How to Hand Stitch Leather - Traditional Saddle Stitching

► Buy my patterns and leather goods here: leodisleather.etsy.com
► For more information see: ianatkinson.net/leather/videos.htm

In this video we are taking a close up look at hand stitching leather with the saddle stitch. I show you three different stitches which are your basic every day stitch as well as two alternatives which you may need from time to time.

There are a lot of subtly different ways to do saddle stitching so you may have have seen this done differently elsewhere or differently in the past by me. They are all basically the same but slight changes can give big differences in the results. It's the results that matter!

I have settled on these methods over the years through lots of testing and trial and error. The key is to be consistent so if you're not sure pick a method such as those shown in this video and stick with it.

The video does not show the use of an awl - with modern pricking irons these are now rarely necessary to use unless you make a lot of very thick goods. You can of course use one if you would like to or if your irons are a marking only type (e.g. Vergez Blanchard, Dixon etc.). The actual stitching will be the same. For beginners I would suggest using an iron only to start out with and that is who this video is aimed at.

I use pricking irons for all my work and do not use stitch groovers and overstitch wheels so that is not shown either. You can use the same methods shown with a groove but it will alter the appearance of the stitch and force it to look straighter which is not what we are trying to achieve with traditional stitching.

As I said in the video I have needles and thread available on the shop (the link is above) if you would like to buy any from me, the companion stitching tips video is available here:

► (not yet released)

●▬▬▬▬▬INDEX▬▬▬▬▬▬●

00:00 intro
03:17 stitch 1 - no cast
10:38 stitch 2 - rear cast
15:15 stitch 3 - front cast
22:26 closer look