What Is The Secret To Stitching Straight?

[aspanol]

what is the secret to stitching straight?

Does the groover makes the stitching straight?If so, what if we are using other leather not tooling leather?

[Skald]

what is the secret to stitching straight?

Does the groover makes the stitching straight?If so, what if we are using other leather not tooling leather?

If you use a stitching groover, or simply mark the supposed stitching line with a "fat pen" (don't know what you call it over there, but it's simply a ballpoint pen loaded with fat), and then use a stitching wheel to mark the holes, you'll have a nice straight line of stitches, just like you want them.

It's always easy to get it "not so straight" at the backside, but if you fix your work with a stitching pony, it's far easier to make the awl go through straight. I sometimes cheat with certain parts (that are difficult to put in the stitching pony), and place the work on a cutboard instead, and punch the holes with an awl while it's flat on the board, much easier and better than just holding it and doing it freehand. A stitching pony makes it much faster though, as you can hold both awl and needles at the same time, and as there's no need to pick up and put down the work between each stitch.

Finally, it's a matter of experience, as everything else. After some meters of practice, you'll be both faster and more accurate.

[TwinOaks]

Making the holes straight is what makes the stitch straight. If you're talking about saddle stitching, the trick is to pass/cross over/under in the same pattern, on the same side of the leather for EVERY STITCH. Cross that up and you'll have a stitch that wobbles left and right.

[JRodz]

I'm new to this but I'll +1 to what Twin Oaks said, and add that you need to practice keeping the tension consistent so you are not making one stitch tighter than the other.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Proper layout, consistency in your tension/piercing,and patience.

[RobDude30]

Just a little to add to what the folks above said -

On soft, thin leathers that don't take a groove very well, I use my adjustable creaser or a ball point stylus against a straight edge to mark a faint line, then carefully follow that line with my stitching wheel to mark the holes.

I have a mark on my awl handle so that I keep the same side up on every hole. You wouldn't think this would matter, but it does. Also, as someone mentioned above, always pass the needles through the holes in the same order and keep the thread on the same side every time. I always push the needle through from the back first, then the front. I sew toward myself and, with the way I hold my awl, the thread that comes through from the rear lays on the bottom of the stitch, while the thread that passes through from the front ends up on top, every time. The key is consistency and lots of practice, practice, practice. My stitching is nowhere near perfect, but I have a method that works for me and it is getting better all the time.

[hivemind]

Just a little to add to what the folks above said -

On soft, thin leathers that don't take a groove very well, I use my adjustable creaser or a ball point stylus against a straight edge to mark a faint line, then carefully follow that line with my stitching wheel to mark the holes.

I do this too.

[Nutty Saddler]

I use a screw crease to mark a line on the leather , then I use a pricking iron rather than a wheel to mark the stitch pattern.

Ditto Twin oaks about making sure that you always pass the needles the same , and Robdude30 - I also have a notch on my stitching awl

Something else that may help when double hand saddle stitch

I always ( as someone else said ) work towards myself , I hold the awl and one needle in my right hand - Make a hole with the awl , pass the left needle through the hole but DO NOT pull all the thread through - when you put the right hand needle throught the hole pull the left hand thread ( in the same direction as the needle )at the same time as you pass the needle - this will prevent the needle piercing the thread and will stop breakages - then pull both threads tight at the same time, the action of pulling both threads tight at the same time helps with getting the tension the same with both sides of the stitch

[bkingery]

If you use a stitching groover, or simply mark the supposed stitching line with a "fat pen" (don't know what you call it over there, but it's simply a ballpoint pen loaded with fat), and then use a stitching wheel to mark the holes, you'll have a nice straight line of stitches, just like you want them.

It's always easy to get it "not so straight" at the backside, but if you fix your work with a stitching pony, it's far easier to make the awl go through straight. I sometimes cheat with certain parts (that are difficult to put in the stitching pony), and place the work on a cutboard instead, and punch the holes with an awl while it's flat on the board, much easier and better than just holding it and doing it freehand. A stitching pony makes it much faster though, as you can hold both awl and needles at the same time, and as there's no need to pick up and put down the work between each stitch.

Finally, it's a matter of experience, as everything else. After some meters of practice, you'll be both faster and more accurate.

What I wanna know is what is a fat pen, where do you get one and what do you use it for, sounds very interesting, I don't even know if we have those here?

[Skald]

What I wanna know is what is a fat pen, where do you get one and what do you use it for, sounds very interesting, I don't even know if we have those here?

Here's an URL for one, in a Swedish webshop: http://www.tjaderlader.se/shop/prod.aspx?productid=559704&groupid=74599&sortafter=0&sortafterchild=0&refcode=f

As you can see, it's just a ballpoint pen basically, but instead of ink, it's loaded with fat of some sort. It makes a "silvery" line, which is quite easy to rub off (it goes away defensively and completely with just a drop of deglazer). Still it sticks good enough for you to do your work without it smearing or rubbing off by accident. It's really quite a good thing for marking stitching and cuts/grooves and whatever you need to do. One could of course use a stylus tool instead, but I really like this kind of pen. For people with "number dyslexia" like me, who has to double check every kind of measurement I take, it's invaluable.

[TwinOaks]

dang, google translator is having a problem with that page, and unfortunately I noreadendesvedish very well.

[Skald]

dang, google translator is having a problem with that page, and unfortunately I noreadendesvedish very well.

Noticed that the URL threw you to the frontpage, anyway it's called "fettpenna" in Swedish. It costs 23:- and $1 is about 6-7:-

Someone else might know if there's some possibility to get hold of one over there. I really like those pens, and recommend them to anyone doing a lot of cutting etc.

[Jazznow]

there is a similar thing in germany, just called silver pen, i tried it and it works well. sadly i quickly found out that the featoue "eraseable" only is right if you dont try to erase it after some days. 

look at: http://www.lederhaus.de/lederwerkzeug/lochzange.php

Greetings,

Jazznow