How Do You Stitch A Divider Piece Into The Center Fold Of A Tri-Fold Gusset?

[waddy]

I am working on a document bag, and the design requested has a center divider piece which is fitted and stitched into the center fold of of a tri-fold gusset. By that I mean the gusset is folded 3 times, and the center divider piece of leather is fitted and stitched into the center fold of the gusset. Does anyone have a super secret, foolproof method of holding the insert piece of leather firmly into the very bottom of the center crease, so that all the stitches catch it firmly. I tried tacking it, but there are still a few places that got away from me and the stitches missed the divider. I first tried gluing it, but that didn't work at all. There are only a few places where the stitches missed, and of course it is invisible and will hold fine, but that is not very satisfactory for me. Anyone have any ideas?

I neglected to mention this is machine stitched.

Edited May 7, 2014 by waddy

[ikewineb]

I hold projects together with clamps, at the suggestion of someone else on the forum. I use small binder clips for smaller projects and larger clamps I got at lowes for larger ones. If I understand your issue, you are sewing, and the inside piece slides out between the fold? If that is the case, you could always cut the gusset and then sew the three pieces together, and then finish the edge.

[bruce johnson]

Yep, binder clips and line them up side to side. Sew slowly and take them off as you get to them.

[waddy]

If I understand your issue, you are sewing, and the inside piece slides out between the fold? If that is the case, you could always cut the gusset and then sew the three pieces together, and then finish the edge.

Exactly, and thanks for understanding my rather garbled explanation of the problem. But I found that the major part of the problem was in getting the inside piece inserted snugly into the fold in the first place. I was using hand shoe tacks, and the places where the inside piece was snug in the fold, stitched with no problem. Apparently the inside piece was sliding back out of the fold even before I got it tacked. Frustrating! I undoubtedly would have saved myself a lot of headache by simply using two separate gussets and stitching them as you suggest. I was just trying for a REALLY neat edge. Live and learn. Thanks also to Bruce for the binder clip suggestion. I haven't really used them too much, as I mostly use the hand shoe tacks. I think I will try using the clips a little more. Thanks to both of you.

[waddy]

Many thanks Bruce and Ike for the binder clip suggestion. I have heard of it before but I never could get myself to believe they could hold that well. I had always just thought of the large ones, and they simply seemed too cumbersome and too large to really hold that well. I used the small 1 1/4" binder clips, spaced very close together around the curves, and couldn't believe how well they held through some tough sewing. No more guessing where to put the tacks so the stitching will go through or cover the holes! Many thanks.