Just noticed one of my jackets has a single broken stitch. It's at the bottom of the rear hem so not in a crucial spot, or in a spot where there's frequent movement or flexing of the stitching. I was wondering if I should bother with getting it fixed. What do you think guys?
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Broken Stitch
- Thread starter Cyber Lip
- Start date
Guppy
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,342
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- Cleveland, OH
If there's a lot of redundant stitching there that one broken stitch isn't going to hurt, leave it. I'd probably just keep an eye on it and if it is opening up more, then get it taken care of.
I have a couple of broken stitches. One is in the lapel of a cafe racer (never worsened; the stitching is also 'internal', too, so the outer stitching is not a huge problem) and in the back of the neck on a Highwayman - the HWMN stitch break is seven years old now and it hasn't unwound other stitching. I'd not give it a moment's worry.
GHT
I'll Lock Up
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- 9,804
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- New Forest
Leather is totally different to any sort of woven fabric. When your jacket was made the stitching would have been done using spearpoint needles. The point of the needle is designed to pierce then close the leather, using something like a darning needle could easily exacerbate the problem.
Take the advice of others and leave it, just keep an eye on it and should it get worse, it's better to spend that bit more to get repaired than to leave it to someone who is unaware of the specialist needles used for sewing leather.
By the way, if you search for spearpoint needles you need to add the word sewing. Another type of spearpoint needle is used on old record players when playing 78 rpm discs.
Take the advice of others and leave it, just keep an eye on it and should it get worse, it's better to spend that bit more to get repaired than to leave it to someone who is unaware of the specialist needles used for sewing leather.
By the way, if you search for spearpoint needles you need to add the word sewing. Another type of spearpoint needle is used on old record players when playing 78 rpm discs.
Do you have a picture?
I have had a few broken stitches on different jackets.
A lot of things can be fixed by hand, using a regular needle and some pliers to push/pull it through the leather. (the holes are already there, you are just restitching through the holes, no need for a special needle.)
Sometimes a bent needle is easier, i heat them red, bend them and then drop them in water to harden, they are better when trying to restitch a pocket, or somethign where you have to come out on the same side you went in.
A lot of things don't need to be fixed but i like to do it anyway...
Edit: here is an example of my last fix, three broken stitches on the belt of my LT/A, i asked Stuart to send me some black thread to fix it, the thread turned out to be a very dark midnight blue. I decided to use it anyway as it was the only thread i had that had the right thickness and look.
The difference in colour is barely visible to the naked eye, it doesn't pop out as much as it does in pictures.
It's a bit like the japanese concept of making visible repairs, i like that. (Kintsugi and Shashiko vibe).
Front, the last of the three stitches on the right is doubled to lock things in.
Back:
It's honestly an invisible repair unless you have your face on it and i would rather spend 5 minutes doing it than dealing with an unravelling seam. This started as a single stitch and after a few months three had come loose. There is IMO no need to have these kind of repairs done by a "pro", just take your time and learn something.
I have had a few broken stitches on different jackets.
A lot of things can be fixed by hand, using a regular needle and some pliers to push/pull it through the leather. (the holes are already there, you are just restitching through the holes, no need for a special needle.)
Sometimes a bent needle is easier, i heat them red, bend them and then drop them in water to harden, they are better when trying to restitch a pocket, or somethign where you have to come out on the same side you went in.
A lot of things don't need to be fixed but i like to do it anyway...
Edit: here is an example of my last fix, three broken stitches on the belt of my LT/A, i asked Stuart to send me some black thread to fix it, the thread turned out to be a very dark midnight blue. I decided to use it anyway as it was the only thread i had that had the right thickness and look.
The difference in colour is barely visible to the naked eye, it doesn't pop out as much as it does in pictures.
It's a bit like the japanese concept of making visible repairs, i like that. (Kintsugi and Shashiko vibe).
Front, the last of the three stitches on the right is doubled to lock things in.
Back:
It's honestly an invisible repair unless you have your face on it and i would rather spend 5 minutes doing it than dealing with an unravelling seam. This started as a single stitch and after a few months three had come loose. There is IMO no need to have these kind of repairs done by a "pro", just take your time and learn something.
Last edited:
Do you have any tutorials you referred to when stitching this jacket back up? Or any procedures you can share?Do you have a picture?
I have had a few broken stitches on different jackets.
A lot of things can be fixed by hand, using a regular needle and some pliers to push/pull it through the leather. (the holes are already there, you are just restitching through the holes, no need for a special needle.)
Sometimes a bent needle is easier, i heat them red, bend them and then drop them in water to harden, they are better when trying to restitch a pocket, or somethign where you have to come out on the same side you went in.
A lot of things don't need to be fixed but i like to do it anyway...
Edit: here is an example of my last fix, three broken stitches on the belt of my LT/A, i asked Stuart to send me some black thread to fix it, the thread turned out to be a very dark midnight blue. I decided to use it anyway as it was the only thread i had that had the right thickness and look.
The difference in colour is barely visible to the naked eye, it doesn't pop out as much as it does in pictures.
It's a bit like the japanese concept of making visible repairs, i like that. (Kintsugi and Shashiko vibe).
Front, the last of the three stitches on the right is doubled to lock things in.
Back:
It's honestly an invisible repair unless you have your face on it and i would rather spend 5 minutes doing it than dealing with an unravelling seam. This started as a single stitch and after a few months three had come loose. There is IMO no need to have these kind of repairs done by a "pro", just take your time and learn something.
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Not really unfortunately.
The basic technique is similar to saddle stitching which i learnt with this video:
Most of the repairs i have done on jackets have used this basic technique, using two needles (one at each end of the thread) and a pair of pliers when needed.
The key is to go through holes that already exist and avoid making new ones.
( I don't do the "pass the needle in the loop to create a knot" bit when doing leather jacket repairs, only when making belts)
