practice hand stitching

[Mike]

Ok, I grabbed something from my boo-boo bin and used it to practice hand stitching this afternoon. It is stitched at 10 stitches per inch with Barbours 3 cord linen thread using a #4 Osborne harness needle. (This is definitely not good for my tennis elbow!)

I cannot seem to stitch uniformly even when I pay minute detail to what I am doing. I have been advised that perhaps my awl is as much at fault as I am. I try to keep the awl from penetrating an even amount each time and I watch the angle I pierce at (45 degrees).

Any suggestions?

[Hidemechanic]

Hi Mike,

I would ask about your technique first.

I presume you are using two needls, do you keep your awl in your hand all the time or set it down while running your needles? Sometimes the way we go about handling our tools causes us to get irrattic motion.

I also am curious if your stitch horse holds your work securely enough to get a straight pierce, also having a 'back stop' to hold the work streight while piercing. With thin leather you will get more movement and making good semetrical holes is more tedious.

Running your needles through at the same place in a hole can help keep things more even. You said you pierce on a 45', if your right needle goes in on the high side of your 45 and the left at the lower side then switch another time then your stitches will tend to pull up differently. I don't know if I am explaining this well,I think that if you run your right needle in first and your left next and continue that patern with constant tension you will tend to have more consistant stitches, but if you forget and alturnate which side you run in next then that one can lay different then the previous. Make sure that awl is good and sharp. I hope this makes sence. Good luck. GH

[Daniel]

Hello Mike,

I ditto everything Hidemechanic said only I will say it a little differently. After the hole is made run the right hand thread through the hole first, when you have pulled the right hand thread all the way through angle that thread downward. Then take the left hand thread and push it through on top of the right hand thread and pull it all the way through. You have made the first stitch, now keep the same sequence going, right hand thread/bottom, left hand thread/top. Keep up the same sequence and your stitching will look great if you have everything else Hidemechanic has mentioned. Beautiful handstiching takes consistancy and atttention to detail. I had some good teachers that made sure I would remember this. Hope it helps.

Blessings,

Daniel

[Mike]

My tools: a stitching horse that Tandy sold in the 90's. Not a very deep throat and as you face it while sitting on it, it leans to the left. This means I pierce the leather with my right hand and angle somewhat downward to the left.

My technique: I believe I follow the Stohlman method from the books. Backside (left hand) needle goes through the hole, cross the needle with the front (right hand) needle, pull a bit, then insert the front needle into the hole on the side of the hole closest to your body. I proceed from the holes furthest from me to those closest to me. The awl generally stays in my hand.

There is no backstop behind the leather. Yes, it does flex. I punch one hole at a time.

It is hard to see with this weight thread but switching which thread goes on which side can either give you straight or slightly zig-zagged stitches. Both look good if consistent.

One other item. There is no stitching groove for these stitches. Also do to the size of the stitching, no overstitch wheel to clean them up.

[Rayban]

Mike, the length of the stitching doesn't look consistent, are you using a stitching wheel?

Even if the leather is thin, you can still use the groover to lightly mark the line you want to stitch, then go over it with the wheel.

On work like you show, I usually punch maybe 4-6 holes at a time with the awl...sometimes just one hole at a time, depends on the work being done. And I've never understood what is so crucial about not putting the awl down..is it just a speed thing?? I remember reading Al's instruction on NEVER PUTTING THE AWL DOWN..I'm not on the clock when I tinker with leather, so I have all night.....How you suppose to sip on a beer without putting the awl down??

[rdb]

I think it looks good. Your awl work is pretty even for such a fine line so close to an edge on thin leather.

All of the above is good advice, but to me, the simple way to make it look even better is 2 things:

1. Tension practice. After pulling your needles through, try practicing the tension set to be consistent before pushing the needle through the next hole. Find the Goldilock set.

2. It looks like you are pushing the needle through the other thread every once in awhile, so the thickness of the threadline looks inconsistent.

[Mike]

I agree about putting the awl down. With my tennis elbow and pinched neck nerve I sometimes have to use pliers to pull a needle through. I always try to keep the same threads front and back.

The leather is 1/8" thick and I stitched 1/16" from the edge. I did not trim after stitching.

No, I did not use a stitching wheel. I used a wing divider and 'walked' it from corner to corner to mark my holes. I first etched a fine line 1/16" from the edge. Have you tried to run a size 5 stitching wheel down a lightly scratched line exactly on the line and then to go back over and hit exactly in the center of the previous marks? I would need a beer.

I can guarantee that NO thread is pierced. Not one. I put a needle through about 3 inches, then the next one and check for piercing prior to pulling them tight. Besides, it's real hard to pierce 3-cord thread. Even on purpose. And a size 4 needle is small. I was going to use the size 5 but threading them is a bit tedious. I can do it but 4 was easier. Maybe next time I'll go with the smaller needles.

I try to watch tension. Too much and wrinkles (puckers) form. I stop tightening just prior to this.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Mike

[Alan Bell]

If all your holes are evenly spaced at 10 per inch then you might be able to run a 5 stitching wheel over the finished sewing to sort of dress things up. Of course you would have to do it twice to hit the holes you missed! I do this on hand stitching that I have marked with the wheel after I am done stitching. Just a thought that might help!

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

They say the sun shines for all. But there in some peoples world it never shines at all

Bob Marley - Crisis

[Mike]

I'm going to find something else to practice on. This time I'll change some things.

Mark, lightly scratch the line, and bevel it with a modeler or bone folder to make a narrow gouge that won't weaken the leather.

Use the overstitch wheels twice around very carefully. 5 or 6 depending on how brave I am. That will give 10 or 12 spi.

Smaller needles, size 5.

Then we'll see what damage I do.

[Luke Hatley]

Mike , Have you thought about buying the AL STOLHMAN BOOK

"THE ART OF HAND SEWING LEATHER". This was one of the best

books of information that i have bought.

Now, i do know that you can receive , on this Fourm some of the

best information,from the greatest Folks. ALL OF THIS WILL HELP

YOU 100%.

[johnny7]

Mike, I don't know much about stitching but I think your piece looks pretty good. Just looks like you pulled the thread a little tighter on some stitches than others. The tooling looks good too. Like the way you did the leaves.

Johnny

[Mike]

Luke,

I have the Art of Hand Sewing. That's how I learned. Stohlman also included hand sewing instructions in his Top 20 book on wallets. In that book, he focuses more on stitching lighter weight items. There he uses a #7 stitching wheel. I have one but it just seems too long a stitch for wallets.

[Srigs]

I used a stitching awl for about 15 minutes and said this is not going to work for me.

What does work for me is a retangle punch with one, three and four prong types. It helps to keep things lined up by using the last hole you punched as the first hole in the next series. Before I start punching, I lightly use an awl to draw the pattern I'm punching. This works for me and is much easier and faster to make good looking stitching lines.

I hope this helps.