THE HANDY MAN ON THE FARM. 



843 



Threading the Needle. 



In saddlers' work stitching is not done with 

 such as is used in stitching 

 cloth. A single thread is 

 Used, and a needle attached to 

 each end. The needles must 

 be threaded securely, and in 

 such a way that the thread, 

 where it leaves the eye, is not 

 thicker than the needle. If 

 it is larger, either the thread 

 or the needle will he broken 

 in Btitching. 



To thread the needle, pass 

 about li to 2 inches of tin' 

 tip through the eye (see A, 

 Fig. 12) ; pass the needle 

 through the thread (B) ; draw 

 the thread through as far a.s 

 it will go, and twist the loose 

 end which is shown, well round 

 the thread (C) ; draw the 

 needle through the thread two 

 or three times at a place near 

 to the point where the end of 

 the tip has reached, but be- 

 tween that point and the eye 

 of the needle (D). By draw- 

 ing the needle and thread 

 through itself in this way, the 

 tip is woven to the thread and 

 kept from unravelling. The 

 finished thread, after smooth- 

 ing down with the linger and 

 thumb, is shown at E. 



a needle and thread 



ABC D E 



Fig. 12.— Threading the Needle. 



The Requirements of Good Stitching. 



To obtain good stitching, it is necessary that — 



1. Thread of'a kind and strength 

 suited to the nature of the 

 work be selected. 



2. The thread be smooth, well 

 twisted, and well waxed. 



3. The stitches be all drawn. 



equally tight, and made as 

 firm as possible without 

 cutting the leather. 



4. The needles be used in the 

 right way. 



5. The right kind of awls be 

 Fig. 13.— Marks left by the Wheel-pricker selected and correctly used. 



as a guide to stitching. 



