Hand Stitching: Using a Stitching Horse
A stitching horse is a clamping device designed to hold your project tightly in place at a comfortable work height, like a third hand. Stitching horses are most useful for the saddle stitch, a strong, commonly used stitch. The clamp arms are padded to prevent marking the leather.
Materials
Leather
Waxed thread
Tools
Stitching horse
Awl
Needles
Techniques Used
Hand Stitching: Using an Awl
Hand Stitching: Saddle Stitch
1 Set up the stitching horse. Place the stitching horse in such a way that you’re in a comfortable working position, with the clamp tops at an ergonomic height, approximately chest-high.
2 Insert the stitching project. Position your project in the clamp arms and tighten it down using the wing nut.
3 Open the stitch holes. With the project clamped securely, open up the stitch holes using the awl.
4 Stitch The project. Begin stitching the project. As necessary, open the clamp arms to allow repositioning of the project.
5 Remove the project. Continue until the stitching is done, then loosen the clamps and remove the project.
For an efficient use of time, try to cue up a few stitch projects. That way, when you have to pull out the stitching horse, you can do several projects in one sitting.
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