French style hand stitching process - where is the mistake?

[justanil]

Hello,

I started working with leather a couple of months ago and I really love it! I bought some new french style chisels and I am trying to archive some beautiful stitching with it. Somehow I don't get the stitching how it should look like. The thread should line up from top to bottom (on the front). I get a straight line...

My result: https://imgur.com/18dvYKW

How it should look like: https://imgur.com/3xW1z6w

My stitching process: https://imgur.com/a/oOALP0v

 

Can anyone see an issue with my stitching process? I am using a tiger thread 0.6mm and french style chisels (obverse) 3mm. Somehow the back of my stitching looks better than the front 

I think the issue could be either with the way I am pulling the thread or the way I hold the thread before pushing the second (right) needle into the hole.

I would be happy to hear your thoughts!

[fivewayswelshcobs]

Hi, Justanil, 

From the pictures your sequence looks OK but the thing that struck me is it looks like you're stitching downwards rather than fairly level to the floor. A slight slope is OK but the pictures make it look very awkward. Yes you need to look down on where you are stitching but also along it (technically you shouldn't even look at the backside but most of us do). 

The main thing to get even stitches is to practice putting the needles through in the same place everytime. I was taught in Walsall always to sew towards you holding the awl and making holes as you go and not putting the awl or needles down as everytime you did the stitch altered. It is worth watch some of the stitchers on YouTube  and then practicing the method that suits you the best as we all stitch slightly differently depending on where and how we learnt.

I hope this helps.

[Tugadude]

Justanil, there is a "sticky" topic designed just for situations like this.  I encourage you to check it out and to especially read what Nigel Armitage says about the saddle stitch.

As far as "how to", I encourage you to check out his videos.

Yes, it appears you are struggling a bit.  For one thing, I don't know how you can stitch with the clam oriented vertically.  I know I would have an issue with that.  In practice, you want the clam to be oriented so that the stitching line is horizontal and the slants pointing down towards yourself.  Stitching towards yourself is the norm.

[Tugadude]

Notice how the thread in the "good" examples runs from the bottom of the slanted hole to the top of the slanted hole.  It is this dynamic that results in the coveted "zig-zag" aesthetic of saddle stitching.  Your method isn't achieving that.

Needle priority, which one goes in first, and then where the second one goes afterwards makes a huge difference in the look.  It also is difficult to keep tension when you don't have good technique.  Every stitch should be tensioned similarly in order to achieve a good, consistent appearance.

I urge you to review the Nigel Armitage primer on the saddle stitch.

 

edit:  Just wanted to offer encouragement.  There are a lot of people on this forum that have followed either Nigel's or Ian Atkinson's advice on the saddle stitch and it makes a big difference.  Remember it is a process.  Learn and understand the process and then practice and I'll be you will amaze yourself at the results.

Edited May 13, 2020 by Tugadude

[GatoGordo]

From your pictures, I think you are pulling the thread at the wrong angle and this is causing the stitching to be flat. Take a look at UK Saddlery's video where he shows how the angle at which you pull the thread affects how the stitch appears. 

 

 

 

[johnv474]

Turn your leather around so the holes you punched are on the right.

Or, don't cast your stitch.  The cast flipflops which side is flatter.

That's why your stitching looks better on the reverse side.

[Hardrada]

FatCat beat me to it.

You need to pull at an angle, yes. Roughly the same angle as your holes' slant, actually. Also, get your pony perpendicular to the floor (a wee bit of a slant is OK, but not more than ~15°). Once you've developed your angled pulling into muscle memory you can change the angle on the pony and your brain will adjust your arms automatically to maintain the pulling angle with respect to the leather; but for now, do yourself a favour and set it perpendicular, mate.

Edited July 14, 2020 by Hardrada

[dikman]

Those slits look awfully big (long) to me, particularly when you consider what it looks like when using an awl.

[johnv474]

I'm curious to know if OP tried any of these ideas and whether they helped.  It would help others looking for similar answers for OP's to give some closure.

Edited August 9, 2020 by johnv474