how do I handstitch?

[Pip]

My question is I think a simple one, when should I use a 2 needle technique or a stitching awl and what are the pro's n cons? On the face of it I think the stitches are similar but seem to wear differently with the harder wearer being the two needle stitch.....mmm why?

I am trying to learn stitching, as a stereotypically educated male I have found my schooling neglected this fundamental skill.

Thanks folks

[JohnD]

I'm not an expert, but I think the 2 needle stitch, the saddle stitch, I think its called, is stonger and if a stitch breaks, the whole thing doesn't come apart. where with the awl, it makes a lock stitch where the stitching from one side holds the stitching from the other and if one comes apart the whole thing can come apart. I personally have never used the stitching awl. For a more secure stitch, you can use a locking saddle stitch, which is when you stitch (with 2 needles ) after you put both needles through, but before you pull your loops tight, you put your needles through the loops and then pull tight so that the thread is twisted together inside the leather. Very strong but time consuming. Hope this helps.

John

[Pip]

I'm not an expert, but I think the 2 needle stitch, the saddle stitch, I think its called, is stonger and if a stitch breaks, the whole thing doesn't come apart. where with the awl, it makes a lock stitch where the stitching from one side holds the stitching from the other and if one comes apart the whole thing can come apart. I personally have never used the stitching awl. For a more secure stitch, you can use a locking saddle stitch, which is when you stitch (with 2 needles ) after you put both needles through, but before you pull your loops tight, you put your needles through the loops and then pull tight so that the thread is twisted together inside the leather. Very strong but time consuming. Hope this helps.

John

Thanks John, yep it helped, I can see the stitch created now and everything makes sense.

[esantoro]

I'm not an expert, but I think the 2 needle stitch, the saddle stitch, I think its called, is stonger and if a stitch breaks, the whole thing doesn't come apart. where with the awl, it makes a lock stitch where the stitching from one side holds the stitching from the other and if one comes apart the whole thing can come apart. I personally have never used the stitching awl. For a more secure stitch, you can use a locking saddle stitch, which is when you stitch (with 2 needles ) after you put both needles through, but before you pull your loops tight, you put your needles through the loops and then pull tight so that the thread is twisted together inside the leather. Very strong but time consuming. Hope this helps.

John

Hi John,

I think I now understand what you mean by "putting the needles through the loops before pulling tight." In saddlestitching, do you put the needles through the loops on both sides of the hole before pulling tight on every stitch, or just when locking off the stitch?

Ed

[JohnD]

I guess that would be up to you Ed. I've never actually done it, I've only had it explained to me and saw examples in books and on the web.

I tried to give a quick example with ms paint, but I couldn't get it to work right.

It seems that if, before you pull your loop tight, you go over the top and through the loop on one side and under the and throug on the other and pull tight you'll end up with the twists. I'll have to try this and let you know for sure.

John

Edited September 8, 2007 by JohnD

[Pip]

Thanks for the help guys, I plumped for saddle stitch with two needles in the end for this project but used the auto awl on another project it worked ok and I now see the stitch is as John D drew, and it seems to slip between one side and the other depending on how tight you pull it in which direction. I think it is really important to get it balanced and pull both strands in different directions equallyso the lock of the stitch remains in the holes or it makes it much weaker.

I was a little paranoid at it being a weak stitch so a drop of superglue (thanks for the tip) in every 5th hole sould stop it unravelling.

thanks again!

[Mike Craw]

Hey Pip!

You have gotten some good advice here, and I would agree that "saddle stitching" - double needle - is far and away the stronger stitch. JohnD did a great job of explaning it, and an outstanding diagram!! I'm not only amazed by the leatherwork skill on this site, but also by the computer skill exhibited! I'm challenged just adding a reply, and posting pictures is a real adventure for me!

One thing I would add is about the time it takes to saddle stitch. When I started almost 30 years ago, Al Stolhman's book on saddle stitching showed a method of stitching that called for holding a needle in each hand and also keeping the awl in your strong hand without putting it down. Well, you could have sold tickets to that! I never did seem to get the hang of it. When I started helping Carlos in the saddle shop a year and a half ago, he hadn't gotten a sewing machine, so everything was hand stitched. Sewing new wool skins onto old saddle skirts can take a VERY long time when you put the awl down between each stitch, so I started trying to keep the awl in my right hand.

We went out to Sheridan for Saddle Week last year, and I got to see Don Butler sew the cantle binding onto the project saddle. Talk about a light bulb going on! He holds the awl in the palm of his right hand, securing it with his middle, ring, and little fingers. He holds the right needle between the tips of his pointer finger and thumb. He makes a hole with the awl, and before he pulls it back all the way through the hole, he locates the tip of the awl blade with the left needle. (This is especially helpful when you're sewing woolskin onto saddle skirts. You sure can't see that needle in all that wool.) As he pulls the awl out, he inserts the left needle.

As the left needle comes out to the right, he lays the left needle at 90 degrees across the right needle and traps it between his thumb and pointer finger. He pulls abot 12" of the left thread through the hole. He then turns his right hand 90 degrees to the left, so that the right needle goes into the same hole the left just came out of. As he pushes the right needle through, he pulls on the left thread just a little so that the right needle doesn't pierce the left thread. If you allow the point of one needle to pierce the other thread, you will have knots that sometime have to be cut out of the thread. Not good!

With most of the right needle showing through the hole, wrap the needle two times with the left thread and grab the shaft of the needle near the point. If you trap the left thread against the shaft of the needle, you can actually use the friction of the left thread to help pull the needle through. Holding the tip of the right needle (I guess it's now the left needle) you can pull it all the way through. If you keep those two turns of the left thread by holding just the tip of the needle, your thread is already twisted for this stitch. I do this EVERY stitch, so that each stitch is locked independently.

I don't know if this makes any sense at all. Maybe JohnD can do some diagrams! If it would help, I can have my wife take some photos of some of these steps and post them.

The bottom line: This goes a HECK of a lot faster once you get used to it, than it sounds like when you read it. I hope this helps.

Mike