Hand sewing long runs

[GregS]

I'm pretty new and have been making plenty of smaller projects.  Of course I'm hand sewing everything at this point.  I always measure out my thread about 4 or 4.5 times the length of the area I'll be stitching.

But I'm currently working on a portfolio thing that holds a note pad.  If I measure out 4 times the length of thread, I'll be sewing with about 8 feet of thread.

I was just looking at a large backpack that someone hand sewed and it got me thinking about even longer stitching runs.

How do you guys deal with hand sewing longer runs of stitches?  Do you just keep a close eye on your thread so it doesn't tangle?  Do you split the long runs into multiple runs?  If so, what's the best way to hide the change over to a new thread?

Thanks in advance.

[YinTx]

Use multiple lengths of thread.  Consider carefully where to stop and start so ends are less noticeable.  When one run ends, leave a few inches of thread with the needles still attached, skip one hole, start your next length of thread.  After a few stitches, go back to your original run and finish the skipped hole.  Cast your thread at least once, and twice if your leather is thick.  Trim with a knife as close to the leather as you can, and push the end back into the hole. Done right, it will be difficult if not impossible to find where threads start or stop.

Some like to pull the thread to the inside of the leather, between the pieces.  This can create a bulge, but depending on the item you are making, may make no difference.

Hope this helps,

YinTx

[SaddleBags]

I do my hand sewing with about 12 feet of thread.  Any more becomes unmanageable.  Like Yin said, calculate where to start, stop, splice and you'll have a nice project.  No need to worry about "leftover" ends.  They will come in hand for smaller runs or basting.  The surest way to waste thread is to try to measure it exactly.  Besides, thicker leather takes more thread, so there is no exact answer.  Gotta practice.

[niakulah]

3 hours ago, SaddleBags said:

I do my hand sewing with about 12 feet of thread.  Any more becomes unmanageable.  Like Yin said, calculate where to start, stop, splice and you'll have a nice project.  No need to worry about "leftover" ends.  They will come in hand for smaller runs or basting.  The surest way to waste thread is to try to measure it exactly.  Besides, thicker leather takes more thread, so there is no exact answer.  Gotta practice.

Any tips on how you handle 12 feet? The most I've done is 8 and it was a real pain. I put chairs on either side of me and put the thread over the chair backs so that they were out of the way while I pull and what not.

[YinTx]

Most I'll consider doing is two full arm spans.  Usually the thread is not looking very good if I do that either.  So one full arm span is about my limit.  Keeps the thread from fraying, from tangling, from breaking, from getting dirty, etc.  And yes to the practice.  And for sure, when you try to get it just right, you will end up too short by two holes so plan a bit extra.  Better to lose a little thread to waste than a lot.

YinTx

[GregS]

18 hours ago, YinTx said:

Cast your thread at least once, and twice if your leather is thick.

I get what you are saying except for this part.  I'm not sure what it means to cast your thread.

[billybopp]

I tend to prefer doing long runs in a single go when I can, particularly with darker thread (light colors just get too dirty on long runs).  You just have to be careful about tangling and keep an eye out for any knots that do accidentally form and take care of them before trying to pass them through the leather where they will just tighten.

- Bill

[penguineer]

1 hour ago, GregS said:

I get what you are saying except for this part.  I'm not sure what it means to cast your thread.

Here goes:

When you pass the needle from the front to the back, just as the needle emerges from the leather on the back "cast" the loop on the back over the needle.  When you pull the stitch tight the thread will form a knot in the middle of the leather.  With thicker leather you might cast the loop over the needle twice(or even three times for really thick jobs).

Does that make sense?

The knots mean that the thread gets locked into place and fills the hole better, if a thread gets cut you only lose one stitch and you end up with a neat angled appearance on the front side of the workpiece.

I'm a fan of only using as much thread as I can handle easily.  Got better things to do than untangle thread.

When you come to the end of the thread, leave about an inch of thread when you cut off.  Start your next thread one hole back from the last stitch, hold the loose ends of the last thread up and out of the way and continue stitching.  When you have finished sewing just go back and trim the ends off with a scalpel.

Cheers!

[GregS]

1 hour ago, penguineer said:

Does that make sense?

Yep, I think I get it.  It's just the looping of the thread over the needle to form a "knot"

[penguineer]

10 hours ago, GregS said:

Yep, I think I get it.  It's just the looping of the thread over the needle to form a "knot"

That's it.  I can do it in my sleep(probably do it better that way) but it's hard to put it into words.

Cheers!