Two needles, one thread and a lot of patience. The oldest seam in leatherwork is also the strongest.
A sewing machine can close a seam in seconds. A saddle stitch takes most of an afternoon. We still choose the slow way for every seam that carries weight, and the reason is simple: it lasts longer.
How the stitch works
A machine uses two threads, one above the leather and one below, that loop around each other inside each hole. It is called a lock stitch. If one loop breaks, the threads on either side lose their anchor and the seam begins to run, the way a ladder runs in a stocking.
A saddle stitch uses a single length of thread with a needle at each end. Both needles pass through every hole, in opposite directions, so each stitch is two full passes of thread. If one side wears through, the other still holds. A bag can lose several stitches and stay closed until it is mended.
What it takes
First the stitch line is marked with a wing divider, a fixed distance from the edge. Then the holes are punched with a pricking iron, a steel tool with a row of angled teeth. We work at about nine stitches to the inch on bags and twelve on small goods.
The thread is linen, drawn through beeswax so it grips. The maker holds the work in a wooden clamp between the knees, which leaves both hands free. Each stitch is pulled tight by hand to the same tension. On a tote that means around a thousand pulls.
What you will notice
A hand stitch sits at a slight slant, because the holes are cut at an angle. Run a thumb along it and it feels like a fine cord laid into the leather. It is not perfectly even, and it is not meant to be.
Why it matters to us
We promise to repair every bag for as long as you own it. That promise is only practical because a saddle-stitched seam can be opened, mended and closed again without harm. The stitch is the reason the bag can have a second life, and a third.
