Candy Stripe Saddle Stitch?

[Martyn]

I disagree that your stitching is mediocre, it is above average I'd say. Some stitches seem pulled tighter than others, that affects the look also. Did you tap the line of stitching down?

BTW, funny how the white row seems like bigger stitches...

Thanks. I've a way to go yet though, I think.

Yeah, I tapped it down, I did with all of em. I think it's a bit of an illusion as they are all done with the same chisel and 0.8mm tiger, so should be the same (it's the same thread I used in the black and white candy stripe at the beginning). The chisel doesnt help though, it's a 5mm Seiwa (5spi) an the stitches are big sloppy things which just seem to magnify things like tensioning errors. I made a mistake buying it really. I've stuck with it hoping practice would get things looking better, but I cant see me ever using it to be honest.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Martyn

[Tugadude]

Try the next size up on your thread and see if that looks better to you

[Martyn]

I dont have a next size up.

I'm sure it would look better though. I'm just not keen on 5 spi. Besides, the weird thing with this chisel is I almost had to grab the pliers a couple of times, in spite of the fact it looks like there is a ton of room from the length of the cut. It's an odd chisel. I'd rather go smaller, it just looks so much nicer and everything seems so much more 'tuned' if that makes sense?

[Tugadude]

1.0 mm Tiger would be perfect for that Seiwa chisel. I would keep the iron for sheaths or other rugged applications where you want a chunky thread. You are achieving a nice row of stitching in any case, good luck.

[Martyn]

Been doing some more erxperiments with two tone stitching and different colours, here are the results...

The thread is all tiger thread, 0.8mm...



From left to right..

Black
Dark Brown
Havana
Amberglow
Beige
Cream

The black and cream I've already done above and wont bother with here, as the brown is very close to the black anyway.

Brown and Havana...



Brown and Amberglow...



Brown and Beige...



Havanna and Beige...



Havana and Amberglow...



Amberglow and Beige...

The pics dont tell the whole story. In the flesh, the top three - the ones with dark brown in them are definitely the best looking ...at least on a dark background they are. Both me and the wife agreed the top one, brown and Havanna was the best of the bunch. The lighter, lower contrast combos look good on natural leather,l but they are a bit muddy on a dark background. Brown and Havana definitely works though, it's a nice combo, obvious without being too in your face.

Edited March 19, 2016 by Martyn

[Grey Drakkon]

I think those look fantastic! You definitely wouldn't want to put it everywhere, but as an accent to draw the eye to a certain area it works great. I KNOW horse people would go bonkers with a nose band done that way.

[Martyn]

Yeah, I agree, they arent 'everyday' but for certain applications, they are awesome. They actually look a lot better from some distance too. The closeup pics dont really tell the story.

The combos with dark brown in em really pop, but they all look as different again on natural backgrounds. I'm gonna keep these tests and string em as swatches I think.

Oh and here's Harry the cat - he likes to help out...

:D

[jimmy eng]

I sometimes run a stitching wheel over my stitches after I tap it down, it seems to help align the stitches in my mind haha.

Is the cast not pulled into the centre of the stitches? Could that be the reason it favours one side?

[Martyn]

"I sometimes run a stitching wheel over my stitches after I tap it down, it seems to help align the stitches in my mind haha."

Get thee behind me Satan. Ha.

Seriously, I get that people are happy to use them, but they are a get-around that shouldn't be needed really, IMO. I like to see the stitch lay on the surface in just the way it was sewn. A saddle stitch is a beautiful thing in my eye, that's kind of spoiled a bit when you run mechanical devices over it.

"Is the cast not pulled into the centre of the stitches? Could that be the reason it favours one side?"

Yes, I think you are absolutely right. It always does favour one side. I figured out how to control it though, it's just a question of reversing the stitch.  My first needle tends to be from the left, so my cast is on the left and the prettier stitch is on the left. If I switch so my first needle is from the right (usually the face of the work), then the cast is also on the right and the prettier side gets presented on the right. The only problem is I'm right handed, so I always use the awl in my right hand, which is why my first needle is from the left (following the awl out). So switching from left to right hand needle priority is not going to happen for me if I'm sewing using an awl - not unless I add an extra step and use the left hand needle as a place holder - if that makes sense?

Edited May 16, 2016 by Martyn

[Colt W Knight]

Alternating colors would look nice on western style guitar straps. I like the look. I would use it on anything that needs a little flair and has two tone brown dye job.