How is this for a start?

[canonitr]

Need comments on what can be improved, with regard to the stitching ...

[ScoobyNewbie]

I think it looks really good.

[canonitr]

k . maybe i need to give a bit of details before the opinions will be forthcoming.. 

the upper piece is saddle stitched by my soon to be 10 year old boy (his 4th try at stitching)  , and the lower piece was done by my 7.5 year old girl (her 3rd try at stitching) .

i find my boy's stitching has been rather consistent over the last 4 times, whereas my girl was okay on the first day, she decided to speed up stitching on the 2nd day, which resulted in uneven stitching, and after telling her to slow down and be consistent, this is the output of her 3rd day...

funny thing is, their stitching seems far better then mine.. i showed my son how to saddle stitch, and he in turn, taught his sister..

was trying to teach my kids about consistency, perseverance and patience ...

both of them didn't have the ability to cut the leather cleanly, so i decided to just let them sew it.. if their stitching is considered ok, i might cut out some simple items for them to sew and let them call it their own.. right now, they are having 7 weeks of school holidays, and I hope the smaller Wuta ponies i order, come in time for them to use it

[immiketoo]

That stitching is better than a LOT of stuff I see on the web.  You now have shop workers!

[fredk]

I see nowt much wrong with either piece. As your dottir has learnt, slowing down can lead to better sewing, but at 7 1/2 who wants to slow down?

[canonitr]

@fredk  i would have thought that it would be my boy rushing .. he does that with rollerblading and cycling .. zooming all over the place..

@immiketoo that's what someone else told me ... i'll be running a sweat shop with child labour .. no pay .. just food and shelter and lots of parental love..

@ScoobyNewbie thanks! it seems their stitching is better than mine ..  2 months vs 3/4 days .. 

[fredk]

The apprentice is only as good as the master teaches      [old proverb or somat]

[canonitr]

  On 11/19/2018 at 5:45 AM, fredk said:

The apprentice is only as good as the master teaches      [old proverb or somat]

Expand  

eh? problem is i still cant get my stitching tension consistent...  while i showed my son how to stitch, i guess the real master is Nigel.. I watched and re-watch his video until i figured how he did it .. 

but like what i told my son, it's easier to learn it when it is demonstrated live, rather than a video..... think both my kids took less than 10 mins to get the rhythm of the sewing done ... other than punching the holes or threading the needle, they start the sewing themselves.. (i've yet to show them how to end the stitch by overstitching or back stitching, as i have varied results, plus it can be quite tight with more then 2 threads in the hole, which they might not have the strength to pull thru)

i need to watch how to end the stitch .. if i am not wrong Ian Atkinson has a video on that part.. 

[blue duck]

By all means let them make something. Card wallets are an idea. Not much leather and they can have something to give mom, or grandparents or teachers, or neighbors, or....  A gift that actually means something. The pride in their work will last forever. Something you can do with your children for many years to come. 

Ending the stitch line is just back stitching a couple of holes. Follow the same thread line top/bottom, end at the back side, clip close, if needed touch end with lighter.

[Rockoboy]

Absolutely nothing wrong with either stitchline, that I can see. Both appear even, not over-tight or loose. I would be happy with that quality of stitching on my project.

[canonitr]

  On 11/23/2018 at 9:26 AM, Rockoboy said:

Absolutely nothing wrong with either stitchline, that I can see. Both appear even, not over-tight or loose. I would be happy with that quality of stitching on my project.

Expand  

same! if i could get that level of consistency... my kids sew better then me!

[robs456]

  On 11/19/2018 at 5:41 AM, canonitr said:

i'll be running a sweat shop with child labour

Expand  

You wouldn't be the first nor the last.
That's why you can find "leather" bracelets on AliExpress for like $0.68....

[Aven]

Great job by you and your kids. 

Do you play music while you stitch?  Staying focused on what I'm doing, especially if it's repetitive, can a challenge for me.  I've found the music I'm listening to influences my stitching.  If its rocking hard, I tend to pull my stitches tighter and work a bit faster.  Since music creeps into my stitching, I'm picky about what I play now, especially if I have other things on my mind and my hands go on autopilot while I'm distracted by whatever is going on in my head. 

[battlemunky]

Their stitching looks great. How's the backside looking? And, yes, I'd cut them out some things for them to sew. 

[rodneywt1180b]

Their stitching is better than mine.

[canonitr]

@Aven nope .. no music or tv ... not yet at least , as they can be distracted quite easily..

@battlemunky fairly ok .. my daughter seems to be able to get the front and back consistent.. my son on the other hand, is not consistent.. just yesterday, my son's stitches on the back was a bit off, with a few stitches out of alignment with the others.. might be because i gave them a new piece to practice on and the holes were tight and he was having to put down the needles a lot .. even broke a needle's eye with his hands .. once i saw that, i awled out the holes for my daughter's new piece 

@rodneywt1180b better then mine too , and i am trying to figure why ... they pull it quite tight as well, but dont seem to have the same issue as me..

[canonitr]

  On 11/23/2018 at 5:35 PM, battlemunky said:

Their stitching looks great. How's the backside looking? And, yes, I'd cut them out some things for them to sew. 

Expand  

once i get the corner cutter in, i will letting them sew their own card holders... think it will please them lots to carry around something they made with their own hands..

right now . i'm having issues cutting out the ID windows

[ScoobyNewbie]

I find when I’m sewing that it does matter which needle on which side is on top side or bottom. Left under right tends to give me a pretty wave like your picture, right under left gives me a curve and a hump over it. Kind of two semi circles. Side by side is too hard to explain, but one way is very sloppy and the other way is straight, but boring, and often uneven in length.

oh, I should say, I use Glover’s needles, often don’t make a line, and don’t use a pony. I often feel lucky if I don’t bleed as much. Lol.

Your kids stuff is great!

Edited November 26, 2018 by ScoobyNewbie

[canonitr]

i do it the way i think it's done by Nigel .. the upper part of the slant is point up towards me .... and i go in left first , tighten the left needle with a loop left behind (which is now on the opposite side), and the right needle goes in front of it, towards the the top of the slant .. once in, the loop formed by the left needle drops over the right (casting?)... thats what i showed my kids.. 

if the holes were punched on the right side, then i do right needle in first and reverse the loop .. whichever the case, i told them they need to be consistent .. it doesnt need to be done this way .. just that which ever way they did it, they have to do it all the way to the end..  no rights or no wrongs..