Speedy Stitcher Tool

Comments about Speedy Stitcher Tool:

In spite of its drawbacks, the Speedy Stitcher Awl is a great tool. I have been using mine for over twenty years.

I use mine mostly to repair heavy items when the stitching on them has come out, but I have also used it to build a carrying case out of heavy leather.

The main drawback is that the needles are fragile and expensive. You must be careful not to inadvertently bend the needle while sewing or it will break. This is not only a nuisance because you must replace the needle, but you must also cut your thread and start a new run of stitching. You don't have to start over from the beginning of your seam, but you cannot continue with the thread you started with.

The Speedy Stitcher needle will create its own hole in heavy leather and most other materials, so you don't need to pre-punch holes. It sews a lock stitch, just like the ones sewn on modern sewing machines. That means that if the thread breaks, the entire seam does not come apart easily.

In order to sew a seam, you must pull about half the thread you expect to use through the first hole to create a "bobbin". As you sew, you create a loop with the needle, then thread the "bobbin" thread through the loop, then pull the loop into the material being sewn. This locks the two threads together.

For very long seams, over a couple of feet, I use a tool called a "netting needle". It is made for repairing nets, like fishing nets, and can be loaded with the thread that would otherwise be hanging loose on the back side. This makes it much easier to thread the "bobbin" thread through the loop created by the awl's needle.

It is not difficult to find a netting needle, but most will be too large to use with the Speedy Stitcher. I have had mine so long I don't remember where I got it, but you should be able to find a small one for the times when you have a long seam to sew.

This is an inexpensive tool that does its job very well, as long as you don't break the needle. If you need to sew, or repair stitching, on heavy fabric or leather, this is the way to do it.