Stitching a watch strap by hand

Halfway along the keeper, the thread runs out. Or the stitches wander off the line, or one side looks different from the other. All three problems come from skipping a step before the first stitch. Saddle stitching works well on a narrow strap if you set it up properly.

Why saddle stitch

Saddle stitch uses two threads in alternating running stitches through a single line of holes¹. One needle sits on each end of the thread. Tandy says that if a thread is cut on one side but the other side stays intact, the stitch keeps its integrity². Wikipedia makes the same comparison with the machine lockstitch, where breaking one side of a saddle stitch loosens only one side of the stitch¹.

On a watch strap that rubs a wrist all day, that matters.

It's also slow. One maker calls hand stitching incredibly time-intensive³. Don't rush it.

Mark the line first

Set a wing divider to the distance you want from the edge, and run it along for an even line⁴. On a narrow strap, a small change in that distance is easy to see.

Then use a pricking iron to mark where each stitch will land. Tandy says its purpose is to mark where the stitch will be and cut through the surface of the leather, not to go all the way through². You finish each hole with an awl as you stitch. Keep the iron's tines lined up with the groove or line, because that's what makes a straight stitch².

One example from a watch strap maker uses a pricking iron with holes 3.0mm apart³. Pick the spacing to suit your own strap and iron.

Thread and needles

Measure your thread out about five times longer than the length you want to stitch². It looks like too much, but Tandy points out that leftover thread is better than running out and having to start over².

Use harness needles, which have blunt tips to prevent splitting the leather fibers⁴. The maker above stitched a strap with natural linen thread 0.30mm thick³. Thread choice changes how it looks and how the needle passes through, so test it on an offcut.

Making the stitches

Tandy's method has you clamp the work, with the angle of the marks pointing up and away from you, and stitch from the mark farthest away toward yourself². Make the first hole with the awl, lined up with the angle of the prong mark so the stitches stay at a consistent angle².

After that, you alternate awl and needle. Each time, pass one needle through, bring the other through from the opposite side, and pull both tight. Tandy's steps also describe looping the thread over the needle to lock it, which gives a consistent zigzag look on both sides². Follow that source's page for the exact motion.

The keeper

The keeper is the small loop that holds the free end of the strap in place after you buckle it. One maker builds theirs from cordovan, lined, skived and creased³. Because that maker skives the keeper, thin the leather first, as described on the skiving page, before you stitch.

Locking the ends

Loose thread ends unravel. Tandy suggests backstitching, which means stitching back along the same holes without looping the thread. Usually, two or three backstitches are sufficient to keep the thread from coming out².

For poly thread, trim it close and use a lighter to melt the thread so it can't be pulled back through. Be careful not to burn your project². Keep the flame well away from your face, and don't do this near the dye or finish you'll use on the edges.

A last tap

Use a smooth-faced hammer to tap and compress the stitches into the leather². It shows off the zigzag, and it reduces rubbing wear on the thread over time².

Now the edges. Finishing them comes next.