Fun With Buffalo Leather: Suede Elbow Patches

I couldn't stand to throw out this SUPER soft, albeit slightly felted, cashmere sweater with a hole in the elbow. So I'm covering up the elbow hole with buffalo suede patches!


















Step 1: Print out the pattern here (thanks Martha).

Step 2: Find some buffalo leather scraps (luckily my Dad has a bunch).


















If you don't have buffalo leather, cow leather works just as well.

Step 3: Cut out pattern and lightly trace onto smooth side of buffalo leather.


















Step 4: Cut out leather patch.


















Step 5: Put on sweater and determine proper placement of elbow patch.


















Mark placement with straight pins in a rectangle around patch (delineating top, bottom and sides).

Take off sweater and fold in half with one arm on top of the other to make sure placement of patches is symmetrical. Adjust if necessary.

Step 6: BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER (especially if you've never sewed with a machine before like me), cut out a small oval scrap of leather and practice sewing leather patch to fabric.


















I used denim. Try to keep even stitch about 1/4 inch away from edge.

Step 7: Apply tacky glue to smooth side of leather patch. Stick leather patch (suede side facing out) to elbow of sweater inside rectangle you marked with pins.


















Step 8: Stitch leather patch to sweater with sewing machine. I asked my dad to do it for me because as you can see from my practice runs above, my sewing machine skills still leave a lot to be desired.

Voila. Cashmere sweater with buffalo suede elbow patches.