Joining Sides/sewing Gussets

[Sjohnsone]

Howdy everyone-

Just seeing if someone can enlighten me on the correct process to sew gussets into rounded/slightly rounded/square bags. Just to give you an idea - this is the first messenger bag I made:

So to clarify what I'm actually asking I guess, I'll list the issues I keep running into and my process.

For every bag/case I've been making I cut my pieces, work the edges that will join together so they are more flexible, sometimes wet the beforehand and bend them out. Then I take the pieces and put leather weld on them and clamp down with those black paperclip clamps. Then I go over the stitch grove i cut earlier and mark it with an overstitcher on one side. I use the awl, put the needles through, yadda yadda.

The problems I keep running into are crooked stitches and it seems like my awl won't always go through straight through to the corresponding stitch groove on the gusset.

Does anyone have a step by step for a bag like I posted? How about one for a motorcycle rolled tool bag?

I wish I could really ask what i'm doing wrong, the problem is that I'm teaching myself and I just feel like I'm screwing something up here.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Seth

Just to say in advance - I picked up the Stohlman book on making cases...it didn't exactly help me.

[Gump]

Seth; I use a piece of dense styrofoam insulation under my work and find it easier to go straight through the leather and hit the groove on the backside. The styrofoam is dense enough to hold the leather flat, but very easy to puncture. Gump.

[DoubleC]

I'm not sure this is a gusset question so much as a sewing question. Do you have this problem when you sew anything besides gussets? Because when you are hand stitching, there's a lot involved in stitches you are going to see. People use two needles and never put their awl down because it won't make the exact same mark when they pick it up again. I can't do it that way myself, and just made a hand sewed messenger bag with a blind stitch for that reason. Cheryl

[jimmy eng]

Are you using a block inside the bag when you're sewing? It helps immensely constructing anything 3 dimensionally to have something to hold the shape you want.

Without seeing the issue, it seems it could be two reasons:

(1) The pieces have shifted before the awl has exited. A block helps with that. And/or you can sew a single stitch at the beginning and end of the curve so it stays in place. Once you sew to the curve then you can snip off the single stitch and continue on sewing. It's much better than having a clip that can shift around.

(2) The awl isn't going in the same way and parallel to the edge. From a birds' eye view the leather and awl should make a right angle (that makes sure your stitch length is even), from there you can adjust how the awl exits anyway you need to. So if the stitch groove lines don't match, change the angle of the awl when you exit. You can enter one piece of the leather from one height and exit the other in another which brings the pieces and your stitch lines level (either by angling the awl and stabbing both pieces or entering and exiting each piece individually).

You also need to slow down. When you feel the awl is coming out from the other side of the piece, check that the hole is in the correct position. If not, pull it back and exit where it should be.

Since the awl point is a diamond shape, if each stitch hole isn't in the same direction then that creates crooked stitching as well.

Like Gump has said, using a backing so your awl has somewhere to hit helps too. When I'm on the stitching horse I use a block of beeswax or a eraser for that purpose when it comes to fiddly sections that my hands can't completely control. It also helps in tight corners/bends where you don't want to scratch other pieces of leather where your fingers can't get to.

FWIW, I'd use the overstitcher on both sides of the pieces (start at the same position) so you get an indication of where the exit hole should be and I'd do it while the bag is in pieces rather than glued. Once you've finished sewing, tap both sides of the stitches with a hammer and run the overstitcher along the seam. It helps keep the stitches aligned.

I haven't attempted a large bag yet, but it's on the cards.

Edited October 3, 2012 by jimmy eng

[bluesman1951]

I like your bag and looked at it for about ten minutes asking myself "What would I do "? With this thick leather you may need to make a wooden form to mold the gusset and curl the edges so it slips in between your front and back pieces ready to go . My experience with the overstitch wheels is the stitches are too close together for awl work thick leather . By hand its tough to keep the depth of penetration and straightness perfect with each stitch using awl. I use a 3/4 inch thick cutting board plastic as backing for all my pricking iron work . The problem appears that with a awl the bag is not addressed at a perfect 90 degree angle each time . This could be solved with a drill press approach then getting the bag to lay flat at the edge and set a stop for puncture depth . You are in Long Beach stop by a machine shop and see if something can be made ,maybe even a special pliers could be made to acomplish this job. I am not sure I would use the stitching groove ,that leather is soft enough that good stitch tension will bring the thread level with the surface or just below it . That gets rid of one issue ,keeping the stitch in the line of the groove . This requires some more thought for sure , Personaly the cost of the thicker leather and the difficulty of working with it would give me serious pause in production of a bag like this .All things considered this bag moves into the "Saddle Back Learther Bags " arena if there was a market for it at 350.00 plus and production was streamlined to the max it might be worth a go . That said ,I really like it ,tough solid all the things a last forever bag needs to survive the test of time . Best wishes for sucess with your project and I would like to see more of your work . Bill

[Sjohnsone]

Holy smokes you guys are freaking awesome. Seriously - some sound advice I'm going to spend some time processing all this great info. Jimmy - I think what you said about using the overstitch on both sides, plus using a stitch as an anchor point just really rang a bell with me. The form you were talking about really sounds great - I'll have to see if there's a shop around that can do forms because it would just make everything so much easier rather than having a wobbly-bobbly half sewn bag to be working with.

The only part that's really throwing me for a loop here is the part about what you guys were saying about the insulation/eraser, etc. I guess I just don't fully understand what you mean.

What do you guys think about taking a dremmel to an overstitch wheel and say just grind down every other point? Every two? It might give a better spacing and be easier on the fingers. To be honest, that many stitches on that bag was a freaking strength of will test hahahahah.

Thanks again guys, you rock.

And thank you for the compliment on the bag!

[pepeunidos]

This is tremendous and timely information. I'm about to build a guitar amplifier cover using the exact technique described here, essentially an upside down "messenger bag" style container with no lid, but the top, front, and back will be one piece of leather, and separate pieces for the sides. Sjohnsone, very nice bag you made! I think it looks great. Looks like my old "mochila" from when I was a kid!

PepeUnidos

[garypl]

When I handsew gussets I simply mark stitch lines on both pieces, then layout the holes with either an overstitcher, pricking chisel, or sometimes I just run the pieces through my unthreaded machine.  Now you have two pieces of leather with holes spaced identically and the same distance from the edge.  I don’t glue the gussets - just saddle stitch, so it’s easy to push the awl through the first hole, look for the second hole and slip the awl through, then use your needles.  Works great!

Gary