How to Make a Leather Cushion With Decorative Tacks

Position muslin fabric over the cushion area of the furniture piece. Typically this type of cushion is recessed into a cavity in the wood surface with a lip running around the edge for nailheads. The cushion should rise above the wood surface in a mounded shape. Cut the muslin so that it fits exactly to the outside edge of the nailhead perimeter.

Set the muslin over the leather and cut the leather using leather sheers. Some seat cushions with have sewn corners. These will look like notched corners on your muslin. If your muslin fits, your leather will fit too.

Place a lacing awl parallel with your corner edges for seats that need to be sewn. The awl will punch four to six holes evenly spaced for stitching. Tap the awl into the leather using a mallet. Place the last tine of the awl in the last hole to align your next set. Continue until you reach the nail set area. Both sides of a corner need to be punched in order to sew the corners. Repeat for any stitched area.

Thread your lacing on a lacing needle. Bring your corner together so that the ends of the leather are touching. Slide your needle through the second hole from the top corner on the left side, bring the needle through the second hole on the right side. Pull until 3/4 inch of lacing remains. Cross your needle from right to left. Slide your needle through the first hole on the top corner on the left side and bring it out through the first hole on the right side. Pull snug. Cross your needle from right to left and back through the left and out through the right second holes.

Cross your needle from right to left. Slide the needle under the left center where the lacing crosses to form an "X." Pull the needle under the "X" and out on the right side. Pull snug. Cross your needle from right to left. Slide the needle through the left third hole and out through the right third hole. Pull snug.

Cross your needle from right to left. Slide the needle under the left center where the lacing crosses to form an "X." Pull the needle under the "X" and out on the right side. Pull snug. Cross your needle from right to left. Continue and weave your 3/4 end into the stitches. Weave your end tail back through your stitches on the underside. Repeat for all stitched areas.

Position your leather over the cushion material so that the nailhead areas are covered. Install a nailhead starting at the center and working toward the sides. Nail the top, bottom, left and right. Continue nailing in this order and smooth the leather as you go, so that any excess will be taken up. Nail evenly.