How I made (and you can make) Leather Headcovers.

[LoPan12]

Trying to decide on a new design for another driver cover...just so I have variety :D ... Possibly something comic book related...

[LoPan12]

I might have to make one pokemon related ^_^ Whatcha think?

[Yzmerf]

And you wouldn't do Deadpool cuz?...

[LoPan12]

And you wouldn't do Deadpool cuz?...

Oh, I totally plan on a Deadpool cover too. Maybe on the hybrid...

I just haven't the itch to stitch lately, so I was hoping someone might be able to inspire me :D

[Nomad Golfer]

Wishing my grandad was still alive, he was a skilled leather worker and made beautiful Gladstone bags and suitcases. All I have left of his tools is one of his awls which I restored.

Nice job.

[Cwing]

The first set is still the best!!!

 

I wish I could do this. I don't even own a sewing machine.

Edited September 26, 2021 by Cwing

[Eustace1080]

Built not bought. Those look really awesome. I wish I had the tiniest ability with a sewing machine.

[LoPan12]

Teaser:

[brianhorne8]

Teaser:

 

MARIO

[LoPan12]

Teaser:

 

MARIO

:lol:

[LoPan12]

And done.

[LoPan12]

Hybrid Mk2 update:

Due to the tiny nature of the mushroom bits, the ends of the ovals were getting lifted/picked at during normal use. I used some Gorilla Glue brand super glue (it claims to be more tough, i.e.-flexible) to glue down the tips of the ovals and between the eyes. I used a dentists pick (anything small, pointy, and curved would work, I happen to have a few for tinkering) and put a dab under the tips of the ovals. Then I went ahead and put some between the eyes, just in case. Probably wasn't needed.

 

I've also been thinking about making the driver cover longer, as my 8 and 9 irons, though not in the divider infront of the driver, occasionally sneak over and bump against my driver shaft. Sadly, I'm out of the orange color, and I'm having trouble finding more at a decent price...maybe a british racing green?

 

you could go work for stitch

Coincidently, Stitch's workshop is about 3 miles from my house.

 

I've been waiting on this thread ever since you mentioned the project in another thread. Thanks for sharing. You make it sound a lot easier than it looks.

Making the Hybrid Mk2, even I thought I made it sound easier than it was...it took ages (because of the designs mostly)

 

two things:

 

1. some dudes are so freaking handy

 

2. you need a new putter cover

 

You had me laughing that the dog was important

 

I'm trying to decide on how to do the putter cover...need to find someone else's post and read through it again...

And Phouka there provides moral support. Of the very lazy, from the couch variety...

[ToddGsell]

These are remarkable! Any updates?

[Rene Goulet]

Great covers and very jealous. If you have any interest in taking a side order let me know.

[LoPan12]

These are remarkable! Any updates?

Nah, been busy at work. I grabbed a second hybrid, so I'm hunting for a similar color orange. I did get some other colors though. Red, brown, black, and a small bit of grey.

[LoPan12]

A driver and fairway cover!

[Cwing]

Those are fantastic!!!

[LoPan12]

Thanks!

[LoPan12]

So the Stitch mystery box has given me some ideas. How about you guys? Anything else I should try making?

I want to try a putter cover eventually... But haven't found the right color leather that screams to me.

[Cwing]

I'm looking forward to the next how to guide. Your photos look to be every bit as good as those being sold.

[Eustace1080]

My first take at making a driver cover. Next one will def be out of leather. Used vinyl and fleece for the first time and its a pitching wedge at best. You know only looks good from 150 yards. Anyways, here it is. Thanks for the how too.

[LoPan12]

Good job! I practiced on vinyl first too! Though now I have yards of it I'm not using...

[duffer987]

Fantastic stuff guys. Really cool :)

 

@Eustace: LaFontaine and Perreault would be proud!

[CheckJV]

Great thread LoPan. You are very talented.

[Sir Hitalot]

Wow!!!!

 

I'm Googling 'sewing machines' as we speak. And i've never even used one before!

 

Great project.

[Eustace1080]

Wow!!!!

 

I'm Googling 'sewing machines' as we speak. And i've never even used one before!

 

Great project.

Dont google them, just look on craigslist, there are probably a ton of them for sale.

 

Good job! I practiced on vinyl first too! Though now I have yards of it I'm not using...

Yep same here, I bought way too much but I may make a couple more out of vinyl before I step my game up to leather.

 

Fantastic stuff guys. Really cool :)

 

@Eustace: LaFontaine and Perreault would be proud!

 

Haha for sure, that's what I was hoping.

[dekez]

I'd been wanting a leather headcover for awhile now...So, after poking around for awhile, my DIY bug came and bit me. So, as I tend to do, I set about putting forth much more effort and cost into making something myself, instead of just buying it!

 

Important Link: The patterns, in PDF files!

 

I've made them with layers. To see/print just the panel, or just the outline, click the layers button (on the left hand toolbar in Adobe Reader) and toggle the appropriate layers. You'll have to play with printing as a poster, and taping the pages together before cutting your stencil out. Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions!

 

Materials:

Search Partial Leather Hides on ebay, and you will have many options.

$14 for orange leather: Picture was after taking out the driver headcover, probably enough for 2 or 3 more after my hybrid and fairway, depending on size. I believe it was about 7 sq ft to begin with.

$20 for ivory leather: Much bigger than I needed, but smallest partial hide they had in that color. couple of surface imperfections made it cheaper too. Could make several with this as the main color...might do that for christmas for a couple buddies...

~$10 for the microfleece

~$4 for elastic

~$10 for 4 spools of thread

$5 for Scor-Tape (the 1/8" double-sided tape)

~$10 for random other things I didn't have or ran out of

 

Equipment:

Singer 4423 Sewing Machine

Heavy Duty Denim needles. Leather needles aren't needed for the softer leather. Those may leave a bigger hole.

 

Started with a couple hides of my chosen color, and a bit of polar fleece. And a shih-tzu. Very important.

 

After a bit of testing, and a trial run with vinyl, i determined the size that I wanted. So, I printed out some stencils, and used them to cut these. A rotary cutter for the big cuts, and an exacto for the radiation symbol (I work at a nuke plant).

 

Then I top-stiched the cream panel onto the front panel. I used a zig-zag because the cream was much thicker than I had thought it would be (a little over 2mm, vs 1mm for the orange), and it blended the two together well. Used basting tape (1/8" wide double sided tape) through out to hold pieces together. This kept things from stretching or bunching as it fed through the sewing machine.

The top and bottom didn't really matter, since they got stitched into the the hems. Also, I pulled the threads through to the back for finishing.

 

Next, I sewed the elastic onto the back panel. I found it annoying to sew with the back bunched up, so I made a couple jigs out of some scrap aluminum and alligator clips to hold them stretched out. That way, I could do the basting and sewing with it perfectly flat.

 

Then, using the basting tape, I stuck the fleece to the leather, and then the two leather together. The following picture is of one side of leather with the tape (backing still on) before attaching the fleece, on the hybrid cover. A quick stitch around the perimeter and I was almost done. I kept a seam allowance of about 3/8" from the edge.

 

BUT! When I folded the bottom hem over, the top panel ended up being too thick for my machine to handle well. It was also too tight to feed well on its own, so I had to hand crank the machine, and make sure it fed each stitch the right distance. It ended up being too thick on the front panel, and I wasn't reliably picking up the bottom thread. I was sewing through four layers of leather (two of each color) and a layer of fleece...

In my later covers, I figured out that because the leather was thick, and not feeding fully, it would deflect the needle towards me, and keep it from picking up the thread. So I had to gently pull the cover through as the feed dogs were feeding, to make sure the needle was vertical all the way down. Be careful though, pulling too far/hard will affect how the stitching looks as well.

 

After two failed attempts at a straight stitch all the way around (it wasn't very straight on the cream part...), I flipped it and did a zig zag along the cream section. Two reasons..It was easier to keep straight (or atleast appear that way), and it compressed the leather enough that it hides the holes from the straight stitch well.

 

 

I do wish it ended up being a hair longer, as my 9 iron is just barely short enough to be able to hit the shaft...ohh well! I'll let the 3-wood run D for it ;)

 

Here's the finished set! I was able to use a straight stitch on the top stitching for the fwy and hybrid covers because I shaved the back of the leather and made it much thinner (lookup leather skiving). I used a standard utility knife razor bolted to a wooden handle for this..

 

 

And here are some more random pictures...

Just Hybrid

When I top stitched the orange thread, I did it with my stencil still stuck to the panel. I had cut slits along the lines, and sewed in the cut, which kept them very straight.

 

Just Fairway

 

Beautiful... Can I ask how you made the nice elastic "pulls" on the back of the covers?

[Hot Rod 71]

Awesome!

[brianhorne8]

Glad someone revived this thread. Baby is due in May and I'll be at home a lot more this summer. Wouldn't mind trying to pick up a little project assuming there's energy and time. Now, off to photoshop!

[PuttsForePar]

Gave this a go using waterproofed polyester! Not quite perfect but it looks fine in the bag!