[Max Well]

Originally Posted by kozzi

I am interested in how you work out the baseball stitch as well as I think it will ultimately give the tightest fit possible. Another advantage would be that the grip under the the hand will be quite nice. No apologies needed as I have no experience in the trade/skill you are executing but thoroughly understand the trial and error process that you have undertaken. I think many take design, engineer and build for granted. Keep up the good work and keep us posted.

Thanks! Since I have three separate wheel compartments to stitch I have the ability to run the baseball stitch in any direction. So I need to figure out whether I want them to go the same direction all around, or I could start at the 12 o'clock position and go left to the 6 and then right to the 6 so they end up pointing at each other at the bottom spoke, or pointing away from each other. This could introduce a bit of symmetry referenced earlier.

[Max Well]

While awaiting the waxed thread in red and blue colors, thought I'd make a 4-ply sample of the regular sewing thread I have on hand and wax it myself. I made the baseball stitch in M-colors red and dark blue, then in red and light blue. I also wanted to try to see what the Euro stitch would look like, but rather than running parallel same colors on each side then joining just be using the threads, I ran sub-leather seams at each point. Although this would be very strong it also caused severe lipping and the cross thread sew in the light blue did nothing to flatten it. So if one has good leather and very strong thread and a perfect template, I can see how machine seam runs on either side and then simply looping the threads through would allow installation of the cover to be easy and fast. But if you have to pull tight to even up seams and bunching, I can't see how that method can come close to the strength and flattening of the baseball stitch. I guess that is why it is used so often in automotive upholstery...

So when the thread arrives Thursday I hope to start stitching the template with the red and dark blue baseball stitch by this weekend.

[sor]

Great progress.

I do think the normal steering wheel leather and covers use much thinner leather (or even bonded leather and just wrap the top layer around), and a lighter thread, which helps with the alternate European method. I’m also not certain they always bother doubling it over or if they just butt the ends together. I can see on some of the premise wheels they do, but it seems like the stock wheel might not.

There’s no doubt that this is going to be a substantial, heavy duty wheel cover.

[kozzi]

Can't wait to see the waxed thread. I am guessing that will lead you to omit multi-ply threading in your samples and ultimately in your final cover. Have you thought about using leather cord instead of thread? I have seen it used in many pieces of upholstered furniture. You can thread it damp fairly tight and it will shrink as it dries to help compress seams. It also comes in many sizes and colors. I personally like the red/dark blue you have pictured. Keep up the good work.

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by sor

Great progress.

I do think the normal steering wheel leather and covers use much thinner leather (or even bonded leather and just wrap the top layer around), and a lighter thread, which helps with the alternate European method. I’m also not certain they always bother doubling it over or if they just butt the ends together. I can see on some of the premise wheels they do, but it seems like the stock wheel might not.

There’s no doubt that this is going to be a substantial, heavy duty wheel cover.

Thanks, sor - I'm anxious to actually get going on the wheel stitching. I've got all the needle holes punched and ready to go.

Originally Posted by kozzi

Can't wait to see the waxed thread. I am guessing that will lead you to omit multi-ply threading in your samples and ultimately in your final cover. Have you thought about using leather cord instead of thread? I have seen it used in many pieces of upholstered furniture. You can thread it damp fairly tight and it will shrink as it dries to help compress seams. It also comes in many sizes and colors. I personally like the red/dark blue you have pictured. Keep up the good work.

The blue just arrived, but no red (I'm hoping it might be coming by a different carrier as I ordered within sec of each other and both sched'd for today). It is really nice-looking thread, perfect color and size and texture - should be perfect. Now if only my stitching approximates that!

[Max Well]

Red thread arrived so it looks like I'm set for stitching the wheel in the morning.

[voyagergab]

Originally Posted by Max Well

Red thread arrived so it looks like I'm set for stitching the wheel in the morning.

I'm on pins and needles

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by voyagergab

I'm on pins and needles

That's a good one!

If everything goes well tomorrow, I can begin cutting some leather templates from the excess leather I will have. I'll send them out to anyone interested no charge. The hope would be for everyone to use these to template their own chosen high-end leather, then keep sending them on to other forum members. And I'll come up with a simple list of items one would need if they wish to do it themselves. Or just take the template to an Automotive Detail team and let them advance the design and install.

This could be quite interesting to see the different leather choices and thread designs others may come up with.

[voyagergab]

Originally Posted by Max Well

That's a good one!

If everything goes well tomorrow, I can begin cutting some leather templates from the excess leather I will have. I'll send them out to anyone interested no charge. The hope would be for everyone to use these to template their own chosen high-end leather, then keep sending them on to other forum members. And I'll come up with a simple list of items one would need if they wish to do it themselves. Or just take the template to an Automotive Detail team and let them advance the design and install.

This could be quite interesting to see the different leather choices and thread designs others may come up with.

Yes please. I'd love that.

[sor]

Originally Posted by Max Well

Red thread arrived so it looks like I'm set for stitching the wheel in the morning.

Hmm, that’s no good. You need to cancel whatever you’re doing and get it done now

[kozzi]

Originally Posted by Max Well

Red thread arrived so it looks like I'm set for stitching the wheel in the morning.

[Max Well]

Here's a brief photo series of the stitching today. Overall was very straightforward (still have to tweak the template a bit - mainly around the hand grabs as I had too much leather so it bunched some there). As I did the left hand side first I realized it too late, so on the right hand side I roughly trimmed about 4 mm and it helped, so I'll work on that when the final leather arrives.

I stitched in quarters as it takes a fair amount of thread - 5 feet of the blue joined together with double fisherman's knots and 5 feet of red. After joining it leaves about 106" of string using two needles and it would get cumbersome to have any more length. Having practiced on the PVC pipe helped a lot, and it wasn't bad stitching with the wheel still attached. Unlike some of the reports I've read from folks stitching their wheels in which they complain of their hands and fingers being sore for days from keeping tension on the thread, it wasn't strenuous at all. They must have been using some type of running stitch which required constant tension.

That's the beauty of this baseball stitch, it is so rock solid that once you pull each way on a just-laid stitch, it really doesn't budge. And the wax thread was perfect, and easy to use and thread the needles. I watched that video I linked to earlier in this thread (no pun intended), and was glad they mentioned piercing the thread with the needle so it can't slip off the needle's eye. I had never heard of that, but that saved me a number of times today.

And another plus for the baseball stitch - you sew from underneath the seam upwards and away from the underlying OEM wheel leather and stitching, so I never once came close to scratching or nicking it - almost impossible to do, really, unless distracted perhaps.

I'm really pleased with the circumferences, and they are only off by about 3-4mm now, and I can't tell the difference. My wife really likes how it turned out, and this is just the practice leather, and still needing a bit of template adjustment on the hand grabs.

So as a proof-of-concept trial run (might not be the appropriate use of that phrase but it is what came to mind), it definitely is doable for even newcomers to the leather crafting field (as I am). Minimal cost to do this, with the two threads ~$7 each, the leather (our high-end 4'x1' piece is around $55 - we ordered two as we couldn't decide the color we wanted online), and a pack of sewing needles for around $5. I would recommend Tandy leather as they have a number of stores around the country and I was able to order online ( https://www.tandyleather.com/en/ ). You don't need the cutter wheel or board like I bought as you can just use a good pair of scissors, but they were only about $30 combined I think if you did. And you would want to purchase the diamond edge thread hole punch (they come in 8, 4, 2, and 1 - we got the 4 so it would take less time), and to protect the tips I also got a 9" punch board.

If folks are considering doing this, you may want to get a few 2' pieces of 3/4" PVC and just practice the baseball stitch a bit. You can pick it up really quickly, especially if you watch that video link I shared. And for those interested in receiving a template in the mail, just mention it in replies to this thread and we can start getting an idea of how many will need the templates mailed to them. When I get some time to actually cut the templates to begin mailing out to interested Members then you can just PM me the addresses you want me to use. Those details will not be shared in this thread so everyone can remain anonymous. I'm not sure how many I can make with the left-over leather I have, so as mentioned in an earlier post, after folks are done with the one they have they can keep mailing forward.

[arciga18]

First!

I love it!

I wouldn't mind doing this to the stock wheel just for fun. I do love the colored thread.

[voyagergab]

Amazing job!

[Zirenz2006]

Wow, that is an ambitious project! Looks good.

[ando]

Project looks great!

[kozzi]

Love the thick thread! Good bob Max Well!!!

[Max Well]

Thanks, all! I had a bit of time this afternoon to cut V.5, the final template, and it appears I will have enough for two extra leather templates I can send out. I removed a bit of the leather from around the hand grabs so I think this should be improved. And I'll need to save the one I did today, as once these are installed on a wheel (like the one I did yesterday) it stretches and conforms so that it can't be used flat to trace a new one.

If everyone who receives a template can trace two on a single 4' x 1' section of leather of your choice, then send the original template on to another Forum Member that will hopefully insure tracing errors don't begin to multiply. I've found that it is important to cut on the inside edge of the trace line, otherwise the material is too wide which leads to the bunching I experienced near the hand grabs at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions. And if this gets multiplied at each stop then problems may result.

With two copied templates then saved at each household one will have a bit more flexibility and the first can always be used as an individual practice trial for each Member to then adjust as needed on his/her second copy. So if anyone is interested in receiving one, just indicate here on this thread, and hopefully after Christmas I can send the two off in the mail, once we have identified who the first two shall be.

Happy Holidays everyone!

[JSY]

Wow, very nice job!! I take it that it is quite snug and there isn't any chance of slippage. It looks good and the seam at the bottom looks nice too.

The parts that are open for the spokes of the wheel - are you using anything to seal that or is it naturally tight because of the snug stitching?

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by JSY

Wow, very nice job!! I take it that it is quite snug and there isn't any chance of slippage. It looks good and the seam at the bottom looks nice too. The parts that are open for the spokes of the wheel - are you using anything to seal that or is it naturally tight because of the snug stitching?

Thanks, JSY. It is so tight that one honestly doesn't even need to stitch it. This is predicated upon the choice of a leather with stretching characteristics (ie., one would not wish to use thick leather meant for a saddle). But even the two low-end leathers I tried stretched the 4" needed to provide a snug, glove-like fit.

And the open areas by the spokes are drawn tight by the stretching of the leather and sewing of the stitches on either side.

My goal was to have the underlying wheel remain untouched and pristine, and this accomplishes that. The compromise is that all seams are not hidden underneath the wheel's external coverings, but we don't have to remove our wheels or take anything apart (not all of us are sor-enhanced)!

[Max Well]

I was able to complete the two templates (2 & 3, as I have to save the original for when our high-end leather arrives), so I'm ready to mail each to a Forum Member if anyone is interested. No charge for the mailing as it is lightweight, but probably would be best if we can stay in the USA to at least start with to get some feedback and keep mailing costs down.

I'm including a picture of the few supplies one may wish to purchase - the leather hole punch, a cutting board if you plan to use the rolling cutter as shown in the photo (heavy-duty scissors should work fine as well), a pack of sewing needles, a small stub of beeswax for the thread ends when cut, the waxed thread of your color choice(s), a small punch board (the white square) to protect the tips of the leather punch, and a leather marking pen (which rubs off). I also got some waxed black thread for the initial seam sewing (to make the round circle complete). Most folks probably have a hammer, yardstick (helps with the long cuts if using a rotary cutter), and the headband light (helpful during sewing). The Tandy leather website has most if not all of those items, but you may have local craft stores as well.

If you aren't sure what nice leather you want to use yet, you can still purchase an inexpensive low quality piece of leather of 4' x 1' size (but not thick or inflexible leather like used for saddles) which will allow you to make two tracings on it with the template. That way you can send the template on to the next folks who might be interested in one even if you don't have the supplies or time to actually start the project. That would help to speed up the ability for this to make it to others.

And you can see in the second-to-last photo that I made a note about your choice of which side the seam will be on - if the good side is traced to the good side of your leather it will be on the right side of the center spoke. If you flip the template and trace to the good side of your leather it will be on the left side. And I also drew the lines roughly 1/8"-3/32" inch on which you will place the punch to make the needle holes. It's nice to not have holes on the leather by the spokes so that is why those areas are blank. And depending on the type of punch you buy, some aren't actually visible holes but more of a slit which is difficult to see so they aren't unsightly even if you don't use all around the spokes.

Again, not sure how many are interested (I may be the only one for that matter), but it is pretty straightforward and was actually fun to do. And I expect others may find ways to improve on the design so photos and updates would be great! Don't mention addresses or contact information publicly on the forum, just if interested and then PMs can be sent for those details.

[Max Well]

As there hasn't been interest from USA folks for the templates, if any of our Canadian friends would like to receive one I'd be happy to send your way. Might give you a good inside project to accomplish on your frigid mornings.