Keeping Fil Au Chinois In The Needle

[rjqhall]

Hi all,

I have been using Ritza tiger thread since starting up in leather work but have recently been trying out some Fil Au Chinois as there are many people who prefer this thread.

The issue I have is keeping the thread in the needle, with tiger thread I can lock it in by threading the needle and then using the needle to pierce the thread and creating a knot around the eye of the needle, Fil Au Chinois is too thin and does not have a flat edge like tiger thread does, so more or less every time I pull the tension on each stitch the thread will come out of the needle, unless I have a huge amount of thread to pull through each time which would ultimately waste thread.

Thanks!

Ross

[lilwaysleather]

I pierce it the same way you described for the tiger thread, sometimes twice.

Its not as easy to pierce because of the round profile but the process is the same.

[electrathon]

I hand sew all the time, with a number of different threads. I never pierce the thread or knot it in any way. I always wax my thread with bees wax. Fold the thread back on the end about six inches at the needle, no knot. When you are sewing and you pull the needle through the hole simply pull on the thread, not the needle. I almost never have to put the needle back on and if you need to un-sew for any reason the needle comes off easily.

[Queina]

I don't sew with Fil au chinois, but I do use round linen thread in 0.6 mm; First I run the ends of the thread in beeswax to give it a bit more firmness, then I pierce it with my needle about 5 cm of the end, then maybe 1,5cm further a second time, I put the end of the thread through the eye of the needle, pull it until the first pierced area get in the eye, and then pull the rest of the thread down. If it doesn't hold good I rub it a second time with beeswax and here you go, ready to sew.

Hope this helps.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Queina

[rjqhall]

Thanks for your help everyone! Much appreciated!