How to Hand Stitch Leather - Saddle Stitch Tutorial, Beginner Leatherwork

In this video I take you back to basics and show you how to hand stitch leather, let's get started.

Hand stitching is fundamental to leatherwork and adds prestige to our craft, double hand stitching or saddle stitch is the technique I am showing in this stitching tutorial.

If you have any questions on hand stitching leather leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

Social Media:

 #jhleather #leatherwork #saddlestitch

[lovechihuahuas]

I am 51 years old and suffer from depression .. I struggle to concentrate on anything but your videos have been god send to me .. simple and easy to follow .. thanks for being so generous with your knowledge ❤🙏

[paulbouchard]

This is what the internet should be for! Thank you.

[luistello]

Thank you for the tutorial and wow, it was a pleasure just to watch it.

[r.pbloodrex]

Watched about 2 minutes of this and was able to finish making my first billfold, saw one I like for $90 and thought I could make something for way less, and I’m quite pleased

[Gazz]

This video saved me from loosing my marbles. Pull the first thread down and push the second trough the top on the hole. What a pickle I've been in!!

[Quigley]

Thank you young lady. I've been hand stitching for about 65 years now and I have to say, Your stitching is beautiful and consistently tensioned.

[dbasiliere]

When I struggle with stitching I come back to your video. I see that my stitch holes are not big enough. My leather is tough, and 1/8" thick. I like your patience, by not rushing the video, and repeating the stitches. Us newbies (and older guys) greatly appreciate you.

[mohammadbahrampour]

Very useful, I had a small leather bag that needed a bit of a repair and was able to fix it just watching 10 mins of this, feel so alive right now 😂

[feelthebowes]

BEST and most straightforward saddle stitching, tutorial I’ve found!

[earthangel]

Thank you!! You taught me how to Saddle Stitch. In moments, I didn't finish watching the video. You gave me the confidence to repair an old folding buck knife sheath. Now I want to make a new one. A million Thank you's for being such a good teacher! Angel from The Bay Area sunny California, USA

[ethan]

Wow, finally a stitching video that is clear and easy to follow. The repetition was a good idea, too. Thanks!

[joelprestonsmith]

I agree with David Guerrero—this is the best video on saddle stitching I've ever seen. I learned to stitch by watching this video. Thank you for such great instructions, J.H.

[charlesgraham]

thank u. iv been wanting to know how to do a simple leather stitch. and i got to hear it in a English accent. thank u again from the states.

[brianjohnston]

That's the most clear and understandable video on stitching I have seen yet. Could this be the start of a revolution in my stitching technique? I think so! Thankyou.

[tonywilson]

I’m new to leather work and like many I’ve been struggling with getting a neat saddle stitch. Your demo/lesson shows a slightly different method than others, but it’s the first I’ve been able to copy and adopt. I still need more practice but my stitches are much improved. Thank you for your efforts in sharing your expertise and educating all us noobs 👍

[michaelpcooksey]

Very good. Easy to Watch. Blue thread stands out well against back leather background. Video views of action are excellent and repetitive enough to get comfortable with the activity... as opposed to being up-tight and concerned we missed something important. Thank You. Crystal presentation. 5 stars !!

[labrat]

Thanks for the video. This is the first video where the stitching shown was just as I was taught as an apprentice, saddle maker, harness maker and strapper in the late 1960's and early 1970's. It was explained to me that flipping the tail of thread over the needle was the "lock stich" because each time you pulled the thread over it was effectively a single granny knot. When we back stitched we always used a special oval awl blade so as not to cut the thread and we also flipped the tail over twice on the back stitches as it really filled the stitching hole and prevented unravelling.
The modern awl is a particularly unattractive tool, they used to be things of beauty with lovely lines. I left the apprenticeship as I could not live on $24.00 a week. I still have my old tools that I use from time to time for an odd job. All the best.

[Zzzzzzzzz]

Oh how much I love handmade products, amazing 😍

[mrferrari]

As a laborer, in profession... I can tell from the worn and well used saddle pony (along with the ease in which you make this look) that you’ve been doing this a while! I cannot thank you enough for teaching me a new skill! My very first, and hopefully not last, leather project is to make a “sign-in book” for my upcoming wedding. I’ve already made the pages and carved out the exterior of the book from a 9.0oz shoulder, vegetable tanned hide. I’ve carved and stamped until I can’t see straight. Cut belts and sandblasted/hammered/blued old buckles and clasps... all “winging” it... until now. -how in the heck do I sew these belts onto this book!??-
Answer is above!! After about ten minutes, I’ve got a good rhythm and the video is over. So I watch it again, and again just to make sure I’m doing things right! (And your accent doesn’t hurt to listen to btw)
From the Williams family, we thank you for passing on a valuable skill! One that I will hopefully get the opportunity to pass on, along with many others I’ve learned from the amazing people I’ve had the graces to stumble across on here!

[arasul]

Excellent! what a pleasure to watch the short, crisp video with no fluff and waste of time. It indeed helped me stitch leather covers for my chisels. Thank you.