Simple, inexpensive stitch holders

[SUP]

@dikman I could not presume that,  not these days where even Amazon has earrings for men. LOL Joking aside, it really helps and I showed the photographs in detail here, for precisely that reason. Get the colorful ones from Temu and the variety of earring-backs as well so you can decide which work best for you.

[NatesLeatherGds]

Bulldog clips ? What am I doing wrong ? 

[SUP]

@NatesLeatherGds with bulldog clips you cannot  have the stitching holes exactly  coinciding as well as with something like pins. Also they can make marks on the leather.

But if they work for you, that's great.

[dikman]

1 hour ago, NatesLeatherGds said:

Bulldog clips ? What am I doing wrong ? 

Nothing wrong, mate, I use them myself, but as SUP said you sometimes need something that will align stitching holes in two (or more) pieces of leather. I've used spare stitching needles but they tend to be clumsy and because they're long they snag things!

[bruce johnson]

58 minutes ago, NatesLeatherGds said:

Bulldog clips ? What am I doing wrong ? 

Nate, It took me a while to figure out what this was all about too. I had a few people ask me if had stitching pins at the Prescott show. After I showed the second person the awl blades they explained to me what they were looking for. They are for prepunched or lasered holes on pattern cut pieces.        You and I are likely old school -  wheel the marks and diamond awl holes or a machine. Glue, bulldogs, and get to stitching - drop the bulldogs in the bucket as you come to them. 

General question for the people using these. Are you gluing your pieces too? Clamping them in some version of a stitching horse or stitching pony to hold them for sewing? 

[Chipster99]

I believe something like this is what you may be looking for?

https://www.amazon.com/Lyshujli-Leather-Positioning-Leathercraft-Stitching/dp/B0CMLB5BKD/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=7S5OUKTJYUXH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xNIrOvFdcVC20Sd9KFwbDfy96tWDv--a0p8ol5cv78yulwKwPChir46qZQNSxnorzLvTGAGrI8T0sRAT8KV_6hMpdpyshiVk_FS9x2coRM_9FPb3eIBPFHz72WQ8TA_qygjmuz8Bxf53hTW3FSw3xblDCbYD9GBa2Kz6gdBdwNc3wZDu9hWbAwdcOVTbRvhn72kStFUNiUi0UnY7vTGs2g.wxaBNhTX8MnsoCxtm-0yhPGs38CxYRCR7zJk3z0nduQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=stitching+alignment+pins+for+leather&qid=1709378243&sprefix=stitching+alignment+oins+for+leather%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-3

 

 

[Chipster99]

[SUP]

@Chipster99, I have those and do not like them. That is precisely why I started this thread. They are too sharp and can scratch the leather. The backs are heavy and large and the thread gets caught in them. That is why I prefer the earrings. They are blunt and the backs can be of different sizes, all much smaller. These might work for heavy, larger pieces where the leather is too heavy to be weighed down by them. Earrings will fall off in those. 

@NatesLeatherGds , @bruce johnson I also use earrings when I punch the holes in something that I make, not just for ready bought patterns. These work for anywhere where I need the leather to stay together and has stitching holes. Of course, they cannot be used when using pricking irons. There, glue and/or bulldog clips are needed. How do you prevent the clips from leaving marks though? Line the clips with leather? I sometimes keep the leather flat, weighed down with  weights to prevent marks.

@bruce johnson I usually don't glue the leathers together if I am using these. I don't need to. I do use the stitching pony or horse though, depending on the size of the piece, of course. If I glue the pieces of leather together, I punch the holes after gluing. With the leather already held in place with glue, no need for anything else while stitching.

These really work well for me when I have to stitch along curves or long straight stretches. Holding the pieces together makes things so much easier. I don't like to glue edges because if the glue leaks out even slightly on the edges, edge finishing is a pain. 

Edited March 2, 2024 by SUP

[Northmount]

Some years ago when assembling a few portfolios with precut, prepunched stitching holes I cut a number of paperclips into short lengths and bent them around to hold all the holes in alignment.  It also helped me be able to find centers and make sure the parts all lined up correctly.  I glued the parts together as I removed the wire for a little added security.  So that took a bit of time for the glue to grip.  But I'm slow anyhow!  So that didn't really matter.  I was watching TV at the same time, so could pay a little more attention to the screen waiting for the glue to tack up well.

I have also used staples when the stitch line wasn't all that visible, especially on a sewing machine.  The staple holes are small and tend to be covered by the thread.

 

[SUP]

@Northmount staplers and paper clips. I love those ideas!