Starting a new stitch line

[Hildebrand]

I just placed my order with Bob for a Cowboy 4500.  I have watched most of the YouTube videos. One thing I haven’t seen addressed is do you have to back stitch to lock it when you start sewing?  Everyone just holds the threads and starts sewing. Back stitching to lock to finish is shown often but never to start. 

Thank you for your help. 

Todd

[garypl]

I back stitch 3 stitches at the beginning and end...

Gary

[DonInReno]

Congrats on the new machine!  A big stitcher opens up so many options for cool stuff that everyone should own one at one time or another.  Lol

Sometimes it’s a choice to pull the top thread down and hand tie to lock the beginning and end for appearance.  Other times you may not backstitch starting out if the end of the stitch overlaps the beginning, or if the design covers the beginning with another sewn piece that effectively locks the piece underneath. 

 

[Wizcrafts]

Sometimes, if I only want one set of stitches to show, I set my stitch lever to zero and simply run two stitches into the same hole to start sewing. Then I drop the lever to the preset length until I reach the end. I usually do the same trick at the end of these jobs.

[Joon1911]

Wiz,

 

I’ve never heard anyone describe this technique before.  What does dropping two stitches in the same hole accomplish?   Is there any downside to this technique if it is effectively invisible?

[alpha2]

Nice tip, Wiz! Thanks.

Jeff

[JLSleather]

without something to grip on, how does it make a knot?  Weird -- ...

 

[Wizcrafts]

3 hours ago, Joon1911 said:

Wiz,

 

I’ve never heard anyone describe this technique before.  What does dropping two stitches in the same hole accomplish?   Is there any downside to this technique if it is effectively invisible?

Double stitching into the same hole pulls two lockstitch knots up into the layers, tightly against each other, filling the hole. In my experience, those knots are forever locked in place unless you get a grip on the bottom thread and yank the bottom knot out. If your top tension and hole size is just right, you won't see the knots from either side and they won't move at all.

I do this mostly on holsters where a second row of #277 or #346 stitches might be unsightly, or the reverse sewing might not line up perfectly with the starting stitches. It does require a little more foot pressure to ensure that the leather stays down on the second upstroke in the same hole. It also requires a little practice to set the stitch lever in the zero position.

[garypl]

This sounds interesting Wiz - I will give it a try!

Gary

[Joon1911]

On 10/16/2018 at 12:15 PM, Wizcrafts said:

Double stitching into the same hole pulls two lockstitch knots up into the layers, tightly against each other, filling the hole. In my experience, those knots are forever locked in place unless you get a grip on the bottom thread and yank the bottom knot out. If your top tension and hole size is just right, you won't see the knots from either side and they won't move at all.

I do this mostly on holsters where a second row of #277 or #346 stitches might be unsightly, or the reverse sewing might not line up perfectly with the starting stitches. It does require a little more foot pressure to ensure that the leather stays down on the second upstroke in the same hole. It also requires a little practice to set the stitch lever in the zero position.

Wiz:

I love that this sight always gives little nuggets of wisdom.  I'm gonna give this a whirl!