question about locking off a stitch by backstitching

[esantoro]

I have a question about locking off a stitch by backstitching. I was watching a Sailrite video and noticed that the machine operator was locking off a stitch by backspacing maybe five stitches and then forward stitching three stitches.

Most of the time I lock off my stitches, I do it by hand, saddlestitching, and do so four or five stitches. Would it be advisable also to forward stitch to or three stitches after backstitching. I like the idea but worry that seams stitched with 138 to 277 thread might appear a bit bulky.

I'll do a bit of experimenting.

Ed

[Mike Craw]

Hey Ed!

I'm fairly new to machine stitching, since we only got a machine in the saddle shop where I help out within the last year. Prior to that, I hand stitched anything I sewed for more than twenty years. Most days I have about as much luck with that machine as I have with computers, but I make my mistakes a LOT faster!

Anyway, I don't see any reason to backstitch more than a couple of holes when hand sewing because of the difference in the stitches you are making versus your machine. Your hand stitches are locking themselves in each hole if you loop them a couple of times before you pull them tight. Your machine is just looping the main and bobbin threads once per stitch, and will pull out quickly if you don't backstitch a couple of times.

Mike

[esantoro]

Hey Ed!

I'm fairly new to machine stitching, since we only got a machine in the saddle shop where I help out within the last year. Prior to that, I hand stitched anything I sewed for more than twenty years. Most days I have about as much luck with that machine as I have with computers, but I make my mistakes a LOT faster!

Anyway, I don't see any reason to backstitch more than a couple of holes when hand sewing because of the difference in the stitches you are making versus your machine. Your hand stitches are locking themselves in each hole if you loop them a couple of times before you pull them tight. Your machine is just looping the main and bobbin threads once per stitch, and will pull out quickly if you don't backstitch a couple of times.

Mike

Hi Mike,

When I back stitch by hand (saddlestitching) I never loop the threads. I just back stitch. For some reason I like the idea of backstitching two or three holes on my backstitching and then putting a pin head's amount of super glue in one of the holes. To me it seems like a worthwhile measure to take to make sure that stitch will hold for a very, very long time.

Ed

[Mike Craw]

OK Ed,

Let's make sure that I'm talking about the same thing that you are. When I say "looping" the thread when saddle stitching, I mean using two needles and one thread. I pass the left had needle through the hole, then the right hand needle through the same hole. Before I pull them tight, I wind one thread around the other twice. I pull the twisted part of the threads into the hole so that that twisted material is not visible on each stitch. Each stitch will hold by itself, but when I get to the end and go back through two (three max.) holes using the same sequence of steps, I now have four threads twisted in each of the two or three holes. They will not back out now. The surrounding leather will probably rip before those stitches let go. Besides, with my luck and shakey hands, I'd have super glue all over my work!

[abn]

Super Glue works fine for me, as long as I'm very careful. I put about a quarter-drop on the end of a stitching needle and lightly run that over the top of the backstitched threads. However, I like Mike's method, too -- thanks for sharing a glue-free technique for locking stitches!

Regards, -Alex

[Art]

Hi Ed,

With sails and canvas you use big long lockoffs and you don't try to hit the holes like you do with leatherwork. If locking off by machine I usually go back one or two at the most. If you use the right thread/needle combo, they will hold, however thread locker (superglue or other) is ok, but make sure you are not sloppy or you will have problems when dyeing.

Now the way I usually do it is to leave long tails (I usually hold them to the side and make sure you don't run over them) and then either use a pair of harness needles or a crochet hook to run the tails back through a couple of holes. With large thread things can get tight but it has a nicer appearance. On the starting hole it is hard to lock off with the machine and not have it look bulky or even catch on the needle plate. You can try starting in reverse one or two holes from where you want the end hole and then reverse after you get the first two stitches in. You HAVE to hold the tails to the side to keep from getting tangled.

A lot of this is just learning to sew leather and the first difference is usually that we see the stitches in leather more readily than in fabric. This is why Sailrite may have seemed a little nonchalant about their lockoffs.

Art

I have a question about locking off a stitch by backstitching. I was watching a Sailrite video and noticed that the machine operator was locking off a stitch by backspacing maybe five stitches and then forward stitching three stitches.

Most of the time I lock off my stitches, I do it by hand, saddlestitching, and do so four or five stitches. Would it be advisable also to forward stitch to or three stitches after backstitching. I like the idea but worry that seams stitched with 138 to 277 thread might appear a bit bulky.

I'll do a bit of experimenting.

Ed

[esantoro]

Mike, it took me a while but I think I understand your method now. Do you twist the thread twice for every stitch?

I'm headin' off to try it out....

Thanks,

Ed

OK Ed,

Let's make sure that I'm talking about the same thing that you are. When I say "looping" the thread when saddle stitching, I mean using two needles and one thread. I pass the left had needle through the hole, then the right hand needle through the same hole. Before I pull them tight, I wind one thread around the other twice. I pull the twisted part of the threads into the hole so that that twisted material is not visible on each stitch. Each stitch will hold by itself, but when I get to the end and go back through two (three max.) holes using the same sequence of steps, I now have four threads twisted in each of the two or three holes. They will not back out now. The surrounding leather will probably rip before those stitches let go. Besides, with my luck and shakey hands, I'd have super glue all over my work!