Comments on Caedmon's Stitch of the Week

[caedmon]

Did this stitch make sense? Can you do it? Let me know.

[Ringulf]

Great concept Ceadmon, I for one will be very interested in what is offered here as I still sew most everything by hand, but was trained in a period sail loft. I am rarely without my sail needles and palm and I think it would be nice to pick up on some finer techniques!

[caedmon]

Great concept Ceadmon, I for one will be very interested in what is offered here as I still sew most everything by hand, but was trained in a period sail loft. I am rarely without my sail needles and palm and I think it would be nice to pick up on some finer techniques!

Wow, wouldn't mind seeing some of your technique!

The first stitches I will cover will be the most basic. Running stitch, back stitch, and hem stitch, all of which are attested in period examples both from digs in London and the Herjolfness finds in Greenland. After that I will add some 18th c. techniques I have recently been taught.

[Manveruon]

This is an EXCELLENT idea! Thank you!

I've just started learning to sew, both by machine and by hand, and mostly through trial-and-error without any real instruction. So far I've done alright, making an under-tunic, an over-tunic, a hood, and various accessories all by hand, but I'd very much like to learn further techniques. Most of the projects I've done so far have been completely "winged," so to speak.

Also, I don't know if you do much stitching on leather specifically, or any leatherwork in general, but that would also be something I'd be very interested in learning more of. I'd much prefer to be able to stitch my own leather goods instead of riveting them, wherever possible.

[caedmon]

This is an EXCELLENT idea! Thank you!

I've just started learning to sew, both by machine and by hand, and mostly through trial-and-error without any real instruction. So far I've done alright, making an under-tunic, an over-tunic, a hood, and various accessories all by hand, but I'd very much like to learn further techniques. Most of the projects I've done so far have been completely "winged," so to speak.

Also, I don't know if you do much stitching on leather specifically, or any leather work in general, but that would also be something I'd be very interested in learning more of. I'd much prefer to be able to stitch my own leather goods instead of riveting them, wherever possible.

Leather is it's own specialty. I am not an expert. I would be happy to add leather as it's own post after I get a few traditional stitches under my belt. ...But is there anyone with a background in leather work who would step up?

[E.MacKermak]

Once I get home, I would love to add what I know to the leather working side. Gonna be a few months though.

A note on rivets: I keep seeing folks say they don't like to use rivets and implying they are somehow wrong. What most of you are thinking about (I am pretty sure) is what I know as "jiffy rivets", the 2-piece nickle plated hit-em-once-with-a-hammer type of rivets. Real rivets have to be peened in order to hold and were frequently used in the medieval period, especiallt in armor for holding leather and steel or steel to steel. There are even example of seax sheathes that do not have any stitching being held together by rivets with brass strips along the top edges. As long as they are used properly they add to the appearance of a piece.

[Ringulf]

As you would suspect I am much better at tooling leather than I am stiching it, but I have employed many of the same stitches for leather that I have used with heavy cloth and canvas, (a nice feature of sewing with a sail palm.
I punch through leather as easily as most can through heavy cloth)

This has gotten me through quite a bit and I have recently started using the saddle stich as well. (same line of holes but two seperate needles running opposite each other) it makes a very strong stitch but it helps to pre punch your holes unless you have a righty and lefty sail palm. (which I do but prefer to pre punch)

Tandy makes some very nice punches that will help you get nice even stitching. This is great as long as nice even stitching is what you are going for!

[Manveruon]

Thanks guys! I'd love to see someone put up a strictly leatherworking/leather-sewing thread.

And as for rivets, that's exactly what I mean. I realize there were rivets used in period, I just meant the basic Tandy "hit-em-once-with-a-hammer" types. Though on that subject, I'd be very interested to learn how to do period rivets correctly as well.

[Ringulf]

Along the same lines our nice clean little lacing gromits are very pretty but most like not something that should be historical kit items. I use them for much of my costume and garb because they make sense and add to the life of the peice but the real way to do it is the same as is done on period sailing ships. you cut a hole place a linc like you would use in chain mail and you sew around it.

[Manveruon]

Yep, totally. I try to steer away from those too.

[Manveruon]

Thanks! I've been using the running stitch almost exclusively because I'm completely ignorant of any others at this point, other than the blanket stitch that I've occasionally used for edging.

So when doing a backstitch, does one generally try to run the needle through the same "hole," or gap in the weave that the thread went through last time? Or should one start another one just in front of it?

Erm... did that make sense?

[Kiriana]

No you don't run it back through the same hole. Just real close to it.

[Ernildir]

About how many millimeters in length should each backstitch be?

[caedmon]

Thanks! I've been using the running stitch almost exclusively because I'm completely ignorant of any others at this point, other than the blanket stitch that I've occasionally used for edging.

So when doing a backstitch, does one generally try to run the needle through the same "hole," or gap in the weave that the thread went through last time? Or should one start another one just in front of it?

Erm... did that make sense?

Yup total sense.

No you don't run it back through the same hole. Just real close to it.

No, just like Kiriana said, don't worry about getting it in the same hole, just close.

But, so you know, there are variants of the backstitch which I will note in later posts.

[caedmon]

About how many millimeters in length should each backstitch be?

Ernildhir,

I'm really beginning to like you... I'll have to check my books, but I'm pretty sure that the average backstitch length for clothes in the Museum of London's 14th collection is 4mm.