Verster Report post Posted March 19, 2018 (edited) Hi Guys, Need some help. I am making a ostrich handbag for a customer but when I sew the leather it is dropping several stitches in a row. From 24 stitches only 7 was not dropped. When I change the leather to chrome tanned or veg tanned - no stitches are dropped. The ostrich leather is very soft and somewhat fuzzy. Could you help me understand why stitches are dropped. I use a Typical (GC2603) Cylinder bed walking foot sewing machine, DPx135 x 17 (18/110) needle with M39 polyester thread. Look forward to your help. Edited March 19, 2018 by Verster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted March 19, 2018 Ostrich leather is probably harder/firmer. Try a larger needle so there is room for the thread. Also watch to see if the leather is lifting the presser foot on the way up. If so, it won't form a loop. Increase the presser foot pressure if so. See also this thread/needle chart http://www.tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Verster Report post Posted April 1, 2018 Tom , Thanks for your input. I managed to solve the problem. The ostrich leather was very fuzzy (flesh side layered loosely and partially separating in areas). Because it was so soft and stretchy the leather would fold downward when the needle tried to penetrate the leather. This resulted in the leather being pushed down (ever so slightly) between the teeth of the compound feeder. Even increasing the pressure to the walking foot (both parts) did not solve the problem. Since this is a customer' hide I had to work with what he gave me. To fix the stitching issues I inserted interfacing / stiffener where I needed to sew. The stiffener also improved the leather feeding / walking foot feed to give a more consistent stitch length. I used the thickest needle I could with the thread and the leather. This allowed for the thread hole to increase and prevent dropped stitches. Attaching the bag lining I carefully inserted stfifener / interfacing into the hem of the lining where I needed to sew. Albeit that it was still tricky and temperamental the result is show below. P.S. I tried a nylon thread to see if I could attain a better stitch. Interestingly the nylon thread result was worse. It appeared that the leather pulled back on the tread resulting in the cylinder not picking up the entire thread but would catch half the tread resulting in the thread separating. Thanks once again Tom. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted April 1, 2018 Happy I could be of some limited help and that you were able to solve the problem. The purse looks great! Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
