Sewing Vs Stitching--Which Do You Prefer And Why

[leathervan]

For myself being a newbee I am doing stitching because its too early for me to invest in a leather sewing machine and there is really no other alternative except lacing. But I will probably do sewing as the primary means some day as I get more intuned to leather making.

[mlapaglia]

Sewing for normal projects. Hand stitch when I what it to be extra special. A premium charge for most jobs if its hand stitched.

[WyomingSlick]

For myself being a newbee I am doing stitching because its too early for me to invest in a leather sewing machine and there is really no other alternative except lacing. But I will probably do sewing as the primary means some day as I get more intuned to leather making.

Sewing is stitching.......stitching is sewing.....both words mean the same thing. So you have machine sewing/stiching and you have hand sewing/stitching.

Machines can not do what is commonly referred to as saddle stiching. At least not at our present level of technology.....

Most leather sewing machines perform the lock stitch which is the same basic stitch your mother's sewing machine for cloth makes. It may be produced by hand using a Speedy Sticher, or Awl for All.

[Tex Shooter]

I hand stitch only because for me it is therapeutic. -- Tex

[Hi Im Joe]

I hand stitch only because for me it is therapeutic. -- Tex

I thought that too until I did my first 50 something plus inch strap....

But seriously it is pretty relaxing.

[Dwight]

I hand stitch only because for me it is therapeutic. -- Tex

Tex, . . . I don't know what you got, . . . but that kind of therapy is devastating to an old coot like me.

Don't get me wrong now, . . . there are times when I eyeball my 16 oz framing hammer while sitting behind a recalcitrant Tippmann Boss, . . . but I usually go get a cup of coffee, . . . chill a bit, . . . finish the project, . . . and thank the Good Lord for my sewing machine / stitcher.

And I do enough belts, . . . I'd just quit them if I had to hand sew them, . . . or else the belt price would have to be like Mike's, . . . and seriously raised upward.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Chief31794]

Tex, . . . I don't know what you got, . . . but that kind of therapy is devastating to an old coot like me.

Don't get me wrong now, . . . there are times when I eyeball my 16 oz framing hammer while sitting behind a recalcitrant Tippmann Boss, . . . but I usually go get a cup of coffee, . . . chill a bit, . . . finish the project, . . . and thank the Good Lord for my sewing machine / stitcher.

And I do enough belts, . . . I'd just quit them if I had to hand sew them, . . . or else the belt price would have to be like Mike's, . . . and seriously raised upward.

May God bless,

Dwight

I'm with Dwight on this one, I like hand stitching and do it for small items and attaching belt loops, etc. But for instrument straps, belts, etc. It is just too time consuming and causes me serious pains in my arthritic hands, I also had thoughts of putting my boss in a car crusher at the local junk yard from time to time so I sold it and bought a Cowboy 3200, love it, it sews a lot better and leaves both of my hands free to guide the material as it moves.

Chief

[Tex Shooter]

I am 77 years old and have lots of arthritis and it actually helps mine. Hurts when I am doing it, but helps the pain every day. I have found that using any part of my body, but not too much at a time actually help me stay mobile and able to do things. -- Tex

[Hi Im Joe]

I am 77 years old and have lots of arthritis and it actually helps mine. Hurts when I am doing it, but helps the pain every day. I have found that using any part of my body, but not too much at a time actually help me stay mobile and able to do things. -- Tex

That's awesome! I hope I'm in that good of shape when I'm 77.

[Camerius]

I hand stitch only because for me it is therapeutic. -- Tex

Same here.

[katsass]

Well, Tex and I are in about the same age bracket. I learned to hand stitch from a WWI 'horse soldier', and a tougher, more demanding teacher I have never experienced since. I figure that since I went through the verbal tirades and (one sided) discussions about my intelligence until I finally earned from him a "well, that's not too bad", that I might as well make use of the teaching. I find that I can watch the evening news on the tube and stitch things up at the same time -- and I enjoy it.

[macimago]

Thank you for the topic. I have been looking into getting a machine over hand stiching. I am concerned over the quality of the machine stich over hand. Also, how do consumers perceive the 2. I am concerned that if a consumer wants to pay for a hand made object would they balk over machine stiching.

Also, I also feel that hand stiching is very therapeutic.

[snubbyfan]

I hand stitch only because for me it is therapeutic. -- Tex

I thought that too until I did my first 50 something plus inch strap....

But seriously it is pretty relaxing.

Thank you for the topic. I have been looking into getting a machine over hand stiching. I am concerned over the quality of the machine stich over hand. Also, how do consumers perceive the 2. I am concerned that if a consumer wants to pay for a hand made object would they balk over machine stiching.

Also, I also feel that hand stiching is very therapeutic.

For me there's nothing else that takes my mind off of all of life's little troubles like leather work. It's the experience of creation that I enjoy and doin' the best that I can, just as much as the finished product. Doin' a long stitch line is actually relaxing and good physical therapy for my hands.

I recently finished this for a customer.

He paid for hand stitching, dying and finishing and that's what he got.

When I lost a bunch or weight and needed another belt.

In todays world of instant gratification, I find it gratifying to be able to sit down, relax and make my own leather products. It's also nice to make a few bucks while I'm at it.

[Redochre]

Hand stitching for me. Mainly because I want my products to be hand stitched.

[tboyce]

I was in a car accident about a decade ago. Went from 70 to 0 a tad too quickly. Gripping the steering wheel tightly while the air bag went off shattered both my wrists. I went into 18 hours of surgery being told I would likely wake up without either of my hands or my right leg.

During the years of physical training that followed, the two skills I honed were tying balloons and leather working. Hand sewing literally was therapy for me and while my arthritic hands curl up and cramp after about an hour of it, I am reminded of the story of Matisse who was so arthritic he could manage but a few brush strokes an hour. When asked why he put himself through such pain, Matisse replied, "the pain subsides. But the beauty remains "

[Colt W Knight]

I have messed up hands, and hand stitching a project like a guitar strap or padfolio would leave me sore for days or a week or so. A machine alleviated all that nonsense. I think my hand stitching looked better than my machine stitching, but, I willing to accept that.