Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Using this kind of needle,

MumofFive's brother sewed up their old couch.

Some of the old stitches on the seat had become undone,

and we all know that a stitch in time,

saves nine.

I was amazed at his technique.

It's simple yet effective.

The secret is:

Two steps forward, one step back

He learned this from the guy who came in to repair their couch 

when the stitches got ripped soon after they purchased it.

(Their son liked to do some serious jumping on this couch.)

Check out the illustration below.

Imagine the two parallel lines as the edges of the two surfaces

that need to be sewed together;

the circles are where the upholstery needle will go in and out.

The broken lines go beneath the seat 

(under and over, through the holes, of course)

while the solid lines go on top

(over and under, through the holes again).

When one pulls the needle and the thread  "through the solid lines,"

the circles will meet and the gap will be closed.

If the process is repeated until everything has been sewed together,

there will be two strands of thread going across, 

making the stitches stronger.

Amazing!