No room for two needles in stitching holes (pics)

[Dannyman]

Hi everyone,

My first post on this forum! I am hoping to get some help.

I took a piece of old leather belt to practise stitching and I'am running into trouble right away. I bought a leather crafting set from Amazon + some hole punches/chisels but my stitching holes seem too small or my needles too big.

I searched the web to see if I could source hole punches that leave bigger stitching holes., but found that the distance between the tooth changes, often not the diameter of the tooth themselves.

So what should I do? Buy smaller needles? Get a bigger punch set? I'am a bit confused. I want to do the saddle stitch but it's way too hard to get the needles through...

Some advice would be wonderful! :)

I'am very curious...,

Thanks!

[SUP]

You don't need to push 2 needles in at the same time, no matter what some of the teaching videos say. 

Check this video - it teaches yo how to stitch the angled stitches as well, pushing through one needle at a time.

 

Edited March 21, 2024 by SUP

[DieselTech]

17 minutes ago, Dannyman said:

Hi everyone,

My first post on this forum! I am hoping to get some help.

I took a piece of old leather belt to practise stitching and I'am running into trouble right away. I bought a leather crafting set from Amazon + some hole punches/chisels but my stitching holes seem too small or my needles too big.

I searched the web to see if I could source hole punches that leave bigger stitching holes., but found that the distance between the tooth changes, often not the diameter of the tooth themselves.

So what should I do? Buy smaller needles? Get a bigger punch set? I'am a bit confused. I want to do the saddle stitch but it's way too hard to get the needles through...

Some advice would be wonderful!

I'am very curious...,

Thanks!

You dont have to have both needles in the hole at the same time. But yes smaller needles will help. I use a john james 002 & 1/0 harness needles. 

[Mablung]

What SUP said. I do occasionally push both needles through at the same time, but really only on softer oil tan leathers that I know will shrink back down from the extra stretching. A hole large enough for two needles at once is likely one that will allow the thread for each stitch to shift and wear prematurely anyway.

It also appears you’re not using harness needles, nor are your needles the same size. Get some harness needles around the size DieselTech suggested. That will make the process considerably easier. I think you’re trying to make the wrong kind of needle do a job it wasn’t made to do. 

Edited March 21, 2024 by Mablung

[Dannyman]

33 minutes ago, SUP said:

You don't need to push 2 needles in at the same time, no matter what some of the teaching videos say. 

Check this video - it teaches yo how to stitch the angled stitches as well, pushing through one needle at a time.

EDIT: now I see the link. Thanks!

Hi there, thanks for replying. I see no link when hovering with my mouse over it. Could you edit it in for me? Or maybe it's me?

BTW, I don't even try to push two needles at the same time. I pull the first needle trough with the hand holding the second needle - holding them as a "cross". But it's so tight, even that doesn't work. Probably with pliers, I could. But that, of course, isn't sustainable. 

Edited March 21, 2024 by Dannyman

[Dannyman]

Quoting DieselTech: "You dont have to have both needles in the hole at the same time. But yes smaller needles will help. I use a john james 002 & 1/0 harness needles. "

Just to be sure, do you mean John James harness needles:

size 0 (1/0)
and
size 2 (002)

It's a bit confusing to say the least, how they express the sizes 

Thanks!

Edited March 21, 2024 by Dannyman

[DieselTech]

17 minutes ago, Dannyman said:

Quoting DieselTech: "You dont have to have both needles in the hole at the same time. But yes smaller needles will help. I use a john james 002 & 1/0 harness needles. "

Just to be sure, do you mean John James harness needles:

size 0 (1/0)
and
size 2 (002)

It's a bit confusing to say the least, how they express the sizes 

Thanks!

Yes I would get both of them sizes of harness needles. Lol I fought my stitching when I started as well, due to too big & the wrong needles. 

[Dannyman]

Thanks DieselTech, I ordered them. The saddle stitch shouldn't be the hardest part in leatherworking, I reckon. It will probably go smooth now

[Mablung]

52 minutes ago, Dannyman said:

BTW, I don't even try to push two needles at the same time. I pull the first needle trough with the hand holding the second needle - holding them as a "cross". But it's so tight, even that doesn't work. Probably with pliers, I could. But that, of course, isn't sustainable. 

I don’t think I follow. Do you insert both needles into the hole, then pull each one through separately? If so, then you’ll still have needless difficulty sewing. 
 

Either way, get yourself some proper harness needles, and that should help considerably. 

[Dannyman]

3 minutes ago, Mablung said:

I don’t think I follow. Do you insert both needles into the hole, then pull each one through separately? If so, then you’ll still have needless difficulty sewing. 
 

Either way, get yourself some proper harness needles, and that should help considerably. 

I probably wasn't very clear, sorry for that. I only have one needle in the leather, at all times. And even that was hard :).

Edited March 21, 2024 by Dannyman