Video - Learn corner stitching - making a leather Choupette©

Dimensions of La Choupette (closed)

Length: 10cm
Width: 4cm
Height: 8cm

PREREQUISITES

To carry out this tutorial and learn corner sewing, you must have a good command of saddle stitch sewing.

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THE NECESSARY TOOLS

• Striking claws Center distance 3.00 mm
• Economy Dual Function Tree Frog
• Round awl and diamond awl
• Folding saddler's pliers for sewing leather
• Round Knockout Cutter – 3mm
• Fine abrasive sponge – 400
• Water-based glue for leather
• Leather finishing eraser

VIDEO TUTORIAL
HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE CHOUPETTE©?

DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN AND CUT THE PIECES

• Download the pattern at the top of this page (in the "PATTERN" tab) and print it in real size.
• Cut out the pattern pieces with a cutter or a knife. Do not forget to score with a round awl.

Selected leather: vegetable tanned leather - 20x30 cm - Thickness approx. 1.8 mm

• Before cutting the sides and in order to have full grain leather on both sides of the piece: glue 2 pieces of leather together.
• Be careful not to cut the curves all at once but in quarters at the risk of not having a nice cut (see the video below).

A Choupette kit is also on sale with pre-cut leather pieces.
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1. SAND THE EDGES

Sand the edges at 45° and always in the same direction with a 400 grit abrasive sponge.

2. MAKE A DECORATIVE NET

Make a decorative net 2 mm from the edge.
Cold stamping (only if vegetable tanned leather) with a frog, former or leather goods iron.
To go further into the details: also make a decorative fillet on the crust side.

3. MARK THE STITCHES

Mark the stitches parallel to the netting about 3 mm from the edge .

We have chosen to mark the points next to the drawn line in order to keep a decorative net (only possible on vegetable tanned leather). For beginners, you can mark the points directly on the line.

• Center distance 3.0 mm.
• Do not cross the thickness of the leather.
• Always go back 3 stitches.
• Stop scratching before pointing.

To be sure to have symmetry and not create an offset:
Exceptionally for the other side, scratch with the fillet on the left (do not turn the piece).

MARK THE STITCHES ON THE SIDES

• Start by making the marks. The pointing should be flush with the edge of the main piece. The 2nd point must be directly opposite the 1st point of the main piece.
• For lengths: use a 10-tooth claw (3 mm distance between centres).
• For curves: mark the points with a 2-tooth claw or a marking wheel. Never use a mallet with a 2-prong claw to avoid piercing the leather.

DOUBLE-GRILLING ON THE UPPER SIDE
Mark the first two points (below the score) with a round awl.
Then double-scribble the upper side. The double dogging makes it possible to have a prettier stitch on both sides of the piece.

4. WORK THE SLICES WITH A FINISHING GUM

• Sand the edges again.
• Then apply a finishing gum for vegetable tanned leather (Tokonole, gum arabic or tragacanth).

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5. WAXING AND THREADING THE LINEN THREAD

• Take a length of linen thread (Ø 0.55 mm) equivalent to 4 or 5 times that of the seam*.

* 4 different seams are required for the Choupette©.

• Wax the thread to bond the fibers and protect it when sewing. Pass the thread 3 times in the wax.
• Thread the linen thread on the first size 004 needle (see video)
• Do the same to thread the other end of the yarn onto the second needle.

6. PRE-DRILL THE MAIN PIECE BEFORE SEWING

With a diamond awl and a cork block: pre-drill the leather of the main piece before sewing (double-stamping).
Pay attention to the inclination of the diamond awl : it must be slightly oblique.

7. PRE-DRILL THE SIDES BEFORE SEWING

• Start at the first score to pierce the leather by looking for the middle of the edge . The diamond awl must remain perpendicular while keeping the inclination of the point .
• Always come out at the same place in the middle about 2-3 mm from the edge (to be opposite the sewing points of the main piece).

Stop piercing the leather at pointing. The top seam is a decorative seam, not a corner seam. The double-dogging was done in step 3.
Lightly sand the edges of the sides to remove the small fibers (only the edges where there will be an assembly).

The finishing gum (Tokonole) applied in step 4 protects the edge.

8. SEW THE TOP OF THE SIDES

• Start sewing one point below the tacking.
• Do not pierce the leather with a diamond awl but round because there is a double scratching of the leather .
• Make sure the round awl is in the center of the point.
• Same technique as the saddle point seam without the comma (do not pass the thread over the needle).

Do not make the 3 stopping points but take out the thread in the edge (aesthetic reason) and tie a knot.

9. GLUE THE PARTS TO BE ASSEMBLED

• Glue the parts to be assembled with water-based glue (water).
• Mark the first scratching with a round awl in order to know where to start the bead of glue. Then make a bead of glue over 4-5 mm.
• Wait a few minutes before gluing the pieces together.

Glue the top of the main piece flush with the pointing. Make sure the sides are aligned.
To strengthen the bond, tap gently with a riveting hammer.

10. START CORNER SEWING

For better hold of the saddle clamp: give shape to your Choupette© by filling it with a piece of cloth or a block of cork.

• Start sewing at the 4th stitch and make 3 double stitches.
• Do not tighten the stitches too much so as not to crush the leather.
• As before, sew with a round awl and do not make a comma because of double scratching.

11. SEW THE ROUNDS AND MAKE LEATHER STITCHES

When the points start to be offset in the roundings, it is necessary to create missing points to fill the offsets .

The offset is made because there are more stitches on the outer part of the Choupette© than on the side because the "path is longer".

To make a missing stitch and therefore fill in a gap, you must on one side move forward one stitch and on the other side return to the stitch before (see image or video) - always with a round awl. On the side of the Choupette, the stitch is made in the material (V seam - hidden stitch).

As soon as there is a gap it will be necessary to make a point of lack. For information, we made 4 missing points on each side of La Choupette©. If a missing point has been created on one side of a piece, it will have to be done on the other side (symmetry).
When the seam of the rounding is finished, resume a "normal" seam (end of missing stitches).

• Make the 3 securing stitches and sew the second side of the Choupette©.
• Cut the thread flush and put a dot of glue.
• With a smoother "smooth" the seam.

12. CLOSE THE CHOUPETTE© WITH A STRAP AND A COLLAR BUTTON

• Using a strap cutter, cut a leather strap: length 27 cm - width 13 mm - thickness 1.8 mm.
• Then make a decorative net and work the edges with a finishing gum (Tokonole, gum tragacanth and gum arabic).

• Make 2 bridle stitches (pass the thread 3 times minimum) to attach the strap to the Choupette©
• Place the T3 collar button using a 3 mm round punch and a collar button punch (see video).

THANK YOU TO PAUL FOR THIS SHARING AND HIS KNOW-HOW

WHERE TO TRAIN IN CORNER SEWING?

Come and learn corner sewing and make a Choupette© during a training day in our premises located in Campbon between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire (44 - Loire Altantique).
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