Stitching

[Selvune]

First, I am a complete beginner here.  I don't think I have done any sewing/stitching since high school, which was quite a long time ago   I am practicing on some scrap leather and can't figure out why some of my stitches look to go straight across and some look like they are angled.  Am I not pulling the thread tight enough or might it be something else?  Please ignore the beginning and end as I wasn't paying attention and did it all wrong.  Also, I am referring to the one labeled 3rd., but 2nd has a similar problem beyond my holes aren't straight.

Edited February 19, 2022 by Selvune
Added a sentance.

[MtlBiker]

@Selvune - I'm in the same boat as you!  I'm trying to learn hand-stitching and it's harder than I expected.  So I'll be watching the answers you get about this and hoping to learn from them.  Luckily YouTube has a ton of good videos about this, and also the Al Strohlman book about hand-stitching is excellent.  (I'm still waiting for an order of harness needles and Ritza Tiger 1.0 thread to arrive, so for now I'm practicing with the largest harness needle Tandy had - all they had in stock - and their Tejas thread which doesn't have  a spec for the thickness.)

Out of curiosity, what did you use to make the holes for your stitches (size of chisel if you used one) and what size needle and thread are you using?  Hard to tell from the photo but it looks like the spacing between stitches is quite long, which is why I ask about the stitching chisel.

Let's hope there is good help coming.

 

 

[chuck123wapati]

it appears on some you changed which thread was in the lead you want your stitches to appear like they run from the two closest sides of the slit the ones by 3rd are crossed.

What  i do the front of the project facing right starting at the farthest hole working towards myself. Right needle in wiggle it a bit pull it through and hook that thread with your thumb and pull it towards the rear of the project insert the left needle in front of the existing thread wiggle it to open the hole pull a bit of the first thread back to make sure you didn't lance it and then pull it through. tighten you stitch evenly,   repeat. When done tamp or roll your stitch line.

 i would also suggest running a deeper groove then make sure you holes are right in it then after you finish sewing tap them down with a hammer. 

[zuludog]

Saddle stitch is meant to have a slight zig - zag or sawtooth appearance, that's why the prongs on diamond stitching chisels are slanted, and not straight across

Here are a couple of suggestions -- I assume you are using two needles -- when you pull the needles out of the holes don't pull the thread straight out at right angles to the leather, pull upwards with your left hand and downwards with your right at an angle of about 45*. This should ensure that at the start of the next stitch the thread is always set below the previous stitch -- and pull the thread a bit tighter

I stitch away from myself ..... put the right needle through first .... then the left needle below the rh thread that has emerged .... then pull the needles & thread tight as described -- left hand up and right hand down

Use a round/scratch awl to enlarge the holes if necessary, and to tease & fiddle the thread & stitches so they lie evenly.  

But have a look at YouTube videos on The Saddle Stitch; watch as many as you can manage and you'll see how other people do things

Edited February 20, 2022 by zuludog

[tsunkasapa]

As long as you do it the same EVERY time, your stitches will be consistent. As to the 'zig-zag' , 'saw tooth' effect, I've never had any of my stitching look like that in 30+ years.

[GatoGordo]

You are doing something backwards. If you notice, your thread is going from the top corner of the right hole to the bottom corner of the left hole while it should be the opposite.

In other words, your holes are like: / / / /  (correct)
but your thread is like: / / / 
while the thread should be like \ \ \

As an example, here is a sample card I made for my daughter so she can pick the thread color for her new bag.

I suggest you watch more YouTube videos to see how it is done. I had to watch several before it finally clicked.

Also, as tsunkasapa pointed out, the most important factor is to be consistent. The needles must pass in the same orientation each time and must be pulled at the same angle and tension for each stitch.

[Spyros]

2 hours ago, GatoGordo said:

As an example, here is a sample card I made for my daughter so she can pick the thread color for her new bag.

Hehe I can relate, I make bags for my daughters all the time and when it comes to picking colours, OMG talk about fussy 

[GatoGordo]

12 hours ago, Spyros said:

Hehe I can relate, I make bags for my daughters all the time and when it comes to picking colours, OMG talk about fussy 

For each project I must create a set of sample stiches as above; just laying the thread across the leather is not enough. However, she almost always picks the black thread.

[tsunkasapa]

The selection I offer is black, brown, neutral/natural. I don't play color games.

[Selvune]

On 2/19/2022 at 6:25 PM, MtlBiker said:

@Selvune - I'm in the same boat as you!  I'm trying to learn hand-stitching and it's harder than I expected.  So I'll be watching the answers you get about this and hoping to learn from them.  Luckily YouTube has a ton of good videos about this, and also the Al Strohlman book about hand-stitching is excellent.  (I'm still waiting for an order of harness needles and Ritza Tiger 1.0 thread to arrive, so for now I'm practicing with the largest harness needle Tandy had - all they had in stock - and their Tejas thread which doesn't have  a spec for the thickness.)

Out of curiosity, what did you use to make the holes for your stitches (size of chisel if you used one) and what size needle and thread are you using?  Hard to tell from the photo but it looks like the spacing between stitches is quite long, which is why I ask about the stitching chisel.

Let's hope there is good help coming.

 

I used the 4 mm Tandy diamond hole chisel set.