather with the much prettier heavy duty thread.

If this turns out at all, I will owe fabulousness to her!

Now for the details:
Quilted with heavy duty Gutterman thread with a size 16 topstitching needle.  I layered one layer of natural batting between the leather and my under-layer which is hair canvas.  I spaced the seams with 1" masking tape which didn't mess up the finish of the leather.  I chose the hair canvas because of its crispness and its ability to hold shape.  I saw no reason to add the bulk of another layer of leather.

You can see on the backside that there are still some thread loops and knots, but I don't see that being a deal breaker.  FWIW, I think the trouble with the thread loops arose from where the top thread got caught on something in the bobbin case.  Just my thoughts.  I will handle this by putting some fray check where the thread comes through so it doesn't pull through to the right side.

For the record, the hardest part was getting a straight piece of masking tape off of the ancient roll that I found in a box in the garage.  It sticks and tears very easily, but it doesn't leave a residue on the leather.

Sorry, someone pointed out that I hadn't posted a pattern picture.  This can still be found on sewing patterns.com (I think).  Or you could just do what I do and send Marfy and email and ask them to send it to you.  They will kindly oblige and send you a paypal invoice.  As long as UPS doesn't lose it!
I am quilting the front and back yoke, omitting those front yoke tabs and using a Riri rainbow zipper instead of those buttons.