Back-Stitching: Starting & Finishing Stitches

[UnionCraft]

I apologize to mrtreat32 for getting back to him late and after the previous thread was locked.

Here's a tutorial for back-stitching initially and finishing your work w/ 2x back-stitching.

I always back-stitch 2x. However, items that have higher stress points, I would back stitch 3x. Not only does back-stitching lock the stitches, they also provide extra support/strength.

This is for right-handed saddle stitching. I'm using a saddlers clamp as well. (Clamp opening is facing my left.)

Start by inserting the thread through the third hole.

Insert your LEFT hand needle through the back of hole #2 first.

Then insert your RIGHT hand needle through the front of the #2 hole. You may stitch by inserting the needle at either the top of the hole or bottom. Results will be similar either way. Bottum of hole > / (bottom of the slant) or / < top of hole (the top of the slant).

Then pull both the LEFT & RIGHT needles firmly to complete the first stitch.

Repeat the same process, LEFT 1st and RIGHT last for hole #3.

Now stitch like you normally would, but over the back-stitches. LEFT needle through the back first... followed by the RIGHT needle through the front.

Continue to stitch all the way to the end.

As in the beginning instructions. LEFT needle through the back 1st.

Then RIGHT needle through the front.

Pull the threads together and repeat to finish the final back-stitch

To finish the work, see below...

[UnionCraft]

Sorry, I was holding the camera with my right, and cutting with my left.

When cutting, pull the thread with your left hand and use your "pinching fingers" to pull the thread upwards. With the remainder of your fingers, use the knuckles to apply downward force on the leather. Then with your left hand, use your thread nippers/scissors/knife and cut the thread closest to the bottom. Doing these steps can help prevent excess thread sticking out.

Sorry, no pics provided... However, you may use a metal hammer with a rounded face, a closer's hammer (AKA "Fittings Hammer" or "Pasting Hammer") or use a bone folder to flatten the stitches.

This is the end result on the front of the leather.

This is the back of the leather.

Again mrtreat32, for your reference... I used Barbours 25/3 thread for this. I would say it's fairly close to 632. My 35/3 is definitely thinner than 632. If you can find it, try a 30/3 and 25/3 to see what you'd like best.

[DavidL]

do you use a adjustable screw creaser or a wooden creaser? I have trouble w/ the wooden creaser as it sometimes slips and it makes a mark in an unwanted area.

[UnionCraft]

I use the screw crease.

Slipping can occur on any of the tools, so being patient and steady will help you to prevent it from slipping.

Pre-crease

Try using minimal force and create the crease line with an unheated creaser.

- An unheated creaser with little embedding is easier to hide mistakes with corrections.

- A heated creased line will be more visible with mistakes.

After creating a light, but slightly pronounced straight line with an unheated creaser, run a heated creaser over the line.

The pre-crease creates a guide, to help your crease straighter with the heated one.

If you can get that down well, you can switch to just using a heated one all the time.

Let me know if that helped!

[UnionCraft]

In case someone was wondering, this is what the finished edges look like.

[DavidL]

your right, I need to be more careful w/ the creaser, Im trying to get the crease too fast and it ends up losing grip on the edge of the leather and slipping.

How do you get it to look like one solid edge(without a heat tool). I have sandpaper, wood creaser and saddle soap. I use hide pounders technique w/ out the machinery and got okay results. I find I can only get a good edge on thin leathers like calf which have very little on the flesh. Im guessing its mostly the heating tool.

Handsewing which do you prefer, hitting the iron till you see it start to show on the backside or gently tapping to get an impression. I like to hit it till I see marks on the backside, on thicker multi layers this is not possible and my stitching struggles to get even on the backside, although its 80 percent how I want it to look.

[mrtreat32]

Sorry, I was holding the camera with my right, and cutting with my left.

When cutting, pull the thread with your left hand and use your "pinching fingers" to pull the thread upwards. With the remainder of your fingers, use the knuckles to apply downward force on the leather. Then with your left hand, use your thread nippers/scissors/knife and cut the thread closest to the bottom. Doing these steps can help prevent excess thread sticking out.

IMG_2300.jpg

Sorry, no pics provided... However, you may use a metal hammer with a rounded face, a closer's hammer (AKA "Fittings Hammer" or "Pasting Hammer") or use a bone folder to flatten the stitches.

This is the end result on the front of the leather.

IMG_2304.jpg

This is the back of the leather.

IMG_2305.jpg

Again mrtreat32, for your reference... I used Barbours 25/3 thread for this. I would say it's fairly close to 632. My 35/3 is definitely thinner than 632. If you can find it, try a 30/3 and 25/3 to see what you'd like best.

Awesome tutorial. thanks!

Edge looks really nice as well. you burnish before you apply edge paint and than burnish again after?

In your normal sewing after the backstitch do you always put your right hand needle in front of the left? I pull the left through and downwards/towards me and bring the right needle through behind that one in the upper corner of the / slant. As the right needle is half way through the leather I cast the left side thread over that needle before I pull the threads tight. I recently started pulling the left side up a bit and pulling the right side down to make sure they go in the direction I want them.

Im not sure but I think the results would be the same no matter what needle was in front as long as it was consistent.

[UnionCraft]

Thanks again guys and sorry for the late reply.

I will PM you guys the answers to your questions, because I do not want to make that info public.