Threading The Needle

[Katsin]

Hi everyone. I've been using the techniques described in Al Stolman's sewing book for a few weeks and I have a question about the needle threading.

When thinning the thread, is the sole purpose of this step just to narrow the thread for the needle eye or does it have some other purpose? I don't think I would have any trouble threading the needle with the current combination of needle and thread that I am using (the stuff that comes in the Tandy sewing starter kit).

I have found that it is a bit hard to pull the needle through my awl holes and wonder if the thread thinning part is somehow related to the ease of pushing the needle through the leather. It doesn't seem to me like that would contribute to ease of the sewing because the steps shown in the book where you pierce the thread and push the thread toward the eye seem to pull none thinned thread through the loop of thread at the eye. I feel like the awl holes that I have been making should be large enough for easy sewing and am hesitant to make them larger.

[King's X]

Take a look at the printing of that book and remember that materials and supplies have come a long way. Al Stohlman had his way of doing things. You can adapt your way depending on your supplies.

I use a pair of roping gloves and pliers to pull my needles through the holes when they become stubborn. You can also re-insert your awl and push it deeper. You will notice that your awl (okay most of them) are tapered at the point and graduately get thicker. Give a it a try!

Edited September 16, 2011 by King's X

[Katsin]

Take a look at the printing of that book and remember that materials and supplies have come a long way. Al Stohlman had his way of doing things. You can adapt your way depending on your supplies.

I use a pair of roping gloves and pliers to pull my needles through the holes when they become stubborn. You can also re-insert your awl and push it deeper. You will notice that your awl (okay most of them) are tapered at the point and graduately get thicker. Give a it a try!

Thanks for the tips. My pliers have already been getting a workout.

[bruce johnson]

No matter what the illustration shows, it is easier to taper your thread back far enough that you have a tapered section in the eye when you have finished a proper thread. This makes the thread not much larger than the needle at that pint and pulls easier. Pretty much most of my handsewing is done with the smaller of the two sizes of needles TLF sells. I can't remember if the smaller is "O" or "OOO" off the top of my head. Push the awl in far enough that the needle pulls easily by hand and you will get faster and work will be easier. If you need to, stack small discs of leather on the awl blade to set the depth and bury the awl to that depth. It will also keep you from getting rat-butt marks from the awl chuck hitting your leather. That is a real term I learned from an esteemed maker in Texas. If you make a slit type hole with the right awl blade, each successive stitch will press and close up the previous hole more. Another advantage to angling the awl when you stab. Too low an angle or straight won't close up as well.

If you are using pliers you are doing two things. One is you are way slower. The other is that you are putting little nicks on your needles that will abrade your thread as you pull the needles through. Another lesson I learned from my Irish harnessmaking visitor several years ago. He sewed 16 SPI with a regular awl and some 346 machine thread by eye to show me it could be done. Awesomeness would describe it.

[katsass]

No matter what the illustration shows, it is easier to taper your thread back far enough that you have a tapered section in the eye when you have finished a proper thread. This makes the thread not much larger than the needle at that pint and pulls easier. Pretty much most of my handsewing is done with the smaller of the two sizes of needles TLF sells. I can't remember if the smaller is "O" or "OOO" off the top of my head. Push the awl in far enough that the needle pulls easily by hand and you will get faster and work will be easier. If you need to, stack small discs of leather on the awl blade to set the depth and bury the awl to that depth. It will also keep you from getting rat-butt marks from the awl chuck hitting your leather. That is a real term I learned from an esteemed maker in Texas. If you make a slit type hole with the right awl blade, each successive stitch will press and close up the previous hole more. Another advantage to angling the awl when you stab. Too low an angle or straight won't close up as well.

If you are using pliers you are doing two things. One is you are way slower. The other is that you are putting little nicks on your needles that will abrade your thread as you pull the needles through. Another lesson I learned from my Irish harnessmaking visitor several years ago. He sewed 16 SPI with a regular awl and some 346 machine thread by eye to show me it could be done. Awesomeness would describe it.

Bruce, not to steal the thread, but I would really liked to have seen your instructor. Mine was a WWI 'horse soldier'. He taught me to stitch, initially, in order for him not to have to do the stitching in the repair jobs on his tack. He had a pretty fair case of arthritis in his hands. I was a kid of about 17. I firmly believe that the leather workers of the 'old country' have a tradition of doing finer, or more refined work than those of us here in the 'new world'. Ours seems to be more utilitarian with not too much emphasis on highly precision work as to everyday working leather items. The old man had me sharpen my awl for about 3/16" from the tip, and to use a slender one of about 1/8" in width at it's widest. He swore that if you could pull your needle through the leather by hand, you were making your holes "too damned big", and that the leather would not hold the cord tightly enough for his liking. I agree that the way I was taught is slower than others, but since it was pounded into me, and I've been doing it so long, I don't think I'd be able to change unless I had an instructor such as yours. I still have and use the small pair of smooth-jawed pliers he gave me way back when. Mike

Edited September 18, 2011 by katsass