What faux leather would you recommend for custom clothes?

[Siead]

randomness, but i often cheat when i need leather or fake-leather and just go look at thrift-shop purses. sometimes the leather is stamped into decent patterns for padded armour, or i'll get lucky and find it dyed a colour already that i could use.

[maywong]

Used leather gloves will work too. They are really soft and easy to work with.

[MeltedCaramel]

Thanks everyone for all the tips and tricks. Ideally I think I'm (I won't know for sure until I buy it) looking for something like UltraPleather, because it's got that pleather "shiny armour" faux look on one side and is still soft enough to work on smaller dolls with if the UltraSuede I bought is anything to go by (this stuff is so buttery and soft and gorgeous, I could see a jacket being made out of it *_*). Thrift shop purses might be a good idea though because they're cheap and thin, a combination I love. X3

[victoriavictrix]

Thanks everyone for all the tips and tricks. Ideally I think I'm (I won't know for sure until I buy it) looking for something like UltraPleather, because it's got that pleather "shiny armour" faux look on one side and is still soft enough to work on smaller dolls with if the UltraSuede I bought is anything to go by (this stuff is so buttery and soft and gorgeous, I could see a jacket being made out of it *_*). Thrift shop purses might be a good idea though because they're cheap and thin, a combination I love. X3

I've gotten scraps of UltraLeather in my scrap grab bags and it is every bit as nice, flexible and soft as UltraSuede. One thing you won't know until you actually put a needle in it is that although it is just as tough as real leather/suede, it is as easy to sew with as felt. Easier, really. The needle just glides through. Did I mention that both are also machine washable?

[MeltedCaramel]

The only thing I've noticed is everywhere they sell UltraLeather they mention (and show) it being used in upholstery form. Is there different versions of it or is UltraLeather truly strong enough to be fabric-grade thin and still used to upholster things? I'd love to try some of this stuff as the UltraSuede I bought off of Etsy is gorgeous and feels wonderful (I am going to find SOMETHING to do with it!) but I don't want to make a $30 mistake (I can't seem to find anyone not selling by the yard *sigh*) and buy a yard of something fit to upholster a boat, not make faux-armour for my 1/6 dolls. Also, your mention of the ease-of-sewing is really, really making a case for the stuff. I was planning to sew in the divides and decorations that signify decorative bending in the metal, and in one case I had planned to sew on an entire kanji character on the character's chest armour.

[victoriavictrix]

The only thing I've noticed is everywhere they sell UltraLeather they mention (and show) it being used in upholstery form. Is there different versions of it or is UltraLeather truly strong enough to be fabric-grade thin and still used to upholster things? I'd love to try some of this stuff as the UltraSuede I bought off of Etsy is gorgeous and feels wonderful (I am going to find SOMETHING to do with it!) but I don't want to make a $30 mistake (I can't seem to find anyone not selling by the yard *sigh*) and buy a yard of something fit to upholster a boat, not make faux-armour for my 1/6 dolls. Also, your mention of the ease-of-sewing is really, really making a case for the stuff. I was planning to sew in the divides and decorations that signify decorative bending in the metal, and in one case I had planned to sew on an entire kanji character on the character's chest armour.

http://www.fieldsfabricsonline.com/Ultr ... r_c_8.html

"Order as little as an 1/8 yard (.125) See Fractions Chart The only online store with that choice!"

The scraps of Ultraleather that I have gotten from Fields Fabrics in their scrap bags have been about the same weight as the Ultrasuede

[MeltedCaramel]

Thank you so much victoriavictrix!!! I just did a sample order of $12 of 1/8 of a yard of their UltraLeather in black. I really like that the store offers paypal payment too!! So simple and painless!! Thank you so much for the tip!! <3

[victoriavictrix]

If you like the Ultraleather you get, I highly recommend their scrap bags. You get a LOT of Ultrasuede/leather in 8 oz, it's a 2 quart baggie worth. Then when you need a little bit of something for a belt or accessories, it will be on hand.

[MeltedCaramel]

I will definitely keep that in mind, especially because I just got my vinyl in black and silver (the two most common body armour types I run across) and...holy hell a yard is a lotta fabric. They felt like fabric dumbbells. So yeah, having a nice scrap bag handy for those "off type" things is a great idea!! Thank you again~! <3

[ugg333]

If you are still looking for a leathery fabric, my favorite is foiled microsuede, it is sold at Joanns, and "foiled" means it has s thin covering on top that looks just like leather - shiny and textured. They sell different kinds like snake skin, or crocodile, or distressed leather, in different colors. The fabric is an apparel fabric, and is very soft and drapey and quite thin so no problem with sewing machine. And colorfast, too, my dolls are wearing it for months and no staining so far.