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| STITCHING | LEATHERCRAFT 2 10 Different Lacing & Stitching Techniques pLus Tips on Splicing, Hole Punching & Needle Threading NN &, OW SOOVIE INTROD ae UCT ONS When early man first began using the skins of animals, he probably just used them as blankets or shawl-poncho type clothing. But as he began to find more uses for leather and skins, he needed ways to hold the skins together. Simple thongs were used at first, to tie pieces together. Later, holes with laces were utilized, much as our shoe laces. Today lacing can be as simple as that same shoe lacing or as intricate as a multi-thong applique done on leather just for show. Like early man, we use most of the leather articles we create, so they must be durable. But today, we also insist that our creations be appealing to the eye as well. In this book | hope to show you a few types of lacing techniques which are both practical and attractive. There are a few things to remember when doing any type of lacing. Always lace with the outside of the project facing you. This is the side which everyone will see, so you want the lacing to be attractive on this side. Your lacing should be smooth and even throughout the entire project. Pull each stitch snug, not tight, and use the same tension on each stitch so they are all even. The lacing or stitching can either make or break a project. Lace usually has a front and a back side to it. Never twist the lace! Always keep the front side of the lace out on the outside of the project. | have a little trick | use for this when I’m using a flat needle. | call it speed lacing and it can be used for any lacing technique. After | push the needle through a hole or slit, | pull through four or five inches of lace, without turning loose of the needle, and then | stick the needle through the next hole or under the next stitch, whatever the next step is. The flat needle will keep the lace from twisting while you pull it through the last hole, and your hands are free. This saves time when you are working with a long piece of lace. You don’t have to run the lace through your fingers before every stitch to make sure it’s not twisted or fumble with the needle while you're pulling the lace through the hole. There is a lacing technique suited to every purpose. In deciding which technique to use, several things should be considered; such as the size of the project and the stress which the seams of this project will receive. Generally tl smaller projects, coin purses, billfolds, checkbooks, clutches, etc., will need 3/32” wide lace. Larger projects, handbags, holsters, bowling bags, attaches, need lace which is 1/8” in width. Wider laces are usually used for buckstitching. Also the more intricate, or the more times the lace crosses the seam, the stronger the seam will be. But these rules of thumb are not cut in stone. | have seen some nice work with 3/16” florentine lace, double loop laced through 1/8” slits; and buckstitching, using 5/32” buckstitch lace and straight slits will hold even the heaviest leather together. So when deciding which lace and lacing technique is best suited for your project, just make sure it is strong enough for the job, then use your imagination and the instructions in this book to guide you. OS OA OOO OOO OOO OL OG @22 2222 @2 @] @ @ @ CONTENTS ° PUNCHING LACING HOLES ... Lacing Nippers .......... 4-in-1 Round Hole Punch Overstitch Wheels Mini Punch ..... Rotary Punch ... THREADING THE NEEDLES Two Prong Needle .... Hook and Eye Needle . Life Eye Needle SPLICING Cement Splicing .. Dry Splicing ...... Splicing on a Single Thickness ... see LACING TECHNIQUES The Whipstitch asd The Running Stitch ... a ‘SIDE oe CeQge9 = FLESH SIDE Pall stiteh up tight to tock the lace Push neste ‘through next sits from front. "being careful not to wit the 4 BEGINNING ‘stircH lh. tte wp taht and co n and out of the sis; ees ight you oe 5 Lose —pecinNING OOF ‘Sriven Do Lace to the last sit and leave 2 loose Tgp tnthesecond to the lst it 7 Pus nel hough tt st. Spend theleatery sh eek rough fo the fast i bringing no Lp between the esther, he sade out of the ice 8 10) When ving off, 90 through next 0 Sue in back Sry nd bring the etiveen "We Tonthor and BEGINNING secon warn wb | ENDING FLESH SIDE Ayr FLESH SIDE When using the Buckstitch on si tito ean aig pom back ae Infirs ai then back through seco slit in end of lace: Ene by runing nee nr attches, Linder fart teh on back THE BUCKSTITCH — Straight Slits RECOMMENDED USAGE ‘Small projects with litte stress on seams or as decorative edging. Use 3/32", 1/8" or 5/32” slits with same width lace. Remember for Buckstitching you must have ‘an even number of slits, project S faced part, you will noed 4 ft. Begin lace_as_ shown above. Note ‘Correct ides of inca, Pull fist Joop tight and Isce beck {throu fist sits of both Teather, alt figt sith tight, Turn needle an (0 back through ext its shown Continue lacing, Pll stitches tight Thine of th ‘on Both sider of the projec Lace to beginning stitch and leave 2 Toop ip vnoxt to, last stich, ou 6 7 sens tight. Cutoff ends. Seria wins alt SINGLE LOOP L RECOMMENDED USAGE: Lightwoight leathers or single thickness projects where little lace is required to cover the "raw" edge. Use 3/32" slits with 3/32" lace. Single Loop Lacing uses 6% times ‘more lace than the length of the ject. For example; if your project’ measures 2 ft. around laced part, you will need 13 ft. Bogin at top of project, push lace ide. Leave Shout 30" Shown, “Hald with hinge Stich i theo When using the Buckeieh o {thickness begin lacing from In Fiscal thon back throvah sh Lace through 2nd sit. Be sure ‘snooth Shown’ in-drawings tip Bo not twist “These first 2 stitches should not be fights but, snug ay they. must’ be salad tna conpleting steps 8.16 hina acing inthis fashion wnt AcE, THRUSH +! CORNER HOLES ‘Twice EACH Continue tac feoeh's Sorsar Corner holes es ort forget to go un Sich tumelon the corners Lace {he beginning Continued on pooe 12 sTytus en SF MobEeR Lace through last slit and under loop Insert stylur end of modeling tool | of modeler Under end of lace ‘ose toon. Pull and of aoe out of loop with ond shown. baintain th fh Carefully pull up stylus and gradually pallcnd oF lace Sut of the ote: up Push neadle toon, care 3 ‘oes not wet through lt. up be tween the leathers. Be sure locing thoriing "the Iscing, together Fingers as shown Aust the, stitches by pushing and. | Pull lacing up snus 15) aust so that | al of the sutehes appear even 16] DOUBLE LOOP RECOMMENDED USAGE: Medium size projects such as billfolds, ‘purses, clutches, etc Use 3/32" oF 1/8" lace with correspondingly sized slits. Double Loop Lacing uses 7-8 times more lace than the length of the project. For example: if your project me you will need 14-16 ft. of lac continue, Paull the stitch under the bight snug but not tight. Lace through tho next sit Inning on front sido of project, pull the needle ‘and lace vhrough the 4st aie Leave about 3" of the lacing Follow the same procedures as in Stops 1 and 2 making a eros: or baht. ‘Once, spain go. undar the bight ond pull the teh snug. 18] Betwoon the leathers and beck BIGHT (cROSS) Pull the stiteh tioht fnd ‘You taf, free. ‘This forms crows br “bight END OF CAGE CAN Lace through the next hole, The fof the face‘can Now be leaned ‘BEGINNING FLESH SIDE | FLESH SIDE When Single Loop Lacing on 2 wrote Ber neereae se nee a Ieathor. End. by_ running the soe | Bock tinder tha | HOLD END oF Ace own. ifn rien Push the needle under the erose or Bh. Hotd the ond of he Ul ‘THROUGH Three GORNER HOLES | Saice eae on Whon lacing comer, stitch throush the three corner holes tice each "APPROXIMATELY ace unt! only 5" or 6 of lacing Femains: You Will now hava‘to spies Be sure to. go through bight on ait | wi engin of logs “iSee | modeling styles to null ord From back side pull the ond of loca comer sttenes {lieing instructions on page 81 ‘ro of sueches. fut of thet, 2) I] 4.00 Continue lacing to starting po MAINTAIN tooe" Pull end of lace out of slit 3nd up | Cut off the ond of the te you have ‘Two empty slits | pulled out and tuck the end of the ‘on the front sie: one |loce between the. le Lee through the nxt i. 9) From front side, pull end of lace out | Push stylus down betwoan the of te loop. land hosk it over the end ofthe ieee 16] Ej n7] Tuck eno eae Pull stitch tight and laos up through Pll nocle though. Push taco Toop ‘trom the back side. Ailsite'on | Lace under the bight. . do not pull | Carefully cross over as shown. . and | tapether to adja storing loops fot ‘the backside should be file, fetch tight path neeaie down theaugh th scar com { through the tant ait a ing it up between the rut between the facing. BEGINNING ENDING FLESH SIDE FLESH SIDE | {ront only: | When Double Loop Lacing on a | When ending. run the needle Oe} | ‘Wen you are not lacing completely around’ proj ‘etn ips sin See n Sten on the bac Isy under bi foot si ind ten im trou Goma out betwoon the leathers and | tingle thickness of feather,"you can | back under the fet few stitehe ‘he'lsather” and just face over it | back s few stitches. Trim off bogin ant ar you artim Stop 2 fon the Bock ofthe lather. TRIPLE LOOP LACING RECOMMENDED USAGE Heavier projects such as purses, briefcases and holsters, because it will cover thicker edges. Triple Loop Lacing uses approx: imately 9 times more lace than the length of the project. For sures two feet around laced pi ra stn sag ov aa. tne | fal tn: twa bat fou will eee feot of lace. | shown. Lece through you will need 18 fest of I shen Put eng: tne through next howe, | SOmRunder TWO su | ONE STRAND Pull snug; lace through next hole ONE STRAND ZAwo ‘

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