How To Repair The Stitching on a Leather Saddlebag
Heavy, high quality leather is used to make saddlebags, and sometimes exposure to humidity causes the thread to decay while the leather is still good. There are two things you need to know in order to do a professional quality repair job on a leather saddlebag. You must hand sew the damaged seam so the leather will not get stressed and crack. You also need to use wax-coated thread, because it will pull through the needle holes better and will last longer.
Things You'll Need
- Waxed linen hand sewing thread, heavy
- Scissors
- Curved hand sewing needle
Instructions
-
-
1
Trim any frayed threads that are still on the damaged area of the saddlebag seam. Use the tip of the scissors, being careful not to cut the leather.
-
2
Pull 18 inches of thread off of the spool and cut it with the scissors. Pieces of thread longer than 18 inches are easy to tangle when hand sewing.
-
-
3
Feed the thread through the eye of the curved needle and tie the ends of the thread together.
-
4
Reach inside of the saddlebag and find the first empty hole. Push the needle gently through the hole and the bottom band of the saddlebag. Make sure the needle lines up with the original hole on the side panel you are resewing.
-
5
Pull the thread through. The needle will be on the outside of the bag. Make sure the thread is not tangled. Push the needle through the next hole on the side panel, and line up the inside hole. Lining up the holes helps the bag hold its original shape.
-
6
Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until you have repaired the entire damaged area. Anchor the final stitch by looping the thread into a knot before you cut the thread off of the needle.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Upholstery suppliers and fabric stores carry hand sewing thread. If you have any trouble finding waxed linen thread, you can buy beeswax separately and spread it on the thread with your fingertips.
