How I do Saddle stitch
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I have just posted a new video about how I saddle stitch on my YouTube channel Elizabeth Bond The Smart Stitcher. This is the first of three videos about three of the ways I use to hand sew leather. Being a stitcher it was very exciting to learn another sewing method when I started leather work. Learning saddle stitch is often popular in the classes I teach, yet it is something students find frustrating to get to grips with.
Some experienced stitchers expect to start saddle stitching at an expert level, based on their existing sewing experience. I first learnt just over ten years ago and I was no exception. I thought I had mastered it and then when I was learning to make moccasins with Rose Choules, I then realised I was not being consistent as my stitches were very uneven. Rose is an excellent teacher, shoemaker and leather worker who helped me unpick my technique and get back on track.
Saddle stitch, just like any other stitch, is about the position of your needles and your loops. If you are consistent with this then you are away. I consider myself an eternal learner and always do a quick practice before starting a new project. There is nothing more frustrating that completing a line of stitches and realising that one in the middle is uneven because the loops were in the wrong place. The pain!
I often get asked questions about sewing leather and just how you push a needle through thick leathers. I always say preparing your leather is a key part of preparing for saddle stitch. This means accurately scoring and marking out your stitches with a pricking iron through to using the awl to create a hole just large enough for the needle to go through. A big part of this is making sure you adjust the awl position if any of your pricking marks are uneven, so you can keep everything straight and accurate.
I find saddle stitching very therapeutic and enjoyable. I like to ensure I have set some time aside to do it. I find if I am feeling stressed or trying to rush it always shows in my stitching, so it is worth taking some time to relieve the stress of the day and then be able to be completely in the stitching zone.
This is the link to the video (which you may need to cut and paste into a new browser window).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW0_1ycfmWM