Our shop offers leather dog collars, leather leads and hand-stitched leather belts as well ascustom products from leather. All of our products are handmade, thanks to which each item, be it a belt or custom dog collar, becomes unique. And not only are our products handmade, the majority of them are also hand-stitched. We prepared the following article to illustrate the difference between hand stitching and machine stitching.
Hand-stitching
Any hand stitching with thread can be characterised as a method of passing thread through pre-made holes and their interconnection serving to create a firm joint. A stitch is created between two consecutive holes whose distance creates the length of the stitch. Repetition then creates a row of stiches. When stitching with thread, stiches can be created using one or two needles simultaneously. The strength and practicality of single-thread stitches is lower than two-thread stitches. From the perspective of strength, two-thread hand stiches rank among the best sewing joints. They can be easily tightened, and when a thread breaks, the stitch still retains some strength. Moreover, two-thread stitches are attractive (they are made at a slight angle) and are the same on the front and back of the material.
The main difference between hand and machine stitching is that when one of the threads on a hand-stitched product breaks, the stitch retains some of its integrity because the second thread remains intact. When a machine stitch breaks, the entire stitch loosens. This is why the majority of our products are not only handmade but also hand-stitched!
Hand stitching procedure
A saddle stitch is created in general with two dull needles at the opposite ends of a single common thread. The right thread must be used to create a strong stitch (we use high-strength waxed thread with a diameter of 0.6-1.2 mm); the stitched work must be fixed the entire time in a stitching pony or a clamp. The stitching pony creates a clamping jaw in which the stitched material is held so that its edges protrude only enough to allow the puncturing of an opening with an awl and the proper interconnection of stiches. The person hand sewing the article always stitches towards themself, with the front side of the fabric facing right in the clamp. The stitches are made at a slight angle and appear the same on the front and back of the material. Sewing begins by first passing the thread through the first hole so that each needle ends up on an opposite side of the stitched piece. The needles are then passed simultaneously through the next holes towards each other, with the thread crossing in the holes and alternately passing from one side of the material to the other.
Machine sewing
The sewing process is performed primarily on sewing machines, either single-purpose or universal. Machine sewing is much faster than hand stitching. This technology is relatively simple, and sewing machines are widely available. In machine sewing, the needle and the upper thread are inserted into the fabric from one side, and when the needle is retracted, an eyelet is created on the opposite side of the stitched piece, through which the shuttle with the lower thread is passed and the stitch is subsequently tightened upwards. The main disadvantage of machine sewing then becomes apparent: if the thread breaks, the entire stitch is weakened.
