Hi friends,
I have been practicing tunnel stitching for the purpose of making dice cups, and eventually, some larger cylindrical cases.
When you are tunnel stitching (where two flat ends of leather are sewn together), do you ALWAYS use a stitch groover? Is it absolutely necessary to protect the stitches?
I noticed that when I use a stitch groover, then go through with the awl and pull the stitches tight, the leather on both sides of the seam looks scrunched up and weak (like the leather could easily tear).
I am leaning toward not grooving a stitch channel, since the thread could always be replaced and fixed if the thread was ever compromised in any way.
Stohlman recommends grooving a channel for the stitches to lay in...
Any advice/experience that you could give is GREATLY appreciated. Thank you!!!