KY23 Report post Posted December 19, 2015 Made my first set of spur straps on my sewing machine. I'm still learning and need some practice on my basket weave. I also should have left a bit more distance between my edge and the stitch line. I made these for a teenage girl that I sold one of my horses too. She is barrel racing with her and wanted to give her something to thank her for taking care of the horse. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eglideride Report post Posted December 19, 2015 Look great! What machine? TPI? and thread size? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted December 19, 2015 Nice work. I think it looks fine with the stitching that close because you used quite a short stitch length. If you were at 5-6spi, it would look too close, imho. It is hard to tell without a reference but it looks like 8-10+ spi. What size needle and thread is that? Is it stitched in a groove? It looks like the holes are quite big for the thread, it could be just how they have pulled down from the tension, or the depth of the groove, or the lighting, However, if it was me i would try the same thread with a smaller needle on some scrap and see what happens. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KY23 Report post Posted December 20, 2015 It was a 8 spi and 207 thread with a 24 needle. There is a stitch groove. I've tried the 207 thread with the 23 needle and sometimes the thread looks a little worn. I can use 138 thread with the 23 needle. Machine is a Cowboy 4500. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted December 20, 2015 How deep is the stitch groove? I have a techsew 5100, same machine, and also sew in 207 with a 24. I have not tried a 23, however it has been recommended to me to try on this really hard and stiff veg-retan latigo i use. I appreciate your observation that it looks like it wears the thread more, i will watch for that when i get some 23 to try. I haven't dropped below 207 with it yet but i intend to, I have only had it for a month or so. If i sold this pile of stuff i have made with it (a few big ones are gifts), i would have it mostly paid for. In the new years when the xmas crunch is over will play around with 138, as well as some 6 cord (415) braided poly i got a sample of.....i just have to see it sew with porchnails and baler twine..... I don't generally groove my hand stitches, however i do use a creaser sometimes to sink my stitch lines. I am going to run some test pieces in a groove and see how it goes. I have not been a fan of cutting away the grain if i can avoid it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KY23 Report post Posted December 21, 2015 I do cut stitch lines. If I try to increase my top tension to pull the tread down tighter afainst the leather I can see the back stitch on the front. I loosen the top thread until I can't see the bottom thread anymore but it just doesn't pull it into the leather enough for me. I haven't played with the bottom thread tension yet. When I use 207 thread and a 23 needle I can see lots of little fibers sticking up where it's wearing at the thread. I think it's more of the thread being too thick to lay in the groove on the left side of the needle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted December 21, 2015 The thinner the leather, the harder it is to pull the knot on larger diameter threads into the centre of the leather (especially single layer). The stitch groove gives you even less thickness to deal with. The knot basically becomes as thick as the leather, so will be seen on either one side or the other. So either smaller thread and needle, or thicker or double layer leather, or no stitch groove. Experiment and see which works for you. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
