Stitching Gussets - How To Hold The Work In The Clamp?

[Cletus2014]

I ran into a little snafoo trying to stitch gussets into a small bag and I hope somebody can tell me what I'm missing here - I'm making a small tool case with gussets, which is basically a scaled down version of Neil Armitage's iPad Messenger bag. This is my first attempt working with gussets and it is indeed a tricky business getting these right. I have a small stitching pony that I built and I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out how to hold the work for stitching the back side gusset. The front side, or the first half of the gusset was difficult to get positioned and stitched, even though held in place with contact cement. I managed okay though and could clamp it in my pony for stitching because I could just fold the gusset down out of the way to get the bag in the clamp. It's the second half that I'm really hung up on. I can't just fold the gusset down now, like I did on the front panel stitching.

So how do you clamp the work for stitching in the second part of a gusset? If this bag were any larger I'd really be in trouble, as my stitching clamp is rather small, but I can't even see how a larger clamp would help with this problem. I just can't seem to figure out a way to clamp this bag to hold it in position for stitching once the first half of the gusset is done. I've watched Neil's Messanger Bag video several times, but he doesn't seem show the stitching of the second half of the gusset, only the first half.

I hope this is just some simple trick I don't know about and someone can enlighten me, 'cause I'm stumped! Thanks for your help!

[LTC]

Stitching first part (gusset to front panel): 15:49

Stitching second part (gusset to back panel): 20:20

[rawr66]

I don't think it's really possible to do so. Unless you could somehow bring the bag down open side so you're holding just the backside of the leather. Otherwise you'll just have to do it without the pony.

[WyomingSlick]

one way