I'm Not Sure If This Is The Correct Place For This, But...

[JohnBloch]

I recently purchased a saddle bag pattern, and the pattern has no stitching holes marked (I'm not sure what I was expecting) but I'm converting the bag itself into more of a purse per say.

My question is, if I score an equidistant line from each edge, and then run the stitch spacer around it, will my holes line up exactly when I go to stitch it up?(with the front, back, and the gusset)

You're probably saying "well, just mark the front and back portions of the bag, cement them, and awl your way through to the backside"

But the problem is that I've never used an awl, I've always used a drill press, and I don't think I will be able to make it work on this project. I'm just wondering what y'all think, I'm pretty much a rookie when it comes to stitching gussets, so I figured i might just ask what you all think.

Thanks.

[electrathon]

DO NOT drill the holes separatly, when you assemble it will not line up. Funny because I taught basic hand sewing this morning and the same issue came up.

Mark your holes, glue your pieces togeather then poke your holes. To drill the holes use a large sewing machine needle (tandy sells them) in a dremel. It will drill good holes, it does not remove leather like a drill does and it is fast and easy.

Aaron

[JohnBloch]

Any clue on the needle size? I'm at a fabric store now.

[electrathon]

I think it is a 14 guage needle. You will not find them at most sewing stores, they are pretty big (needs to be the diamiter of what you were using in the drill press).

Aaron

[DoubleC]

I have 3 Singer sewing machines and never once thought about just using the needle to make hand stitching holes, DOH. Cheryl

[JohnBloch]

Hmm. Well I bought size .18 which was the largest they had, but it does seem kind of small. However, I did at one point buy a tandy stitching awl needle because I thought it would fit in a stitching awl I own (and it doesn't) do maybe that will do the trick, I feel like it might leave pretty big holes though.

My main problem is that I want to get started on this project this week (seeing that I'll have Friday to work on it as well) but my local tandy is like 45 minutes away.

I've attached a picture of my sewing awl needle just to see what you think. The fact that it has the ridges on the channel that let's the thread run through the awl might prove to be a problem though. I'll try it out on a couple scrap peices and see what it looks like.

[electrathon]

18 is real small unless you are sewing with very small thread (like a 69, whis is far to small for sewing veg tan).