Cowboy Crafts Online Report post Posted March 17, 2008 I was wondering on what kinda Tread people use in their sewing machines. Also How does everyone end their stitching, do you back stitch or do you melt the ends? What is the best way. Ashley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luke Hatley Report post Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) I was wondering on what kinda Tread people use in their sewing machines. Also How does everyone end their stitching, do you back stitch or do you melt the ends? What is the best way.Ashley Ashley... thread for small items on my machine 277 top/207 on bottom medium weight items.....277/ 277 heavy-thick 346 / 277 i will back stich 4-6 stiches. Edited March 17, 2008 by Luke Hatley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barra Report post Posted March 17, 2008 The thread I use depends on the job at hand and the machine. My old Jones harness Stitcher has a fit if I put anything but a natural thread in it. In my Singer 132k6 I use mainly polyfil threads. This machine does not have a reverse. If I am starting and ending my stitching in the same place it is no big deal, I just over run 5 or so stitches. Even though it has no reverse I do not find this at all a problem. I will just pull out a few inches of top thread, lift the foot and position the needle back 5 or so stitches and go again. The Jones also does not like back stitching. To allow for this I pull out some thread top and bottom, cut them off and quickly thread a egg eye needle on. I then go through the original holes by hand. This is a little bit of a pain in the backside but the Jones is an old girl and she is entitled to a few little quirks. Some threads have a tendency to unravel at the drop of a hat. On these I will tie a thumb knot and poke it down one of the original holes out of sight. I also try and start and end my stitching in places that will if possible be out of sight on the end product.. I have a hot knife and on very rare occasion I will burn the threads off. Sometimes it is just as quick to put an old fine broken needle in a pair of pliers and briefly heat it up with a bunsen burner or just a cigarette lighter and quickly touch the threads to burn off. Burning the thread ends is my least preferrred option especially on leather work (Canvas work is a different story) Barra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esantoro Report post Posted March 17, 2008 I backstitch by hand with harness stitching needles 4-6 holes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Art Report post Posted March 17, 2008 Hi Ashley, I'm not a saddler, just occasional over engineered repair. Artisan 4000P -- 346/277 Rice Nylon or Coats Poly ASE No.9 -- 277/277 Coats Poly Artisan 618SC -- 138/138 Linhanyl Nylon Pfaff 142/6 -- 46/46 Linhanyl Nylon Campbell -- 5cord/4cord Barbour's Linen If I have a stitch groove on 346 or 277 I start in reverse, nail down a couple of stitches, switch to forward and sew. When I end, I stop where I want the stiching to end, switch to reverse and take a couple more stitches. I either cut off the tails or burn them with a cautery (Bovie). When starting out this way, make sure to hold your thread ends to one side so you don't get a rats nest on the bottom. If stitching with no groove, I usually don't lock off the stitches with a back tack; instead I use the cautery to melt the threads together. It would be better to use a low temp soldering iron here as the cautery gets quite hot and will cut thread easily. I use the cautery knife (ask me how I know it will cut the thread and/or burn the leather....aaaah the smell of burning flesh) for most things except cutting webbing where I use the iron. For the Campbell or the No. 9 where I don't have reverse, I just turn the work around if I can, or just hand stitch the ends to lock and/or melt. A small crochet hook or harness needle can also back tack for you, but the machine is easier. I'd like to say I do things the same way every time, but I'm way too libertarian for that. Art I was wondering on what kinda Tread people use in their sewing machines. Also How does everyone end their stitching, do you back stitch or do you melt the ends? What is the best way.Ashley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bcurrier Report post Posted March 18, 2008 ... I start in reverse, nail down a couple of stitches, switch to forward and sew. When I end, I That's a good practice, and an improvement over what most seem to do: go forward, back, then forward. Starting in reverse results in stitching the backtrack area twice. Starting forward, three times, which is bulky. Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
