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Securing it is key. Thanks Wild Bill46, a good few learning hours ahead of me. Good stuff. Thank you.

Ahhh, thanks Penguineer. That's exactly it, thread wrap around. I'll search on whipping now. Big thanks

There is probably a proper term for this which I don't know which is why I can't find the answer hah! I need to make a wallet lanyard but not in a braid... it'll be out of 8mm leather cord with a wrap around the hardware at each end. So the fold over needs to be securely tied off at each end with a neat thick/flat thread or lace/rawhide? I've seen examples where you can't really see where the tie off starts & finishes, it looks real tidy and is something I'm aiming for but no idea where to start. Apologies if there's a thread on the forum for this already, I had a search but couldn't find anything. Any help much appreciated.

Thanks Wiz & Darren. Can't wait to get going on the machine. The thread shade card gives me 15+ shades of brown and I'm dithering but nearly there! I foresee lots of machine thread type experimentations ahead of me, all good fun.

Thanks Darren, I'll look into that. I've found a good source of sewing machine threads in the UK and they've even sent me a thread shade card for Coats with the actual thread which is great. The place is called Astra Threads, worth a check if in the UK I guess. Thanks all

Thanks Wiz, Choosing between bonded nylon or polyester I thought would be the issue, it may still be but after more reading/searching, seems maybe not so! I've been trying to find someone who sells Tkt30 (is that 92 T90 in the USA?) thread in London or even the UK which appears to be a much bigger stumbling block. I find it odd that 2 big industrial machine sellers in south & west London only sell up to Tkt 40 thread (69 T70). Is it that big an issue going up to a 19/120 needle from an 18/110? The place I bought the flatbed walking foot from gave me 2 rolls of Perma Core Polyester Corespun Tkt 36 Tex 80. It was almost there in thickness but just looked wrong on the leather, too thin,flaky. Abbey England are a possible place for threads but surely there must be others around London I can collect from!?? Still searching..... overs

Hi and thanks bkm. Fully agree, I use Barbour Linen thread and wax it for all my hand stitched leatherwork. It's for the sewing machine I'm not 100% on. I was doing some more reading this morning...... would this be right; Nylon or Bonded Nylon variant threads are stronger than Polyester and would deal with seams and if exposed would deal with rain better than a Polyester machine thread. Polyester threads look more natural than nylon and so on any top stitching projects or visible stitching (both sides) with a contrast colour thread a Polyester thread would look more natural against the leather. Thanks

First though I definitely need to re-introduced myself having been away for far too many months with the hand stitching. I got some great guidance here many months ago and went out and bought a cylinder arm. It didn't work out for me for what I eventually figured out what I wanted to make so I went back to the hand stitching which I know & love and the machine sat in the corner for months unplugged. What a waste. A new bag project came along recently needing a machine, so fired it up and found out I really needed a flatbed for overall control especially on lightweight non leather & leather to be honest. I just couldn't get a straight line on it or slow it down enough. So just sold the cylinder arm and today bought a walking foot flatbed. It instantly feels exactly what I need for the plans I have, my ying yang on high. I thought about keeping the cylinder arm but space is very tight at present. Thickness of thread for the flatbed machine I'm about ok on, but I am confused a lot on the type of thread for machines. Over the last 12 months I've acquired; Perma Core Polyester Corespun Nylbond Bonded Twisted Nylon Polyester Cotton Corespun I guess there are even more types Just random guess purchases and mostly wrong! None of the leather products I'll be making are under big stress, non leather items will be under general bag stress. Any guidance on thread options are most welcome. Thanks

I've not done a folded leather edge trim before to finish off the edges of a canvas tool roll. I've tried some sheep leather, it's turned nicely round the corners of the tool roll but I've had to cut 4 pieces! The multiple joins don't look good though. What do you use for this type of finish, do you cut ever decreasing circles from the sheep hide or is there a cheaper alternative out there already cut for this job. I've been googling but mainly come up with bias binding and very expensive "per metre" faux leather which also isn't wide enough for what I need, 25-30mm. I'd thought about using the canvas, cutting strips to edge it but it's a twill and frays and too thick to fold over (maybe?) Thanks all

Just wanted to say thanks Tom. I've tamed the beast! At least for now! It's working a treat now and more importantly now I understand what the threads are doing with your explanation, many thanks.

Thanks man, That's making a lot of sense. It's late here so I'll get experimenting with tension tomorrow. Big thanks

Great! Progress! I put the new #18 needle in, the one I took out is a Beka 130/21. I did a test stitch run but still no real tension in the stitch. So I turned the upper thread tension (spring) nut clockwise and did a test run and instantly I can now see on the top stitch that the pink bobbin thread has been pulled through so I can see little pink dots of thread. This is good right!? Or have I put too much tension on the top thread? Do you think the 130/21 needle was too big for the size of thread (UK #40) US #69. If the top stitch (needle thread) sits too high, is it adjusted by increasing the tension on the little bobbin screw? Thanks all & Bob. Richard

Ah yes, it's a Wimsew W-246 Cylinder bed unison feed. The black thread has a label IPCA Bond CB40 100% PA. I think that makes it equivalent to a US #69 size. As for the needle, I don't know what size it is. It seemed to be stitching fine when I first got the machine but it's all going wrong at present! I did pick up a small box of Schmetz needles ranging in size 18 through to 22. Thanks all

Well not wanting it to beat me, I've been testing with a loud pink bobbin thread to see more what's happening. This time using some calf leather, the first runs are furthest away. You can hopefully see that the top thread is sitting up high! How do I adjust this? The underside seems to be getting better, I backed off a little on the bobbin screw tension and also slackened off the big top adjusting screw for the walking foot. I'm confused now though on the bobbin. Should it turn clockwise or anti-clockwise when looking at it with the cover off? Thanks all.

Hi, I'm having a bit of trouble with the machine stitches on my cylinder arm as you can see! It starts off slow ok then the underside ends up looking like this or completely overloaded with thread. I'm stitching waxed cotton. When I take the bobbin out, the thread has un ravelled itself inside the bobbin. I've been trying to figure out what's causing it but not sure and don't want to start really messing about with adjustments and make things even worse if at all possible. Any help would be great, if it's un ravelling does it mean the bobbin thread is too loose? Thanks all.

Hi, I'm new to sewing machines. Can I ask, how would you deal with a broken thread like that? Comparing saddle stitch to lock stitch would you have to unpick and start again or overstitch it or something. Just asking as I'm sure I'm gonna find all sorts of thread stitch issues before I get comfortable with the machine. Cheers

Aaahhhhhh! of course, thanks folks. I'll take the thread out the needle to start me off. Now I realise why having two thread reels of the same colour makes sense. After 2 years of hand stitching everything... I've done a few runs on this machine and it's like I've just invented the wheel! I do love hand stitching leather but it'll be saved now for the really expensive stuff!

Hi, just picked up a cylinder arm WIMSEW W246. They had to take the head off the table to get it in my car. So I tried to watch where everything was being dismantled. I've got it re-assembled now but not sure about the belt. It sews good so think that must be right. The problem now though is how do I load up a bobbin. Is there a switch/lever that knocks off the needle going up and down when I push the pedal. I flick the bobbin forward so it clicks in place up against the belt? It came with a manual but all I've got is the parts list and the shop is shut till Monday. Any help would be great.

Great, thanks all. Makes sense now.

Hi again, sorry yet another question! If the machine stitched leather has the top and underside both on show is it ok to use the same size thread in the machine and the bobbin? What's the thinking behind using different size thread, is it thinner thread in the bobbin? Thanks all

Does anyone know where to get #15 thread (somewhere between #207 to #138 US I think). Also what's the difference between Core Spun Polyester & Bonded Nylon. Abbey England sells both these in a #20 size so may need to get that instead but not sure on Polyester v Nylon. #15 thread is about the thickest this machine I'm looking at will take so want to take some down to the shop and try out and see what the stitch looks like. Thanks all.

Hi, (just remembered that paragraph button!) The walking foot machine I'm looking at currently takes about a max of Uk #15 thread which I think is somewhere between a US 138/207. I'd like to take some #15 thread to the shop to try it on the machine, they don't have any. A quick google hasn't shown any obvious suppliers either. I get a fair amount of my hand stitched stuff from a local place and Abbey England. Don't think the local place does much stuff for machines & Abbey have what they call ticket 20 and higher numbers (thinner thread). Question is having never bought thread for a machine, where can I go to get a proper good quality thread at that weight or is it a rare thing in the UK? Is there any real difference between a 20 & 15 thread? Cheers all

Wow, it worked! Only the very faintest of a tram line which will rub out instead of the gouged teeth marks. But what was also odd was that I tried the veg tanned sheep leather and that also only had a faint tram line (no teeth marks) and on the calf you couldn't see any marks at all. Feeling much better about this now. The machine was a Tysew Mk 5 walking foot. I'm going back next week with more leather and some heavier thread, 15 I think if I can get it which more closely resembles the Barbour 18/3 hand stitched thread. I need some advise on thread type but I'll post that separately. Cheers

Ok so I've been taking various veg tan to test out at my local machine shop, sheep, calf, cow in various thicknesses and it all marks up on the walking foot. Soooo I have a small amount of chrome tanned leather I bought a while back. If I take this to the sewing machine shop will this be my eureka moment of clarity with no teeth marks?? Or just very faint teeth marks? Thanks all.

Hi, Yes this is a really soft sheep leather, it marks up with the slightest look at a finger nail! Smooth pressor feet I guess are a must for it or use a different leather, are non-veg tanned leathers more resistant to machine presoor feet marks, I've only used veg tanned leather for hand stitching. Thanks LTC I'll give that a try I think over the weekend. I had an MG B many years ago and it only broke down on me once so not bad!