Stitching Projects Part One: Intro to Stitching

Today I'm starting my three part series in stitching leather projects.  There are many different ways you can put a project together but I want to highlight the five different ways I know how stitch leather.  I also want to show you my favorite methods.

I decided to do this as a three part series so you can find how to do a certain stitch with ease.  I figured it would be easier this way instead of having you slog through a massive entry looking for details on how to do a saddle stitch.  

Let's get started:

Today we are going to take a look at two basic stitching methods.  I wanted to look at these two methods at the same time because they are very easy.  I also want to note that I rarely, if ever, use these stitches.  Don't let my bias stop you from doing them but I feel they just aren't strong enough for my projects.  You be the judge.  

Loop Stitch

First we have the Loop Stitch.  This stitch is as straight forward as you can get.  You start the lace by putting the needle in between the leathers and pulling it through the "inside" hole and then loop it over and lace it through the "inside" of the project through to the "outside" and repeat.

When you need to splice start the new lace a few holes down from the end of the previous lace in the same way you started (between the leathers toward the inside).  Take the old lace and loop it until you reach the new lace, put the needle through the last "inside" hole and pull it up between the leathers.  This should create the illusion that the lace doesn't stop.  Cut off the excess lace and continue to lace until you reach the end.  You end the lace in the same way you splice it.  Lace until you reach that last "inside" hole and pull it between the leathers and cut off the excess.  Tuck any lace ends in between the leather and you are done.  Simple as that!  (I do not have photos for these last steps because I haven't finished a project with these stitches recently.  I will do my best to get photos up as soon as possible.)

This is a good stitch to start on as it is really easy.  Personally I do not care for the look or the strength of this stitch so I only use it while teaching beginners how to lace so they get used to working with it.  Another item to note, this will come up again in the Double Loop Stitch Entry, be sure that the "finished" side of the leather is the part that is always up.  You do not want any kinks in your lace.  This is easy to keep track of in Loop stitching and easy to fix.  This is also important in the next stitch:

Buck Stitching

Buck stitching is similar to loop stitch except you are not looping the lace around the edge but weaving it from the "inside" to the "outside" of the leather.  Also it is traditional to use a larger lace than usual for the buck stitch. You can do the buck stitch in two ways.  

If the holes are in a straight line then you start it in between the leather and pull it through the "inside" hole.  You twist the lace and pull it through both holes to show the "finished" side of the lace.  Once it is pulled out the back then you twist it the same way and pull it back through showing the "finished" side on the back as well.

NOTE: Traditional buck stitching uses much thicker lace for a decorative touch.  I'm working with what I have.  

Continue until you get to the end (or need to splice) and then lace it up to the last hole and pull it up between the leathers and cut off the excess and tuck it in between the leather.  (Splicing you just start the new lace a few holes down and the go back and finish the old lace up to the new lace and pull it in between the leather.)  

If the holes are slanted then you do almost the same thing.  Pull it through the inside hole then back through the next hole but there is no twisting on this one.  Weave it in between the holes and this will make it so the tooled side will see the finished side of the lace while the inside of the project will see the flesh side of the lace.  Make sure there are no kinks is extremely important in buck stitching as that is a big part of what this type of stitching.  (I do not have pictures of the splicing for finishing of this type of lace either.  Nor do I have a picture of what the slanted buck stitch looks like.  Again I'm working on that and I will get those up as soon as possible.)  

Buck stitching is used mostly as a decorative stitch, again because it isn't the strongest stitch, and traditionally used in basic Western style leather crafting.  (This is another reason I don't use it I don't do western style tooling as often.)  

There is one other type of stitching that you can do that I will not be covering in any of my entries.  That is machine sewing or stitching.  I mainly won't cover these because I don't have a sewing machine that can sew leather.  If I ever do get a machine that does so I will let you guys know.  (I also will have more than likely won the lottery to afford one.  So you may not hear from me at all.)  

That's all I have for now.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!