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Construction Process VIII (Final part)

 Stitching the parts together This is the final part of the construction process series.  This is where all the parts are stitched together.  The lower leather part with the upper parts.  The vamp and the back leather part. For this task start by threading the needle.  This needle is a different kind.  They are called Osborne Braiding Needles at DICTUM ( https://www.dictum.com/en/sewing-tools-materials-bbc/osborne-braiding-needles-708419 ) and threading them is easier than using the saddle-maker's needles.  They hold two "teeth" that I suppose they hold the thread in there.  I am not sure if I did it right but for the whole project it did hold the thread pretty nicely without disengaging the thread at any time. I first passed the thread in the V shape lamina passing both teeth and then the short part of the thread again in the V shape lamina passing only the first tooth and that's it.  This needle does not hold a sharp/pointy edge and is perfect for this stitching pur
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The Tools

 Tools used

I have used simple tools for constructing my moccasins.  

Leatherwork Leathercraft tools

From left to right:

  • Wax for waxing the stitching thread.  This is not the ideal as it is hard wax.  A proper one contains fat from animals in combination to bee's wax.  I already ordered a proper wax from DICTUM.com
  • Eyelets 5.6mm in diameter 7.1mm in length.  I might need to order shorter ones though...
  • Waxed thread
  • Rotring trio-pen with three different in diameter graphite noses
  • Stitching needle/s for stitching already prepared leather (opened holes)
  • Rotary leather hole opener (from 2mm up to and including 4.5mm)
  • Dividers and calipers
  • Stitching needles
  • Thread scissors
  • Leather pricking/marking rotary tool with interchangeable wheels
  • Johnas Kallioniemi Puucko custom knife
  • Cutting blade
  • Awl
  • Rotary cutting blade
  • Brushes for cement glue application
  • Copper wire brush for leather roughening
Using each tool in the same sequence described above:
  • Wax the threads before stitching.  It strengthens the thread as well as making it more difficult to enmesh/tangle.
  • Eyelets are used here to hold the laces.  Until now I have not managed to set them / flare them properly with the tools I hold.  I need to search more into it as the tool provided for the purpose does not work as I would like it to.
  • Wax thread used for all the stitching applications on this project.  I have tried nylon thread but it tangles all the time and is very difficult to handle specially with the crepe sole.
  • The trio-pen has been used mostly for the blueprint design.  Graphite does not show well on leather.  I used mostly the 0.7mm graphite nose.
  • This needle does not hold a pinpoint edge.  It is rounded on it's nose.  It holds two small toots at it's back (it does not come with a pinhole) and it is quite peculiar on how you pass the thread into them.  I am not sure if I do it correctly but till now works.  This needle is used for stitching the three parts of the shoe together.  Thus the bottom leather part with the vamp and also the back part of the shoe with the bottom leather part and the vamp.
  • The rotary hole opener is a very well build tool made in Germany.  all holes done in this project are done with this tool.  Starts from 2mm holes and goes up to 4.5mm in 0.5mm steps.  Has to be used with care as errors in the piercing process of the leather can affect negatively the whole project.  Hole punches can be used instead but for this thickness (3mm) I find easier the use of the rotary hole opener tool.
  • Dividers used for making the edge of the leather where the pricking tool will follow.  Those are sailing dividers but can do the job pretty well.  Calipers are used mostly on the design of the blueprints mostly on paper and plastic.
  • Those stitching needles are for wool stitching as read on their packaging.  I have already managed to stitch a crepe sole with it but I really need those saddler's needles.  Wool needles are too thick and pointy in front and their pinhole is too large making stitching on crepe very hard.  I suppose that saddler's needles will do the job nicely and with less effort.
  • The thread scissors is small and helps cutting easily the thread when needed
  • The leather pricking tool is mostly used at design time for finding the correct holes needed for the 3 parts of the shoe.  That is mostly on blueprints.  After that this tool is used for marking the inner leather sole (as crepe sole cannot be marked generally).  Those marks on the inner leather sole will be the stitches holding the crepe with the rest of the shoe.  It is also used for marking the back upper leather part of the shoe for stitching.
  • The puucko knife can be used in some parts that the normal small interchangeable blade cannot do the job.  For this project I did not used ita at all.  Only for testing purposes.
  • The cutting blade with interchangeable blades is used only where the rotary cutting tool cannot do the job.  That is in tight corners/curves or there more detail is needed on cutting.
  • The awl is used on stitching the crepe sole with the rest of the shoe.  Ti is also used on stitching the upper part of the back of the shoe.  All other holes are pre opened on the leather with the rotary hole opener.
  • The rotary cutting blade is the one that does most of the leather cutting job.  Very controllable but cumbersome on tight curves.
  • Brushes are used to apply the glue cement on all work.
  • Copper wire brush is used for preparing the inner leather surface for gluing.

The only tool that I had to improvise myself was the stitching clamp (Stitching Pony).  The price of it in the DICTUM.com was way too much for my taste.
On the other hand it is almost impossible to stitch without it.  Something must hold the stitched leather pieces together for you to use the needles and thread.

For the construction process of the stitching clamp I did not record any video or pictures but it is straight forward.  It is a simple tool and one can have a general idea how it is made through the following picture series.

Stitching Pony Clamp

Stitching Pony Clamp

Stitching Pony Clamp

Stitching Pony Clamp

Stitching Pony Clamp

Stitching Pony Clamp

Stitching Pony Clamp



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