Resticthing an English Saddle

[3arrows]

Hello again everyone. Hope all is well in your part of the country. Georgia is having an early summer this year, with temps in the mid 90's already.

Im working on an English Saddle, actually my first to disassemble, and am ready to restitch the bottom pads back onto the main part of the saddle. When I took the saddle apart, the bottom pads were attached with a very heavy thread. Im trying to understand the process to restitch these pads back on to the saddle. It seems like i should restitch everything loosely, so that I can reach all of the stitch points and then pull the threads tight pulling the bottom pads and saddle tree together. I have a couple of questions:

1) Is this the correct assumption, stitch everything first and then pull everything tight after all stitches are made?

2) Should I use a waxed thread to do this? or should I use a slick thread that will slide easily through the holes?

3) What type of thread should I use, the previous/original thread was very, very large.

Thanks for any advice that you may offer,,ron.

Edited June 6, 2008 by 3arrows

[barra]

Hi Ron. Your pretty much on the mark. The rear is stitched in (i call it laced in) much as you have said. Study the saddle and you should see holes in the panel 3/4" or so on the panel, just inside the rear facing. For study sake put the panel into the point pockets at the front to temporarily hold it in place. Now pull the rear of the panel up and hold it in place where it would sit against the rear of the cantle. You should see the there are corresponding and similar hole on the back of the cantle that match up with the holes in the panel. These MUST realign or you will have a distorted panel.

When putting the panel back in the thread is worked all the way from one side to the other very loose. When you have gone from one side to the other (I start at the off side out of habit) go back to the starting point and commence pulling the threads up tight one after the other like tightening a pair of lace up boots.

You will find the job easier if you have a bent awl and curved needle. Sometimes where the first and last stitch is placed into the skirt using the bent awl to make a hole that does not go go all of the way thru from the flesh to the grain side. IE: it remain invisible from the grain side (hope that made sense).

As for thread. This is one job where I still roll my own out of about 6 ply of number 2 common hemp thread. Rolling a thread will form an eye (like on an eye spliced rope). I pass my first stitch thru this eye to I guess form a larks head knot.

The pommel end.

There are more ways to redo this than I've had hot dinners. Right in the gullet there is a piece of leather with a little ridge called a fore piece or some thing similar. Again by studying how it was originally done it should be similar to this.

Stitching commences a few stitches below where the fore piece and flap join. Stitch up to the the fore piece (and behind the ridge) all the way to below where the fore piece and flap join on the other side. Again stitch pattern can vary but I back stitch mine in. Be careful to reuse the old awl holes.

I hope this helped.

Barra

Edited June 6, 2008 by barra

[3arrows]

Barra, thanks so much for the help on this one.. Im in the process of following your instructions now and will let you know how it turns out..thanks again..ron

[gary]

Can't beat what Barra has said.

I use a 1.4mm waxed & braided nylon thread.

I reattach before I reflock as I find I get a better reflocking finish than if it's reflocked off the tree. Also, putting the panels back on is easier when they're not stuffed with flock.

Gary

Edited June 8, 2008 by gary