Enough of hand sewing

[Fire88]

I've been hand sewing a purse for my wife and while I don't mind doing small items or items that just can't be done with a machine. This purse is killing my hand and made me realize there is no way I can keep up hand sewing this a machine will do hours faster. 

Time for me to make the investment in a machine. 

[bikermutt07]

I avoid a lot of projects for the same reason. I won't even consider a purse of back pack. 

[Fire88]

9 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

I avoid a lot of projects for the same reason. I won't even consider a purse of back pack. 

This ones for the wife sooooo... I did it, told her it's the last one I do by hand. I've got way too many hours in it to ever make any money. 

[bikermutt07]

I did a large tote for my wife's birthday year before last. Liked to killed me.

[TomG]

I am resewing 2 leather chairs.  The stitching is around the perimeter of each piece.  The arms took me about 3 hours each.  And a day or 2 to.let my hands recover.   I bandaid my fingers and wear Gorilla Grip gloves from home depot.  That helps a whole lot.

Still have the backs to see and then I'll be done

[DominickTuroski]

Good luck finding a machine, I'm in the same boat. Some really good resources on this site! I'm looking at a singer 29 model of some sort, or a 111w155. 

[Fire88]

6 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

I did a large tote for my wife's birthday year before last. Liked to killed me.

Yep this purse is killing my hands. 

4 hours ago, TomG said:

I am resewing 2 leather chairs.  The stitching is around the perimeter of each piece.  The arms took me about 3 hours each.  And a day or 2 to.let my hands recover.   I bandaid my fingers and wear Gorilla Grip gloves from home depot.  That helps a whole lot.

Still have the backs to see and then I'll be done

That's quite a bit of sewing, I'm glad I'm not keeping track of my time but I've watched the last season of Longmire and quite a few episodes of Top Gear. 

4 hours ago, DominickTuroski said:

Good luck finding a machine, I'm in the same boat. Some really good resources on this site! I'm looking at a singer 29 model of some sort, or a 111w155. 

I've spoken to Bob at Toledo industrial just need to make the trip up north. 

[DominickTuroski]

Sounds like a good plan! He is definatley the man to talk to.

[Matt S]

I don't know how you guys are sewing, but I can saddle stitch for hours and have never felt any pain (except when the awl hits my finger...). Perhaps if you let us know how and where you are hurting someone can offer some ways to reduce this.

 

Machines are great for a lot of jobs, especially for those of us earning a crust from leather. They are especially good for long or repetitive projects. However they are heavy, bulky, expensive, frustrating things a lot of the time and there is a big learning curve.

[Fire88]

1 hour ago, Matt S said:

I don't know how you guys are sewing, but I can saddle stitch for hours and have never felt any pain (except when the awl hits my finger...). Perhaps if you let us know how and where you are hurting someone can offer some ways to reduce this.

 

Machines are great for a lot of jobs, especially for those of us earning a crust from leather. They are especially good for long or repetitive projects. However they are heavy, bulky, expensive, frustrating things a lot of the time and there is a big learning curve.

I'm saddle stitching part of it is probably cause I don't do it all the time so my fingers/hands are fatigued. I've sewn a good 10hrs in the last 2days on this one bag. 

I'd like to get more into making things and selling them and there's no way I can do that and it be more than a hobby hand stitching everything. 

While im not familiar with the 441 style machines I'm proficient with a sewing machine and expect a learning curve. 

[strathmoredesigns]

8 hours ago, Fire88 said:

I've spoken to Bob at Toledo industrial just need to make the trip up north. 

@Fire88 what are you getting from Bob? I'm always curious about the used machines.

[Fire88]

46 minutes ago, strathmoredesigns said:

@Fire88 what are you getting from Bob? I'm always curious about the used machines.

It’ll be a new cowboy machine, not sure what yet. 

[strathmoredesigns]

@Fire88 Cool, lucky you!

[AdamPCain]

I have hand sewed 3 bags so far, it doesn't hurt my hands but very time consuming.  I would like to dive into bigger projects but haven't for this reason saving up for a Cowboy 227r or a Techsew

[Sheilajeanne]

A big help in sewing is a hemostat or pair of needle nosed pliers to help get the needle through the holes. I was repairing an old pair of Sorel winter boots tonight, and just about went NUTS hand-stitching a seam that was only an inch and a half long! Couldn't find my hemostat, and the leather was thick and stretchy and the holes just very small slits. I needed my strongest glasses and a very bright light to even see them! Using my awl to stretch the holes a bit did help, but it was still a real PITA! Had me wishing for a needle with a smaller eye, and sharper point!

[Fire88]

36 minutes ago, AdamPCain said:

I have hand sewed 3 bags so far, it doesn't hurt my hands but very time consuming.  I would like to dive into bigger projects but haven't for this reason saving up for a Cowboy 227r or a Techsew

I just bought a CB3200 from Cowboy Bob at Toledo Industrial. I looked at the 227r but with the thread limit of 207 and what I will be doing and planning to do I will need heavier thread than 207. 

27 minutes ago, Sheilajeanne said:

A big help in sewing is a hemostat or pair of needle nosed pliers to help get the needle through the holes. I was repairing an old pair of Sorel winter boots tonight, and just about went NUTS hand-stitching a seam that was only an inch and a half long! Couldn't find my hemostat, and the leather was thick and stretchy and the holes just very small slits. I needed my strongest glasses and a very bright light to even see them! Using my awl to stretch the holes a bit did help, but it was still a real PITA! Had me wishing for a needle with a smaller eye, and sharper point!

I've used needle nose pliers plenty to hand sew. I won't completely give up hand sewing as some projects there are no other options. 

[Sheilajeanne]

Absolutely! There is no way these boots could have been fixed using a machine, as the split was where the toe of the boot meets the upper, where 3 pieces of leather come together. 

Sorel is a very reputable make of boot. I was surprised by the low quality of the construction. Stitching sucked, the dyeing sucked, and the boot had lost a D-ring for the lace because the loop holding the ring never got stitched!

 

Just finished reading the thread on how to make a living with your leather work, and if this is the quality of (no doubt!) overseas mass-production going into the things we buy, there definitely IS a market for well-made quality leather goods.  

Edited December 11, 2017 by Sheilajeanne

[luxuryluke]

I just finished my first bag, a shoulder bag for the wife out of 7oz horween latigo, ritza 1.0 thread and the needle nose pliers saved my fingers. 

It took like 12 hours, phew! That was a stitching thrill. Here I go for more!

[jfak7670]

I just remember myself doing the same stuff a couple of years ago. But then, I got my Tippman Boss machine and started doing everything a way faster than when I did it by hand. 
 

Edited January 14, 2020 by jfak7670

[Squid61]

I've looked at machines, the REX on Amazon looks reasonable for the casual user at under $400 .  Most of the "heavy duty" Singer and such are really not good for much more than garment leather from all I've read.  So far everything I've sewn including a few clutches and a purse for the wife look better saddle stitched than they would lock stitched so a machine wouldn't have helped.  I don't suffer any pain stitching and can go along pretty fast using a sharp awl, blunt needles and smooth jawed needle nose pliers,  I have discovered that awl stabs bleed more than needles but needles hurt worse.

[Kcstott]

I had no problem parting with nearly $4000 not to mention the work it took to haul the Cobra Class 4 into the house in two pieces. Front yard has a set of steps it's about a six foot elevation change to the front door and no help to be had. 
Yeah I'm never hand stitching again other than a few little buck or box stitches and what ever you call the stitch where you butt two pieces together. I can live with that. 

[LiftPig]

On 2/5/2020 at 5:11 PM, Squid61 said:

I've looked at machines, the REX on Amazon looks reasonable for the casual user at under $400 .  Most of the "heavy duty" Singer and such are really not good for much more than garment leather from all I've read.  So far everything I've sewn including a few clutches and a purse for the wife look better saddle stitched than they would lock stitched so a machine wouldn't have helped.  I don't suffer any pain stitching and can go along pretty fast using a sharp awl, blunt needles and smooth jawed needle nose pliers,  I have discovered that awl stabs bleed more than needles but needles hurt worse.

The "heavy duty" singer machines are good for denim and canvas but that's about it.  If I have a sharp needle and give the motor a nudge with the hand wheel I can get it to sew 4-5 ounces of soft chrome tan.  I wouldn't dream of trying to get it to do more.

I'm hoping to make enough money this year on bits and pieces I sell to get a Cowboy or a Cobra.

[Kcstott]

18 hours ago, LiftPig said:

The "heavy duty" singer machines are good for denim and canvas but that's about it.  If I have a sharp needle and give the motor a nudge with the hand wheel I can get it to sew 4-5 ounces of soft chrome tan.  I wouldn't dream of trying to get it to do more.

I'm hoping to make enough money this year on bits and pieces I sell to get a Cowboy or a Cobra.

Once a person that is accustom to residential sewing machine sees a 7x4 series needle it all makes sense. Well at least a person with some mechanical inclination to understand how much horse power is required to drive that needle. My Janome HD1000 will sew up to a total of 4 oz with 69 thread and a #18 needle but that is pushing the machine for everything it is worth and quite literally shortening it's life span. I don't do that anymore. I'll sew up to a 2 oz stack with Coats and clark upholstery thread what ever weight that is and the same #18 needle. then sew that to a wallet shell with up to 138 on the Class 4. 
Home machine are for light weight materials and as you stated will have a tough time getting through the seem on a pair of jeans.