Contributing Member SooperJake Posted June 21, 2012 Author Contributing Member Report Posted June 21, 2012 Blasphemy!!!!!! But a darn good idea. Are you using the eazy thread needles from Tandy? They have the Eye you could drive a camel through? Get a #0 harness needle to start. You over sharpened the awl. Get the small one only. Then only sharpen the front 1/4 to 1/2 inch. You want it to spread the wider part of the hole so it closes. If you cut the entire hole it doesn't close as well. Also if you haven't tried it yet put a cork behind the leather and push through into the cork with the awl. It saves fingers and makes it easier. Tandy Part number 1195-00....I assume the 00 suffix = camel gate. and 11210 waxed braided cord ( anchor rope, apparently). Flat sided awl (3318-01)with small diamond awl blade 1 5/8"( 3319-05) ...which I sharpened to a dagger's edge. Can you hear me gritting my teeth? By the way, the awl slips clean through 2 pieces of 8oz leather without any effort. . Gee..I wonder why.. I just ran a practice piece using #1 needles sold at my local hardware store ( huge craft section), using said anchor rope for thread. I get straight line on one side ( backside or awl exit side) and zig zag / angled stitches on the awl entry side. Are you pushing the awl clean through or just enough to break into the groove on the back side? From the drawings it look like Stohlman goes about half way. Quote Once you know what the magician know.... it isn't magic anymore.
Members katsass Posted June 21, 2012 Members Report Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) Blasphemy!!!!!! But a darn good idea. Are you using the eazy thread needles from Tandy? They have the Eye you could drive a camel through? Get a #0 harness needle to start. You over sharpened the awl. Get the small one only. Then only sharpen the front 1/4 to 1/2 inch. You want it to spread the wider part of the hole so it closes. If you cut the entire hole it doesn't close as well. Also if you haven't tried it yet put a cork behind the leather and push through into the cork with the awl. It saves fingers and makes it easier. From the grump: Thank Michael. What drilling (as I described and IMO) does, is allow someone new to stitching, and that is getting really frustrated, to put something together with somewhat more decent stitching than could be done before. Gives them a little pick-me-up rather than letting them go into the dumps from abject failure. JMHO Mike Edited June 22, 2012 by katsass Quote NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!! At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses. Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.
Members katsass Posted June 22, 2012 Members Report Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) Tandy Part number 1195-00....I assume the 00 suffix = camel gate. and 11210 waxed braided cord ( anchor rope, apparently). Flat sided awl (3318-01)with small diamond awl blade 1 5/8"( 3319-05) ...which I sharpened to a dagger's edge. Can you hear me gritting my teeth? By the way, the awl slips clean through 2 pieces of 8oz leather without any effort. . Gee..I wonder why.. I just ran a practice piece using #1 needles sold at my local hardware store ( huge craft section), using said anchor rope for thread. I get straight line on one side ( backside or awl exit side) and zig zag / angled stitches on the awl entry side. Are you pushing the awl clean through or just enough to break into the groove on the back side? From the drawings it look like Stohlman goes about half way. OK Jake, Give this a try. Stick your first needle through and snug up the thread. Pull the loose end of that thread back towards yourself some, and insert the second needle through that hole. Snug up that loose end 'til you have a small loop of loose thread. NOW look at where your first thread is laying. It will either be inside that loop -- or outside. It really doesn't matter which you choose -- as long as you do all successive stitches that SAME way. With the thread through the loop, the second thread is on top of the first and vicey-vercy. I personally always keep the second thread outside of the loop. Make your decision and snug up your stitch and keep going. Remember, all stitches are to be done in EXACTLY the same manner -- every time and in every way. Mike Edited June 22, 2012 by katsass Quote NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!! At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses. Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.
Contributing Member SooperJake Posted June 22, 2012 Author Contributing Member Report Posted June 22, 2012 Kats, I did that already. Made sure I didn't go through a loop or under or over haphazard. In fact, you just described how I have been stitching. Pulling the back hread toward me, except i back pulled it per Stohlman to halp the second needle slide through without piercing the thread of the first. Both needles above the short loops left, pull up tight. I will get this. Staring at my third picture for another 10 minutes and it occur to me that some of the angling of the stitch is being cause by the fact that the hole is angled. For instance, the stitch is anchored high on one hole, and low on the next hole. The awl and the punch both make a hole that has an angle to the stitching groove. Maybe I don't pull tight enough... None of this makes any sense I am sure, to anyone who has mastered the hand sewing method. Wouldn't a round hole eliminate the angling? Could the problem be because my awl is so damn sharp? I guess I'll put all this to rest until I get proper thread and another awl blade, and start over. Jake Quote Once you know what the magician know.... it isn't magic anymore.
mlapaglia Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 Kats, I did that already. Made sure I didn't go through a loop or under or over haphazard. In fact, you just described how I have been stitching. Pulling the back hread toward me, except i back pulled it per Stohlman to halp the second needle slide through without piercing the thread of the first. Both needles above the short loops left, pull up tight. I will get this. Staring at my third picture for another 10 minutes and it occur to me that some of the angling of the stitch is being cause by the fact that the hole is angled. For instance, the stitch is anchored high on one hole, and low on the next hole. The awl and the punch both make a hole that has an angle to the stitching groove. Maybe I don't pull tight enough... None of this makes any sense I am sure, to anyone who has mastered the hand sewing method. Wouldn't a round hole eliminate the angling? Could the problem be because my awl is so damn sharp? I guess I'll put all this to rest until I get proper thread and another awl blade, and start over. Jake 1195-00 is the camel gate needle and a good part of your problem. Make sure the #1 you got was a harness needle. Not all #1 needles are the same. There are people that use a drill bit all the time and are happy with it. The issue is that drilled holes will not close up. It all depends on the look you want. The angle of the awl is critical as you go around curves. Its something you have to work on. Once the awl gets half way through the leather the hole is as big as its going to get. There is no reason to go all the way to the hilt. However most people do because of the pressure as it goes through. Remember the stull in Al Stohlmans book is shown as a teaching aid and my not always be exactly how it happens. Most of the time it is and Im sure that Al could stop before it went all the way through. Part of the issue is your awl was sharpened to far down and you cut the hole the whole way. A proper awl will make a small cut then push the rest of the leather out of the way. once you over stitch it and hammer it down it will close up somewhat and look better. hang in there. It takes practice. I made many many practice pieces just to learn it. You can do it. Quote The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering. Bruce Lee
Contributing Member SooperJake Posted June 22, 2012 Author Contributing Member Report Posted June 22, 2012 What is the overall assessment of the stitching I have in the pictures? Be blunt, please. Jake Quote Once you know what the magician know.... it isn't magic anymore.
Members katsass Posted June 22, 2012 Members Report Posted June 22, 2012 What is the overall assessment of the stitching I have in the pictures? Be blunt, please. Jake Well, I'm not an expert, (was told once, that many a self proclaimed expert is first, an EX -- a has-been, and second, a 'SPURT' -- a drip under pressure) but, after we have kicked this dead horse around a bit, your stitching doesn't look that bad at all, especially when compared to so much that I have seen. After you pick up a few proper needles and make your holes a bit smaller (back to the start of things) and use a shorter stitch --- I think you are off and running. You'll do good. Mike. Quote NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!! At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses. Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.
Members DoubleC Posted June 22, 2012 Members Report Posted June 22, 2012 I haven't had anything to add as I'm just starting with SS myself but have followed this thread really closely and learned a lot. I'm glad you asked about your stitching on this part because I thought it looked pretty darn good myself. Cheryl Quote http://www.etsy.com/shop/DoubleCCowgirl
Members JWGlover Posted June 23, 2012 Members Report Posted June 23, 2012 To keep your awl from going all the way through you can put some leather washers through your blade to get the depth you want. It also keeps the awl from marring the leather. Quote
Members katsass Posted June 23, 2012 Members Report Posted June 23, 2012 To keep your awl from going all the way through you can put some leather washers through your blade to get the depth you want. It also keeps the awl from marring the leather. From the grump --- VERY good point. Mike Quote NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!! At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses. Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.
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