How to: Apply Fusing
Fusing, Fusable, Interfacing - whatever you call it, it adds structure when applied to leather. It comes in many thicknesses and ensures that no matter what leather you are working with, you can get it to behave the way you want it to (most of the time).
We tend to use heavy duty cotton canvas when we can get it, this is the fusing you will find in our workshops and kits.
Rules of thumb:
- Before you start, test the fusing you have to see how it behaves, when the glue activates and when it bonds to your leather (and crucially - when it burns and ruins your project). The heavy duty fusing we use needs a linen setting - usually the highest setting on the iron.
- Make sure there is no water in the iron.
- Make sure your ironing board has no creases - because they will show on your leather and you may not be able to get them out.
- Ironing on the fusing will get rid of the creases in your leather. However, if you have lots of big creases you want to get them out before you start. Throw a thin sheet over the fibrous side of the leather and iron it using lots and lots of pressure over the creases you want to remove.
Happy Ironing!