Saddle Stitch

[TomMeyers]

I have tried saddle stitching and watched videos of others. The movements involved are tuned to reduce excess movements and speed the process and produce uniform stitching.

Because I am inherently lazy I tried to find an easier way thus:

Is a saddle stitch the same as sewing from one end to the other and then sewing back to the start end? What is lost?

I thought maybe there is a risk of piercing the first thread when returning but if the first is in its final position then there is no consequence. Some stitching attempts to eliminate that by pushing the first needle but not the thread before inserting the second needle. Others depend on accurately piercing.

[fredk]

Essentially there is no difference. I often do small items that way. Usually I use a Glovers needle one way and sometimes change to a Saddlers needle for the return. 

However - there is a difference in look, in how the threads lay to each other on doing the two-needle Saddle stitching

[johnv474]

There is always a consequence of piercing thread.  Except in static artwork or items on display, the thread moves as the leather flexes through use.

 

If you hate hand sewing there are chespo leather patcher sewing machines for $120 on Ebay, that can sew up to 3/8 inch thick. 

 

It might be easier to sew down and back but is not faster.  Also, if you are not careful to keep the thread above or below the other thread, then you will have a crooked stitch line that gives the impression that the maker doesnt know how to do it better.

 

It's possible to sew 1-2 stitches per inch if everything is set up correctly.  you may like watching the intro video on Youtube for Hand & Sew Leather.  He inserts two needles at once through prepunched holes, with nice results.

 

Otherwise, Armitage Leather's saddle stitch tutorials on Yoitube or Vimeo are top notch.

 

Edited May 4, 2020 by johnv474

[threepets]

• You cannot pull each stitch tight sewing that way,which is one of the important reasons a saddle stitch is used.

[Tugadude]

This is an interesting and somewhat polarizing question.  Traditionalists would tell you that what you are doing is NOT a saddle stitch, no matter how good it may or may not look when you are finished.  There is more to saddle stitching than how the threads lay in the holes.  As 'threepets' correctly stated, there is not way to properly tension the threads the way you are doing it.  That might be O.K. on small leather goods which don't face much wear-and-tear, but it could be deadly (literally) if used on saddlery.  Saddle stitching is as much about the process as the resulting aesthetic.

There is a company that produces leather goods and posts some really nice videos.  The name is Corter Leather.  They recently did a video which shows the way they stitch, which is similar to what you describe.  They also tend not to use a pony, favoring just holding the items in their hands.  Again, there is nothing wrong with that, but it isn't saddle stitching.  It just isn't.

I always recommend watching Nigel Armitage's videos on the saddle stitch.  Ian Atkinson is another good one to watch.  They both explain the importance of proper technique with the saddle stitch, but they are also not so strict that they don't see the benefits of the "new" stitching chisels that help beginners learn to stitch.

 

In the end, use what works for you and for your products, just don't call it a saddle stitch.

Edit:  But by all means, you can legitimately refer to it as "hand-stitched".  

Edited May 4, 2020 by Tugadude
Added information

[Frodo]

1 hour ago, threepets said:

• You cannot pull each stitch tight sewing that way,which is one of the important reasons a saddle stitch is used.

bingo.  

[LatigoAmigo]

22 hours ago, TomMeyers said:

What is lost?

The ability to have tight, even stitches that really apply pressure to hold the leather over time. I often throw in an overhand knot to ensure even tension.

[TomMeyers]

Thank you everyone. You have each contributed to my understanding and thus to the quality of my work. Tom