Spur Straps And Bridles

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

Here is a set of ladies spur straps and 2 bridles. I keep messing around with chap leather applique, sometimes I like it and sometimes I don't. The tooled bridle was my attemp at making a "fancy" bridle. Critiques on them would be great!

Thanks.

ps: I know the buckles on the flame bridle don't go so well, they were the only ones I have left...

[wvcraftsman]

From what I can see, I really like the bridle. It looks like your attempt was successful!! Keep up the great work.

[MarkB]

HI cowgirl

They look nice to me. I have a question or two. First what are you using to sew them together with? What size thread are you using to sew with?

Mark

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

HI cowgirl

They look nice to me. I have a question or two. First what are you using to sew them together with? What size thread are you using to sew with?

Mark

Hi Mark,

I don't remember what size thread it is, I always get them all mixed up. Off the top of my head I'd say 144 or 207 (it's the size that the repair shop I used to hang out at used to sew fleece onto skirts). I suppose a lighter weight thread might look a bit better, wonder how my machine would take it... I'm sewing them with an old Juki, it does well for chaps and such, the foot can't lift up very high so it constrains my work to 1/4" or so.

[MarkB]

Cowgirl

I would sure try a lighter thread and shorting your stitch length. When I look at something I like to see the leather (tooling ,Stamping or in this case the color and design) before I notice the stitching.I would also try and get some colored thread to match the leather you are sewing, that is not always possible to do. I like your designs and it looks like they will work nice as well. These are just things to try and work at.

Great job Mark

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

Cowgirl

I would sure try a lighter thread and shorting your stitch length. When I look at something I like to see the leather (tooling ,Stamping or in this case the color and design) before I notice the stitching.I would also try and get some colored thread to match the leather you are sewing, that is not always possible to do. I like your designs and it looks like they will work nice as well. These are just things to try and work at.

Great job Mark

Mark,

Thanks for the advice! I'll have to order some thinner thread and dig out the old manual and see if I can figure out how to change the stitch length. How many stitches per inch would you recommend? And I just checked my thread and it is 207, what size would be better?

I really like how the black thread looks on med to light colored skirting leather, just a personal deal I guess, I know most use white... I try to get the thread color close to the leather color on the others, but I only have black, white, and brown so far. Hopefully in the next few months I'll get a leathershop built in my barn and get it moved out of my house! Then I'll have more room to expand!!!

[MarkB]

Mark,

Thanks for the advice! I'll have to order some thinner thread and dig out the old manual and see if I can figure out how to change the stitch length. How many stitches per inch would you recommend? And I just checked my thread and it is 207, what size would be better?

I really like how the black thread looks on med to light colored skirting leather, just a personal deal I guess, I know most use white... I try to get the thread color close to the leather color on the others, but I only have black, white, and brown so far. Hopefully in the next few months I'll get a leather shop built in my barn and get it moved out of my house! Then I'll have more room to expand!!!

Cowgirl

I like to have less than 7 stitches per inch on most things. On me chaps I will use 8 to 10 stitches per inch. I use thread size 138 on the top and 69 on the bottom for lighter stuff and 277 on the top and 207 on the bottom for the heaver stuff.on natural leather I like both a dark or the light color but for chaps and things like that I like to try and match if I can.

good luck with the new shop.

Mark

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

Cowgirl

I like to have less than 7 stitches per inch on most things. On me chaps I will use 8 to 10 stitches per inch. I use thread size 138 on the top and 69 on the bottom for lighter stuff and 277 on the top and 207 on the bottom for the heaver stuff.on natural leather I like both a dark or the light color but for chaps and things like that I like to try and match if I can.

good luck with the new shop.

Mark

Ok, so now I have another question. Why do you use different sized thread on the bottom? My machine has trouble with pulling stitches through to the bottom no matter how I try to increase the tension on the top thread, would the smaller bobbin thread help? On all this leather stuff I don't really know what I'm doing, but it sure is fun :-)

[jeffroberts]

I just started doing the flame thing and I like it , keep it up , your stuff is great. I handstitch everything and try to offset my thread color with the colors of my stuff. I urge you to try hand stitching, it's very slow but Oh so rewarding when you tie off that last stitch. Nice work!

Jeff

Ok, so now I have another question. Why do you use different sized thread on the bottom? My machine has trouble with pulling stitches through to the bottom no matter how I try to increase the tension on the top thread, would the smaller bobbin thread help? On all this leather stuff I don't really know what I'm doing, but it sure is fun :-)

[Ferg]

Here is a set of ladies spur straps and 2 bridles. I keep messing around with chap leather applique, sometimes I like it and sometimes I don't. The tooled bridle was my attemp at making a "fancy" bridle. Critiques on them would be great!

Thanks.

ps: I know the buckles on the flame bridle don't go so well, they were the only ones I have left...

When you applique you need to sand the edges of the pieces with 220 grit sandpaper (we use nothing but cloth backed sanding medium), and burnish those edges.

I know, it is tedious, but that will make your pieces look better plus they won't have any "fuzz" on the edges

ferg

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

When you applique you need to sand the edges of the pieces with 220 grit sandpaper (we use nothing but cloth backed sanding medium), and burnish those edges.

I know, it is tedious, but that will make your pieces look better plus they won't have any "fuzz" on the edges

ferg

Thanks for the prod to step it up a little, I find it easy to slack off when it's just for myself. Plus, hadn't thought of using sandpaper to get that fuzz off, Thanks!