Boriqua Report post Posted May 18, 2015 I love the Zen of the repetitive motion of hand stitching with an awl. Just something so soothing about punch stitch stitch if you get a good rhythm going. Im not looking to break any speed records but I am curious ... I can stitch a really pretty saddle stitch at about 6 inches in 12 minutes. About 30 stitches. Seems dreadfully slow. Seemed very mechanized when I was doing it but 12 minutes ..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tugadude Report post Posted May 18, 2015 Cue the music, there's gonna be a showdown at the O.K. corral! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boriqua Report post Posted May 19, 2015 I should add it was a holster so it was 2 pieces of 8-9 oz. There maybe I dont feel so bad now Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rawcustom Report post Posted May 20, 2015 Saw this thread and decided to time myself tonight. 20", 7 spi, 40 minutes. This was on 2/3 oz tooling veg tan, so I would be much slower on my knife sheaths, but luckily never have to sew 20" on a sheath. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keplerts Report post Posted May 24, 2015 It takes me between 2.5 and 3 hours to hand sew sheep skin to one side of a saddle skirt. It all deepends on what I'm working on. Some things seem to go very quickly and others seem to just take forever. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robbied Report post Posted May 27, 2015 All I know is it takes me a lot longer to punch and stitch 5 layers of 8 than it does for my usual 3 layers. The end result works though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted June 2, 2015 I think for comparisons, everyone would have to comment on speed based on technique (punch through with chisel, awl, dremel?), leather thickness/layers, type of leather (oiled? chrome tanned? veg tanned?) size and type of thread, and complexity of stitch pattern (straight line? curves? using a nice pony or horse or holding it in your lap? Care what the stitch looks like in the end? etc.) I too would like to know how my stitching speed compares, but so many variables that it is almost impossible to compare. Unless everyone was willing to make a two layer belt 44" long out of 3 to 4 oz veg tanned leather, using a 7 stitch/inch pricking iron with an awl (stitch marking included in the time), 18/3 linen thread, and a stitching horse, then post beginning and end times with inches/hour calculated, and the end result photographed and posted, both front and backside of stitches displayed. And maybe some other variables I didn't consider in there... just sayin. My stitching has varied from 8"/hour to 24"/hour depending on all these variables. YinTx Just thought to myself: Maybe this would make a good "Keep making stuff Challenge" for June.... we could draw in a lot of comparisons then! YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robbied Report post Posted June 2, 2015 You're totally right about the number of variables involved. I've had knife sheaths take anywhere from an hour to stitch, to about 3 hours (like I think this one did). I use an overstitch wheel to mark my holes and then straight to the horse, all hand awled and stiched with saddle needles and 1 mm polyester thread. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King's X Report post Posted June 2, 2015 It takes me about a day or day and half to sew 25" of leather. Mainly because I cannot dedicate all of the time at one sitting for this hobby. But after all of these years, I still like to hand sew.......I have yet to purchase a machine and doubt if I will. Plus it helps me relax and not want to kill my teenage children!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
walkg Report post Posted June 26, 2015 Plus it helps me relax and not want to kill my teenage DITTO ! You can make it last really long if necessary ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snubbyfan Report post Posted June 29, 2015 Took me about 6 to 8 hours to hand stitch this belt. It's 2 layers of 9-10 ounce. My wife hand stitched this ranger belt in about half that time. It's 7-8 ounce with a 4-5 ounce liner. Guess who does the belt stitching now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boriqua Report post Posted June 29, 2015 Took me about 6 to 8 hours to hand stitch this belt. It's 2 layers of 9-10 ounce. My wife hand stitched this ranger belt in about half that time. It's 7-8 ounce with a 4-5 ounce liner. Guess who does the belt stitching now. That is toooo funny. I keep trying to get my wife to take a hand at stitching but whenever I bring it up she looks at me like I dont speak the same language. She is no wimp now .. she works outdoors everyday at a Botanical Garden but I think she is wise to me wanting her to help on the stitching and she is playing dumb. That or she is from the Bronx and I am from Brooklyn and there really is a dialect language barrier going on ... still after 16 yrs! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snubbyfan Report post Posted June 29, 2015 That is toooo funny. I keep trying to get my wife to take a hand at stitching but whenever I bring it up she looks at me like I dont speak the same language. She is no wimp now .. she works outdoors everyday at a Botanical Garden but I think she is wise to me wanting her to help on the stitching and she is playing dumb. That or she is from the Bronx and I am from Brooklyn and there really is a dialect language barrier going on ... still after 16 yrs! My wife and I both used to work in factories together. I know that all I gotta do is show her something once and off she goes. I was getting kinda backed up on orders and she wanted to help. I showed her and off she went. It was really something to watch her hands go. Kinda like watching a leather stitching video of me but at double speed. Next time I think I'll get it on video and post it on my YouTube channel. My wife's Italian and I'm an American Indian. A loud emotional Italian and a quiet stoic Injun, we're quite the pair. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colt W Knight Report post Posted June 30, 2015 (edited) Takes me about 4-5 hours to hand stich a padfolio or guitar strap including punching the holes, and my fingers hurt like hell afterwards. Once I started making more than a couple, I found a machine. Edited June 30, 2015 by Colt W Knight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MonicaJacobson Report post Posted June 30, 2015 My wife and I both used to work in factories together. I know that all I gotta do is show her something once and off she goes. I was getting kinda backed up on orders and she wanted to help. I showed her and off she went. It was really something to watch her hands go. Kinda like watching a leather stitching video of me but at double speed. Next time I think I'll get it on video and post it on my YouTube channel. My wife's Italian and I'm an American Indian. A loud emotional Italian and a quiet stoic Injun, we're quite the pair. Ha, funny! It's awesome that you guys work together. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fordpkup Report post Posted August 11, 2015 I have a homemade stitching pony. I practiced for hours on scrap leather. I am still striving to improve and I don't get in a hurry. Not getting in a hurry is important to me. I figure a little speed will come with time. I've had some jaws drop when I tell them it's hand stitched. That's more important than speed and shoddy work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted August 12, 2015 Fordpkup, I could not have said it better. My stitching satisfaction does not come from the speed, but from the quality of the product. If I want speed, I'll use a sewing machine, it'll at least maintain some degree of consistency that I would not be able to if I was working full tilt. That being said, it is nice to know whether I am working at a snails pace and should continue to try to pick up the rate, or if I'm moving along at a decent speed. Of course, I'd have to be stitching something for any of this to hold true, something I have not been able to do for some time now. Something about lack of time.... YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
