SUP

Some tools, yes but tooling stone? That's a bit much. I need to carry in a suitcase for the class. I would have thought, if Tandy provides the tools then attendees would learn and buy what they need after the class, like happens in their other classes. Here, we will buy things elsewhere and they will not get much sales. This becomes a case of getting all the tools even before knowing whether it is something one wants to invest in. The list of tools needed is quite detailed and substantial.

I was planning to attend Jim Linnell's classes at Tandy next week-end but might drop the idea. Tandy insists that I bring all the tools - tooling stone, mallet swivel knife, strop, stylus, modelling spoon, hair blade, wing dividers, petal lifter, basic floral carving stamps in medium to small sizes, figure carving bevelers of medium to small sizes, and background matting stamps. I am surprised because they normally provide all that during their own classes, so Tandy has the stock to provide to attendees.. I don't have all that and hoped to learn how to use them and then buy what I needed. Will not attend that class now. Is this how it always is for Jim Linnell's classes or anyone else's classes in Tandy? Does anyone have any experience with this?

@DieselTech thanks. I'll look it up.

@DieselTech that's the best part then, even more than not causing a knotty problem when stitching! Thank you for showing it to me.

This is probably already known. To digress a little to the stitching., I discovered yesterday that when I do the S-pattern of threading, presuming I am doing it correctly, I can unknot the thread - just slip my fingers in between the 2 threads forming the S- formation and separate them. So I can remove the thread from the needle smoothly without needing to cut it, whenever I reach the end of the length of thread. So there is no real knot, it is just the thread twisted to prevent it from coming off the needle. It appears that while an ordinary knot is uncontrolled tangling, the S-method is a controlled one. The controlled tangle can easily be untangled. I'm not sure if I make sense but I'm so pleased. Even if I am doing the S-thingy incorrectly, it is correct for me. This is so convenient! I no longer have to cut the thread each time I make a mistake and end up with different lengths on ether side of the leather when saddle-stitching.

These are the plastic earring base and backs, again, different types of backs. The larger ones work best, the smaller ones are too tiny but might work well for smaller items like watch straps.

These are some earrings I was considering on Temu - less than $1.50 for 20 pairs, small, convenient and brightly colored, so easily visible. I prefer choosing my own earring backs though because some of them are tinier than others. A search for earring backs on Temu gives a good range as well. Okay my earlier photographs disappeared, so posting them again. These are the earring bases: Metal earring backs: Earring base in use: Earring back in use:

@dikman Here they are. These are earring bases and different types of backs. You can always get ready paired tiny earrings from Temu for a song. Will put that up in the next post. I am using these all the time. Photographs in my next post.

Did you measure to check which is the most accurate? I made a bag from Dieselpunk recently where he suggested that we use a 6mm stitching chisel set, sine he had set the stitching holes accordingly. Tried mine from Amazon - the distances were slightly off. I could only use the 2 tine one but at least it cut the punching time in half. He uses Sinebrok. No idea which is more accurate and not buying expensive chisels.

@Gosut makes sense for a belt though. A narrow strip of leather, the stitching will be visible, so might as well make it beautiful. And think of how smug you will feel once it is done! Smug, not just satisfied. LOL I would, with all the stitching work involved.

@sparctek I thought all pricking irons are like the traditional ones. If the ones by Kevin Lee and Amy Roake and other allow punching through the leather, that is one good reason to buy their instruments. I do not use leather thicker than 5-6 oz anyway so they should work for me. Usually I avoid expensive tools - seem to do perfectly well with more reasonably priced ones. I am a hobbyist too and I guess if I was doing this professionally, the tools would matter more. When you say 'and others', who else, do you know? @Mablung I learnt how to use the edge of the leather for punching holes on both sides from one of the patterns I bought online. Don't remember where. If I have to do it, I use an iron with round tines since I do not have opposite facing angled irons.

LOL. Exactly. it requires a bit of practice to get the angle absolutely 90 degrees to the leather for each stitch. One way to avoid this, is to punch holes on both sides. For this you will need 2 sets of chisels - one angled in the opposite direction from the other. Maintain the proper distance by starting with one point over the edge on the same edge on both sides. I'm not sure if I am explaining clearly. Incidentally, when I said this earlier, I meant angled stitching. Else it makes no sense.

@Mablung, yes they do. They make fine, angled pricks on the leather. The final stitches look so beautiful, but a lot of extra work, pricking each stitching hole before placing a stitch. I am lazy though. I try to make items where the stitching is not on display, use thread of exactly the same color as the leather and do simple straight stitching - no angles at all. Took a bit of practice to get that but it works for me. French pricking irons take too much work, . Imagine a backpack done that way! or something bigger! I do practice saddle stitching though, in case I decide to use its beauty. But I doubt I will use French pricking irons. No patience. @sparctek, the French clam is a bit awkward to use, since it has to be positioned with ones own knees. I have an English style one, with a seat. One of the first things I bought. It's great. But people used to the French one swear by it. So to each his own, I suppose. What made you decide to get a French stitching clam?

Not for me. If I don't pierce the thread, it comes off the needle as the thread gets shorter, which is a pain. @DieselTech I tried this S-method and it works! Not had the thread tangle as yet this morning.

@DieselTech got it! thank you, especially for the photograph. That really helps.

@Mablung it is helpful. Thank you. I do pierce my thread only once. Never sure of how to do the S-thing. If absolutely needed, I suppose I could learn. But really! Such an expensive thread and then needing to go through all this trouble - thread the needle in a particular way, sew in a particular way, lay the thread in a particular way. Unless they have a color that I cannot get from any other brand, it's just not worth the trouble at this point, at least to me.

@sparctek, rather like I do with my laced bags, but that is much easier, since the lace is much wider. At this point, I am making items in which the beauty is in the pattern and leather itself and I keep the stitching discreet and in the background. Perfect time to practice until I get it right. Thank you for the detailed guidance.

@sparctek, that is a lot of useful information! I appreciate that. Ritza is lightly waxed, so it is possible it rubs off as I stitch. I will try waxing it periodically, before it knots. Seeing that it knots over time, it might just be drying out as you say. I am not sure whether I pull it at weird angles - I will watch out for that. One question - how do you get flat thread to lie flat in your stitches? Doesn't it wind around as you go through the stitches? I try to keep it flat as I stitch, rather like when I make laced bags, but this is difficult with the thin thread.

@Handstitched Thank you. Over the years, Valentine's day becomes somewhat routine. This year, since I learnt something new, I thought of making this - something different. Otherwise, I'm more of an April fool's gal - salt in tea. misleading signs etc. What fun!!

@mike02130, I have no idea whether 'higher end' work requires thinner thread than I presume 'lower end' work does. I do know that such thin thread does not work on the larger bags and backpacks that I make for family and friends. I started out recently too, about a year ago, although I am much older. I also don't know the ages of the people who consider Ritza to be one of the best or recommend it and would not presume anything. Older people do try different things too. In my opinion, Thinner thread is needed for items like wallets and watch straps. Larger items like backpacks, saddles etc. need thicker thread. It is possible that Vinymo and Meisi ranges are of thinner thread, correct me if I am wrong, because I searched and could not find thread that is 0.8-1mm in thickness. Rhino, Ritza and others have ranges of thread of thicker diameters. Comparing them would be like comparing key limes to grapefruit.

@zuludog Thank you. I'll certainly try both. I've used Rhino thread from SFL . It is a flat thread as well. It works okay.

Yes I plan to do so.

I must try it then. No more Ritza. I'm seriously annoyed about it right now.

Nice colors, @DieselTech. But it is natural fibre is it not? I am a little leery of that because I wear a lot of cotton and linen and they always break down within decades - the stitching as well as the cloth. Will these not do the same? About the Ritza, it knots at the base of my needles as I continue to stitch! I have stitched so much over the last year and that has never happened with any other thread. I'm a bit grumpy about it - I need to do some more stitching with that thread to complete a backpack and see myself using a pair of pliers or cutting the thread and re-threading the needles periodically.

@DieselTech I've not tried those. Will do so next time I need a new color. That is still not as pricy as Ritza though. I need to check how my stitching is with flat thread. The thread is exactly the color of the leather, so t is not much visible.