Fur sewing

One of the main tasks of skinning is sewing fur . The processing of skins into furs has always differed significantly from the production of textile clothing. While in the textile and leather professions the basic material is largely available in one piece, the furrier usually has to create the area he needs to produce a fur by putting together the fur or pieces of fur.

As far as fur sewing is done as an independent profession, it is an intermediate profession. This means that it cannot be practiced without the assistance of a furrier. Often, even in the professional specialization, only the fur machine sewing was referred to as fur sewing, the rest of the work as hand sewing. The hand sewing mainly includes the making of the fur, that is, the application of the intermediate materials and the final feeding (synonymous with "staffing") with the ancillary work such as attaching the fasteners. In addition, there is the joining of skins by hand stitching, in addition to the numerous special jobs, but also the work on the sewing machines used. Both were always taught in the fur seaman's vocational training; in the first few years of subsequent practice, it may then be decided for which part a worker is particularly qualified. From a certain size onwards, the seamstress will mainly do handicrafts or work with the fur sewing machine . - In particular, hand sewing is practiced almost exclusively by women in German-speaking countries.

Especially in smaller businesses, the furrier today has to master all the skills of his craft to a practical extent.

Workshop with fur seamstresses ( Wurzen , around 1951/1952)

Fur sewers, history

The seam hook (1778)

For the sewing of the previously mostly hard and thick leather furs, the furriers used the three-edged furrier, cutting or triangular needle, which is still available today, with which the leather can be pierced much more quickly and with less effort. However , these needles are unsuitable for modern furs with their high-quality finishing , they do not stretch the leather when piercing, but cut it so that it can tear, starting from the seam, when it is used. When sewing, a seam hook was used to hold the two fur edges together ("Nehehaken or Nathhaken"). These were small iron pliers, "whose teeth a were pressed together by a sleeve or by the slide bc", "so that they could be comfortably grasped between the knees and sewn together" (see sketch).

Until the advent of fur manufacture in the second half of the 19th century, all work processes, including sewing, were still in the hands of the furrier in Europe; only the tanning of the skins had meanwhile largely developed into a branch of its own. For the city of Wroclaw it can be said that women were already employed by the furriers there at the end of the 19th century. However, they apparently only sewed the covers for the fur hats, they were not yet involved in sewing the skins together.

Furriers were almost exclusively men. Exceptions were the furriers' wives, who continued the business on their own after the death of their independent husband. As the owner of an old furrier shop in Leipzig confirmed, “in 1933 there were very few female furrier assistants with full-time training, including in dependent positions, so that at that time it was hardly possible to speak of an“ intrusion ”of female workers”. The attitude towards the task of women in the world of work as male assistants was deeply rooted in the fur industry, in keeping with the general zeitgeist up to now. In 1950, in the time of the post-war upheaval, it was said about the increasing number of female furrier apprentices: “The furrier trade will have no objection to this“ intrusion ”if the profession is chosen out of inner conviction and leads to the same young professionals as the learning process young man. However, the furrier trade will have to refuse its consent if the profession is chosen not out of inner inclination but rather out of embarrassment and if the future furrier changes her profession after a few years as an assistant. The trade fears that such junior employees will soon place themselves outside the regular trade and use their knowledge to work without registering a trade, ie “black” and to carry out jobs at any price where they are available. With these offspring, the furrier trade, which has a reputation based on centuries of tradition, is not served ”.

In the period of inflation at the beginning of the 1920s, it was found in the Berlin furrier trade that the apprentices were less and less skilled in hand sewing, if only because, due to the tense economic situation, “hand sewing has recently been neglected as part of training, yes, in many cases has to be neglected because of the work overload of the furriers, because the apprentice has to help to his very modest part in the execution of the numerous orders of his master ”. In order to remedy this shortcoming, the specialist teacher and master furrier Alfred Homuth organized a hand sewing competition among the apprentices. The quality of the work was rated, not the time spent on it.

The “fur sewing” division was introduced in Germany as a separate branch of furring at the beginning of the 20th century. The training lasted two years and ended with a journeyman's examination. For a long time, there was no opportunity for advancement as with furrier to master craftsman, so neither was the possibility of self-employment with a sale to end consumers.

That was also the situation in the Federal Republic in the first decades after its foundation. Towards the end of the 20th century, the profession was upgraded, with the furrier specializing in cutting and the furrier specializing in sewing in official usage. While the furrier always learned the basics of fur sewing during his apprenticeship, the seamstress was now also made familiar with furrier work. From now on, the furrier specializing in sewing also had the chance to take the master's examination.

The job title of fur seamstress was officially abolished in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1972, but it was still listed as such in the collective agreements of the furrier trade. The trainees only had to decide after the end of the first year of their apprenticeship which subject to choose, until then both will be taught, either cutting (skin processing) or sewing (making and putting together). The tasks of the fur sewer are much more extensive and varied today than they were until the 1980s. In addition to sewing fur, he should be able to master the basics of skinning and be able to produce textile jackets and coats for lining with fur.

Since January 1, 2004, in addition to many other simultaneously approved trades, in the Federal Republic of Germany, even in the furrier trade, you no longer need a master craftsman's examination to become self-employed.

In 1978, according to the job description, the completion of the 10th grade was required in the GDR for training as a fur sewer and staffer as a skilled worker; in practice and / or after a change in the school system, completing the 8th grade was sufficient. As in the Federal Republic of Germany, the apprenticeship took two years. Above all, possible uses were in the tobacco industry in Brühlpelz Leipzig, in service combines as well as in cooperative, but also in private craft businesses. In the GDR, it was already possible for seamstresses working in industry to continue their education at the German Furrier School in Leipzig and to graduate as an industrial master . In larger companies in the Federal Republic of Germany there was also the post of "Direktrice", which, however, was not protected and stated that the fur seamstress was in charge of the sewing shop with a higher collective wage.

In 1983 the minimum hourly wage in the handicrafts of the Federal Republic for

Hand stitches , overlock sewing machine seams and snaps on a Swakara-Karakul coat

Self-employed fur sewers DM 11.00. Most of those who worked on the fur machine received an extra 10 pfennigs.

a director, male or female, with the authority to issue instructions to at least 5, maximum 15 employees DM 12.52 (salary DM 2165, -)

with authority to issue instructions to at least 16 employees DM 13.56 (salary DM 2346, -)

with simultaneous technical college training or master craftsman examination in the furrier trade DM 14.60 (salary DM 2526, -)

Self-employed fur workers [industrial training] DM 11.32

self-employed furriers DM 12.58

Master furrier with authority to issue instructions, staggered between at least 5 and at least 31 employees, DM 2,647 to 4,333.

With the exception of sewing with the fur sewing machine in Greece, in recent times it has almost always been women in Europe who relieved the cutting furrier of the sewing work he had previously done. Greece and in the western world also America, where many Greek furriers emigrated, made an exception. Even after the invention of the fur sewing machine, the Greek furriers, mostly known as fur sewers anyway because of their main activity, kept machine sewing with their special sewing technique. When people talk about Greece in the fur industry, they mean the furriers in the Macedonian province of Kastoria, the area in and around the two towns of Kastoria and Siatista. Here there is a centuries-old tradition of fur processing, based on fur scraps. The pieces of fur that fell off during the processing of the fur are still sewn together to form semi-finished products in the form of panels. In the rest of Europe, in the age of division of labor and specialization, lower-paid fur seamstresses took on all of the sewing work. An expression for the woman as a furrier's assistant was found in the Berlin clothing industry in the name "Kürschnermamsell", which was still used until after the Second World War.

In Germany and Austria, sewing has always been one of the techniques that not only the fur seamstress, but also the furrier had to master during the journeyman's examination, but a practical skill was no longer expected from the furrier. With the relocation of fur production to low-wage countries and a decline in sales in Central Europe and the resulting smaller businesses towards the end of the 20th century, it became more important again that the furrier can, if necessary, carry out all work processes in an economically reasonable time. In practice, if a specialization is due after completing their training, most furriers choose the specialty of the furrier sorting and cutting the skins, who is usually still paid better than the sewing furrier. The fur sewers required, usually women, are often recruited from tailoring and trained.

A distinction was often also made between the fur seamstress and the staffer, whereby the fur seamstress here only meant the fur machine seamstress. The staffer Eva Laue of the GDR notes that it seemed as if the fur seamstress was sometimes viewed with disdain as an “assistant” of the furrier, as secondary and less qualified, “whose technical inability did not allow them to develop into a fully-fledged specialist. This underestimation, which is seldom malicious but perhaps thoughtless, is also due to the disadvantage to which the professional branch “fur sewing and staffing” has always been exposed ”.

Types of sewing and their execution

Carabiner and decorative stitches on a lamb fur

Sewing in skinning can be divided into two generic terms, hand sewing and machine sewing.

Hand sewing includes the execution of fur seams on fine and flat-haired types of fur (e.g. broad-tailed tail), the application of intermediate ingredients and the feeding of the lining silk in fur clothing and fur accessories, as well as the fixing and making of fur linings .

Many seams that can also be sewn with the machine are still done by hand today. Reasons are, in special individual cases, better quality or the lack of the special machine required. For example, hand-feeding the lining fabric is generally considered to be neater in appearance and fit. While the tailor uses a thimble to protect the index finger, the fur sewer is advised to press the needle into the leather with the sewing ring, which is lower on the finger. The tailor pushes through the sewing material with the tip of the thimble against the sewing needle; With the lateral pressure of the fur sewer's finger, however, more force can be generated in order to get the needle through as well as possible through strong or tough leather.

Sewing with a tailor sewing machine has also become a significant part of the work of the fur sewer. Until the 1970s almost only the silk lining was sewn together with it, but nowadays the furrier mostly also makes the outer coats for the fur lining himself.

The leather quilting machine can also be used to sew thicker leathers that are no longer manageable with a simple sewing machine or an industrial sewing machine, as well as velor and nappalan fur.

I. Fur sewing (leather seams)

Starting with the repair of damaged skins , changing the shape and sewing the skins together to assembling the fur parts, seams are placed in the hide leather. Since the introduction of the fur sewing machine, this was increasingly no longer done by hand. Fur or leather hand seams are only used on skins with only very fine hair growth, sometimes perhaps also on skins with very poor leather. The sewing needle used, whether hand seam or machine seam, should be as fine as possible in order to increase the tear resistance of the seam.

The fur lexicon of 1949 classifies the seams under hair seams, “which the furrier has to do - probably less often - if they cannot be executed immediately from the leather. You will try to avoid it as much as possible, but you cannot always avoid it. It is always associated with a greater loss of material. Mostly it will be a warped seam ”. It is always used when a professional repair by opening the interior processing is currently not possible or appears too complex. There must be no noticeable change in shape. This can be done by closing small cracks, snakes and small bald spots if the coat is not too short-haired. Occasionally, worn, bald sleeve edges are repaired in this way, which is not considered professional, but is more cost-effective.

Hand yarn

Mainly used hand sewing threads are (example from a detailed skinning):

Sewing floss, strength 100, for hand pricking and for drawing lining floss
Polyester buttonhole thread, size 50
Waxed hand thread, for warping seams between lining and long hair fur (fox, sable); for sewing on buttons, especially those with a metal bar.

Some of the special seams commonly used in skinning are:

Overwhelming seam

The overcast seam , also known as the basic seam , is the most common seam in skinning; right-handed people only do it from right to left. When sewing by hand, the edges of the fur are pressed together with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, and the hair is brushed in with the other hand. The puncture is made from the side facing away from the body, the puncture on the body side at the same height. The stitch heights and stitch spacing must be the same. Slightly uneven hair lengths can be compensated for by keeping the edge of the longer-haired coat higher.

When fur processing was not yet able to make fur leather as thin and soft as it is today, the furriers stabbed from the front, away from the body, as greater pressure could be exerted here.

The fur sewing machine also forms an overlapping seam when sewing hides or parts of skin, a seam in which the skin parts lie on top of one another and the stitch is carried out over the edges.

Butt seam

Some types of fur have short and stubborn hair. Especially if the fur consists only of awns or has very little undercoat, the butt seam brings the best results. This hair structure is found mainly in skin types as Breitschwanz , gazelle fur , sealskin , pony skin and Ross skins . If the cut to be sewn is also horizontal or at an angle to the course of the hair, so that one of the cut edges is completely without covering hair, whereas the hair protrudes far beyond the other cut edge, the hair would be pushed up in a comb-like manner in the case of an overcast seam. In addition, every stitch would be visible on the hair side. Therefore, the butt seam is used here, which is very similar to the overcast seam. The most important difference to the overhand seam is mainly the flat joining of the fur edges without a seam bead:

“The index finger of the left hand lies under the seam on the side of the hair; he presses the carefully painted hair straight and holds it tight. The hair should be brushed forward, not down, otherwise it would stick out from the seam and the seam would be visible in the hair. The thumb of the left hand lies in front of the cut on the leather side. It is stabbed from the back to the front according to the haircut. Once the needle has penetrated deep enough through the leather layer, it is carefully guided diagonally under the hair, close to the leather, to the opposite edge and pierces it. The edges are usually set a little deeper than with the overcast seam, but this must not be exaggerated so that the seam is not visible. "

"The butt seam has to be done very carefully and requires a certain amount of skill from the seamstress, so that above all she does not pull in hair."

Tread seam

With the appearance seam uneven hair lengths should be balanced between two zusammenzunähenden skins. To do this, the short-haired piece is pushed onto the longer-haired piece until the tips of the lower hair of both skins are level. This is marked on the leather side of the short haired fur.

The appearance is done with two seams, the first of which can be done with the fur sewing machine. The edge of the skin that has been pushed underneath is sewn on to the marked line. In order to prevent the overlying edge from tipping over, it should be stuck with the second seam, this is definitely a hand seam.

Step seams are mainly used for transverse seams (across the course of the hair), but there are also side seams, i.e. longitudinally sewn step seams.

Polish seam

The Polish seam , also known as an alternating seam , is always used when the hair is parted. This is especially the case in the center back of the collar, but also for example with shoulder seams.

With the first seam, the two pieces of fur are sewn together normally with the fur sewing machine. The Polish seam is made up of two stitch elements, the simple overcast stitch and the leading stitch. The best effect is achieved when both stitches are made alternately so that the stitches form a U in their position (U seam).

If two leading stitches and an overcast stitch are made, the position of the stitch results in an L (L-seam). A particularly good compression is achieved if a strip of cloth, cotton wool or ribbon is attached to both leather sides of the cut edges.

Under certain circumstances, instead of a Polish seam, a strong machine seam with sewn-in cotton wool strips is sufficient.

Polish serrated seam (serrated head seam)

Polish serrated seam

If the parting seam cannot be sufficiently shaved with the Polish seam, the elaborate Polish serrated seam is used, in which the fur in the serrated area is compressed to double the amount of hair. The seam is mainly used for high-quality fur types such as mink and sable.

In the case of the Polish serrated seam, the two fur edges are cut 1 to 3 centimeters deep with the skinning knife at a distance of 1 centimeter, depending on the length of the lower hair. The front corners are easily clipped off with the scissors. The edges are then interlocked with a very flat Polish seam. It is important to make sure that the corners of the nested edges are well gripped.

In practice, the polish point is often made with a simple overcast seam. Experienced sewers manage to sew them with the fur sewing machine.

Marginal note

In the war year 1942, the terms “Polish Seam” and “Polish Zack Sewing” were no longer appropriate for racial and political reasons, as “there was no need to use these names for certain types of sewing to highlight any alleged Polish achievements in the field of To combine the craft of furriers ”. That is why the deputy Reichsinnungsmeister of the furrier, hat and glove-making trade decided, following a proposal submitted in cooperation with the DAF, “that instead of the designation 'Polish seam' - for an alternating overcast and front stitch sewing - the new apt expression 'alternating seam 'occurs, while the name' Polish serrated seam 'is replaced by the technically flawless' head-serrated seam'. "

The old names are still in use.

Plug

Small dünnledrige Caracul Galjakfelle occasionally have larger areas to where many Schnatten , lie together (Schnattenfelder). The furrier calls the skin ( epidermis ) of the skin broken up in stripes , a mistake that can occur when tanning or stretching the tanned hide. If it makes economic sense to also use these skins, the areas are stuffed with a short, fine sewing needle. With hand seams, the individual cords are drawn together through flat stitches on the leather side, it is flat stitch by stitch on top of and next to each other. This is also the most unobtrusive way to repair individual snakes.

Fur sewing machine seams

Goatskin application in mink fur, fur sewing machine seam

Greek seamstress at a fur machine with a seam height limiter

Fur sewing machine seam

Seams with the fur sewing machine are almost exclusively made from the leather side of the fur. Long and soft-haired material is mainly sewn against the beat of the hair, as the hair can be coated more easily. This also applies to curly hair, where the hairline is not recognizable at first glance. Skins with stubborn hair, on the other hand, are sewn in the direction of the hairline (foal, calf, horse skin, gazelle, seal).

The common way of brushing hair when sewing in Central Europe was generally done with a so-called brush. Greek fur sewers, on the other hand, coat soft and straight hair with both thumbs and by blowing. Each of these techniques requires a completely different technique and sitting posture on the part of the nearer.

At the beginning of sewing, both edges to be sewn are brought together hair on hair between two fingers. When sewing with a single cutter, usually a pair of tweezers with a spike on the opposite side, the sewer sits upright in front of the machine. He strokes the hair down, opens the transport plate and clamps the skin parts by closing the plate. If the machine does not have any sewing aids such as a blower or a seam height limiter, he makes sure that the edges of the fur protrude about 1 millimeter above the plate. The height of the clamping results in the thickness of the seam. When sewing without one of the two sewing aids, the sewing piece is held completely horizontally with both hands. Now the sewing is done piece by piece, the sewing distance is determined by the length in which the sewer can properly convey the hair down with the brush and hold it. Some materials are easier to paint than others. Mastering this perfectly is a "matter of practice and years of practice".

The type of fur machine sewing that came to us from Greece for suitable skins is several times faster than the one that was used in the past, especially when sewing longer distances (especially when skipping ). This type of sewing was considerably simplified by the introduction of a fan and a seam height limiter, if they are available and also used in the furrier factories.

For this, the sewer sits on the left in front of the machine. Usually without the help of a pair of tweezers, he clamps the two halves of the fur, taking care to leave the hair below the edges of the fur. He strokes the hair with both thumbs and holds it down with the blower or constant blowing. He is now trying to sew through the seam, if possible from start to finish, all at once without stopping. However, the physical strain involved in this type of sewing is so high that in the Greek fur sewing town of Kastoria this comparatively well-paid work is carried out almost exclusively by younger sewers. You either later switch to the cutting furrier division or give up the job that was only accepted as a temporary job.

Right-left seam

In the case of long-haired fur that parted in the rear collar seam or in the shoulder, the less time-consuming right-left machine seam can be used instead of a Polish hand seam . First the two edges are sewn together from the hair side with firm tension and rubbed out well, but the seam must not block. Then the part is clamped quite deep on the leather side and sewn over again.

Compaction seam

Compression sutures are used for thinning hair. With the fur sewing machine, the thinly haired parts of the fur are reduced in size with seams placed closely next to one another, without first cutting the leather, and thus compacted in the hair. They are particularly used at Fuchs diechen , but also to reinforce the effect of a Polish seam.

Shift seam

The shift seam is not a type of seam, but a working technique that reduces the need to mark cross seams. Straight seams placed across the hairline are cut at short intervals and sewn together again shifted so far that an alternating up and down of the cross seam is created. This can be done by simply making parallel cuts at right angles to the seam, which are alternately shifted up and down by stretching and maintaining the machine seam. The second option is a multi-legged inlet cut , with which the resulting acute-angled skin parts are pushed into one another. For hair lengths similar to mink, a cut distance and a shift of about one centimeter each gives the best result.

Machine yarn

Mainly used machine sewing threads are (example from a detailed skinning):

Cotton thread size 140 (100 percent) for the fur sewing machine; Cotton takes on the color of the leather well, which is important for skinned skins
Synthetic thread size 120 for the fur sewing machine, among other things for Persians and for assembling ( sewing together the coat or jacket parts, torso, sleeves, collar etc.)
Polyester thread size 60 for the fur sewing machine with thick fur, especially lambskin (= sheepskin)
Polyester yarn size 80 for the quilting machine with thick fur, especially lambskin (= sheepskin).

II. Connection seams fur / fabric

With many of the seams between fabric and fur, it is important that the fur leather is only pierced flat in order to avoid marking the hair side.

The flat stitch is made up of four stitch elements :

a
b

a) “The thumb and forefinger of the right hand grasp the needle as usual. It is supported in the eye by the middle finger with a sewing ring. The position of the needle is oblique, from top right to bottom left. "

b) “The left hand, mainly the index and middle finger, lies on the workpiece (leather side) to the left of the puncture site and holds the leather in place with light pressure. Now the needle point carefully pierces the dermis - but without penetrating to the epidermis - and grasps 2-3 mm of the leather. "

c
d

c) “The shaft of the needle is lowered a little on the right and pushed through the sewing ring on the middle finger. At the same time, the left hand rests on the leather with increased pressure, so that the needle point comes out of the dermis just before the left hand. "

d) "The grasping right hand pulls the needle out of the leather and leads it to the next stitch over the work piece."

Needling

The most inconspicuous connection between a fur lining and the fabric cover is created by the warped seam. However, in order not to get an additional thick bead with strong fabrics, the fur edge can either be warped open-edged or needled , which is mainly done. Needling has the advantage that a very firm and permanent connection with the cover is achieved.

In this work, the piece is with the hair side turned towards the seam and the edges of the cover behind it, i.e. on top. When sewing right-handed, the stitch is guided from right to left. You prick the open edge of the leather from the bottom up to the side of the hair; this puts the knot under the seam. Now the thread is led straight up, the needle then pierces the cover fabric flat and at a slight angle without piercing through. The thread must be tightened well, but not too tight either. The stitch position must be at an even distance and depth. As with warping, the seam must always be protected with a knot to prevent the seam from opening for a long time.

Stop seam

Stop seams connect fur with fabrics not in the edges but within the surface, for example in the long sides and sleeve holes of fur-lined coats and jackets or in trimmings and fur blankets . The seams are not visible on the outside of the fabric or on the fur side.

The special feature of the stop seam lies in the loop to be placed during the puncture, which prevents the two parts from shifting. To form the loop, the thread must lie in front of the needle when it is cut out. Stop seams are always placed on the fabric seams to prevent marking in the fabric.

Above all, the facade seams are attached; the stitch length is about 3 to 5 centimeters.

Warped seam

One of the most important types of hand sewing is warping , in tailoring it is known as "hollow stitching". Warping is mainly used to incorporate silk and fur linings; two seam parts should be connected firmly and invisibly. Whether fur on fabric, fabric on fur or silk on fabric, the stitch always remains the same. When drawing silk on fur or on silk, you are dealing with fixed edges, which simplifies the work. When pulling fur on silk or fur on fur, the edge is turned over with the needle. In contrast to all other fur hand seams, the hair is always worked here. The choice of yarn depends on the strength and sensitivity of the fur, but it must be very resistant and smooth to enable it to be pulled on tightly without the thread breaking.

“You now alternately prick the front and the back part of the skin, with the thread loosely pulling itself over the seam. In order not to unnecessarily stress the strength of the thread, after a maximum of 4-6 stitches , press the leather edges that are still open with the thumb of the left hand, brush the hair upwards away from the seam and pull the thread taut . If the stitches have been placed perfectly straight, the seam will be almost unrecognizable. With a slightly inclined stitch position, however, you get noticeable, very unsightly gaps in the seam. "

Stitching

The basting stitch is only intended to hold the material to be attached , for example a warming insert , it has no task to strengthen the garment. It is therefore entirely justifiable to choose a stitch spacing of 4 to 6 centimeters and a row spacing of up to 8 centimeters when attaching cotton wool. Otherwise, the binding stitch is the same as the pricking stitch. However, it makes sense to place the stitch position in the opposite direction to the pricking when tacking, as it then gives an additional hold.

The basting stitch is also used when pricking out short contours running in moving lines.

Ribbons and piki seams

Tying

Piki seam and ribbons

The banding (in Austria: "banding with the bandel") is used to secure the fur edges against shape-changing stretching and tearing of the fur. The pricking assumes the same duties for the remaining area of the fur part. On edges that are provided with a hem (kürschnerisch: fold), it comes exactly to the hem edge, in front of the hem to be folded.

Classic tying is hand-tying, sewing the ribbon onto the edges of the cut (balanced) fur with a needle and thread. Today in industrial production only, in the detail skinning very predominantly, the adhesive tape, which can be processed much faster, is used. The Strobel company has also developed a blindstitch banding machine that seems to be in little use.

If non-stretchable materials are used for the fixation, there is no need for strapping.

When tying by hand, the ribbon, a linen ribbon, is sewn on one millimeter behind the edge if you want to prevent the fur machine seam from being caught. The three most common types of ribbon are:

1. Tie with zigzag stitch

With the best known and most common ribbon stitch, the zigzag stitch, the thread is laid in a horizontally cut flat stitch in a zigzag line over the ribbon. With the right-handed woman, the ribbon is straightened with the left hand, coming from the ribbon roll on the right. The stitch is made from right to left and is also continued in this direction.

2. Tie with witch stitch

In the case of a witch stitch , the flat stab is also made horizontally from right to left. However, the tape must continue from left to right. The thread is also continued from left to right, which entangles the thread. The advantage of the stitch type is that if the thread breaks later, the seam will only separate slowly and over a short distance. The somewhat unusual seam, especially due to the seam course from left to right, is used less often.

3. Ribbons with back stitches

The tying with back stitches, which is also rarely used, “requires special caution and some skill, since the flat stitch is performed vertically here and has to move more than 3 mm in the dermis. The vertical stitch is repeated one more time before the thread is continued ”. The result is a slightly diagonal and a vertical stitch alternating.

The fact that this stitch is very short and the double position of the stitches make the ribbon particularly well secured. The stitch, which prevents the leather from stretching particularly well, is preferably applied to particularly stressed areas of the fur, in the case of the slightly expanding and then impairing the fit of the neck holes of jackets and coats, but also the hand holes of sleeves .

Prick out

Hand pricking, on the left a machine pike seam

There are partial and full spikes . Whether and how much is pricked is determined by the stability of the leather. In order to prevent warping of the linen binding fabric, it is important to ensure that the front edges and the center of the back are straight when cutting. In addition to the pricking material, stabilizing materials are usually sewn on (pricked) or ironed on (fixed) in the front edges, in the fur front parts above and on the lower collar, such as stiff linen, horsehair or nonwovens.

The pricking material is attached to the workpiece with pins before pricking. The flat stitch is used as with tying, only in a slightly different thread guide.

The first puncture is made from right to left, with the index and middle fingers of the left hand giving the counterpressure. The drawn thread is led downwards at a slight angle, after which the stitching takes place from right to left. "

“The puncture points and the puncture points must lie exactly one below the other and the thread must span the workpiece smoothly, but not too tightly. The distance between the individual stitches is 1-3 centimeters, depending on the sensitivity of the leather. […] The second row of stitches is placed next to the first row at a distance of 1-2 ½ cm. In order to have a flowing workflow, one does not start with the second row at the top of the workpiece, but lead the pricking up from below. The position of the piece does not need to be changed. [...] In addition to the method just described with a vertical stitch position, whereby the stitch is at right angles to the haircut, you can also choose a second type of pricking. This is basically the same, only here the loop runs horizontally and the puncture perpendicular to the haircut. The advantages and shortcomings of these two stitch positions cancel each other out. "

If there are no special properties that are desirable for the particular fur item, the undercollar and the front edges of normal thick fur leathers should be pricked with a stiffening insert as a minimum, as well as the pocket incisions, in order to protect them against tearing.

Strapping

As strapping or strapping , mainly in the area around Leipzig, the hiding of the seams of velor lamb, nappalan lamb or naked fur is called. Larger darts , but mainly side and shoulder seams , are often covered with a leather band on furs that are to be worn with the leather facing outwards in order to increase the durability and to give them a better appearance. The band of pigskin or suede, which is usually about two centimeters wide, has a smooth and a rough side, with the smooth side usually being taken outwards. As a rule it will be quilted today; In 1961 the staffer wrote: “The seam that is to be strapped must be well held, but sewn as flat as possible so that it can be smoothed out easily. The leather cord is placed over the seam with the right side facing you so that it protrudes as far as possible to the same width on both sides. Then both tape edges are sewn onto the leather of the workpiece with a flat, blind seam ”.

III. To issue

The interior finishing represents an almost independent branch of the processing within the skinning. It should

give the workpiece a firm hold
maintain and accentuate the shape
strengthen the warming properties of the fur
finish the work with the silk lining.

Cutting, stapling (sewing), pricking, fixing

Muskrat coat , dyed, grooved cord (2014)

The stiffening inlays cut according to the pattern are applied to the lapels, undercollars and the front edges by pricking. On larger items of clothing or on blankets, linen-binding fabrics can be pricked to prevent the leather from tearing or stretching. In addition, warming fabrics can be attached. Instead of pricking or tacking on, the inner ingredients can also be fixed with heat.

Pricking, also known as stapling, is intended to protect the leather, which is deliberately left in the fur tanning process, from stretching when the item of clothing is used. In addition, the applied material, especially in the case of old or sensitive leather, reduces the risk of the hides tearing; the seams are particularly at risk. Also by pricking, if necessary over the pricking material, an additional warming material such as cotton wool, down fleece or other modern synthetics can usually be applied in a further operation.

Light- leather fur types endangered by tearing are, for example, feh , galjak broadtail or hamsters . Mink , broadtail, Persian and nutria , among others , expand easily . Reconditioned old furs or parts made from pieces of fur may be rotten in the leather or endangered .

The body and sleeves can be covered over the whole or part of the surface with special pricking fabrics, nettle or batiste. Firmer or shaping materials such as linen or horsehair are pricked on the front edges, the lapels and the lower collar . All the ingredients used for this have a plain weave , as it has the least stretch of all types of weave .

Until around the 1970s, fur, with the exception of strong types of fur such as calfskin or horse skin, was actually always pricked out over the entire surface or at least from above to below the buttocks. In the meantime, the focus has shifted more to reducing weight as much as possible. Today, the Central European furrier mostly only covers the edges, the collar and particularly stressed or endangered parts and, if deemed necessary, reworked furs.

The intermediate ingredients are applied with the pricking machine if possible. Very fine or sensitive leathers cannot be pricked out with it, there is a risk that the needle will pull the thread through to the hair side or that the leather will tear instead of stretching around the needle, which would destroy the purpose of greater durability of the leather.

Assemble

The individual parts of the fur, torso, sleeves, collars, cuffs, pockets, etc. are sewn together with the fur sewing machine and flattened with a warm iron or by rolling out with a seam roller .

Overcasting, folding

Sewing in the lapel hook

The still loose edges of the pricking fabric and the wadding are pinned over the styling seams with a simple flat stitch behind the seam, either with a simple, diagonal pricking stitch or the more tear-resistant, wide-pricked witch stitch.

The hem edges (the folds) that are repositioned with pins are stapled to try on, otherwise sewn on.

Hems that are no more than 2 to 3 centimeters wide can be adequately secured with edge stitches. Wider hems must be held in place with an additional sewing seam about 3 centimeters behind the edge. Various types of stitches can be used for sewing the folded edge:

a horizontal cutout with an oblique cutout

the counterpart to the previous stitch, inclined cut, horizontal flat stitch

a folding stitch made up of two stitches placed at an angle

a zigzag stitch in which the oblique stitch is still held by a horizontal re-stitch. This results in a particularly strong and secure folding stitch.

If necessary, the shoulder pads are sewn in and the pockets are struck, and the pocket bags may be stabbed. If it is not a custom-made product with a fitting, the fasteners are also sewn in (buttons or clips, see → Keskari ).

Feeding (decorating)

Easel seam

While the lining was still quite simple at the end of the 19th century when the fur worn with the hair outward appeared, it developed into a real masterfulness, especially in the 1920s and 1930s: “The staffer was given more leeway to the imagination. The generous selection of the lining material, silks, taffeta and brocades , the versatile technique of processing, embroidery , cotton quilting, openwork, braiding and the many different types of piping and frills created true works of art ”. This elaborate equipment was lost more and more until around the Second World War. With the use of lighter, printed synthetics as fur lining, beginning in the 1980s, the weaving of special fur silks was gradually almost completely discontinued.

The final lining, which conceals the inside and the hide leather, is sewn in by hand; only a few companies use an edging machine for this. It can be completely sewn together with a tailor sewing machine or the shoulders and sleeve holes are decorated by hand.

Before feeding with a draft stitch, the feed is inserted with pins to fit exactly but with a little play. The side seams are loosely cast on with manual processing. With the so-called "American feeding" the feed remains open at the bottom; it is only sewn around and held in place with a few stem stitches.

The feeding supplementary sewing work can include: hangers (handles), piping, inner pockets (possibly with decorative stitches or pleats), vestibules, button strips, inner closures (button flaps), monograms and company labels.

Sewing machine seams

Inside zip pocket and woven label with company logo

An essential tool of the trade is not only in tailoring, but also in skinning, the simple sewing machine , either in the form of a household sewing machine , which in its modern design, however, already masters many sewing and embroidery work; or more robust industrial sewing machines and leather quilting machines. For sewing fur, they are unsuitable for almost all work that has to be done, as they grip the hair unattractively.

The main uses of these machines in skinning are the putting together of the silk lining, the production of fabric and leather covers for fur lining, the sewing of fabric and leather clothing or fabric and leather elements in fur clothing, and in bespoke skinning the sewing of try-on models (nettle cuts).

Decorative stitches

Ornamental stitches were once used to a far greater extent to decorate the interior. These are stitch types that are mostly used in the same form in tailoring or embroidery.

They can be subdivided into narrow ones that run in a seam line, as it were, and wide ones, laid over two or even three seam lines. The narrower stitches are lock stitch, stem stitch, chain stitch and French knot; the broader ones: witch stitch, herringbone stitch, tree stitch and double tree stitch. Cordonnet silk was also used as a thread in the past, a multi-level thread with a string-like character, today the somewhat less conspicuous sewing silk.

Decorative stitches are used as decorative accessories in handicraft production, above all to close inner pockets, to cover darts and folds, the button tab or the binding tape and to attach the sew-in label with the company logo. They can also be used to cover up minor deficiencies in the feeding process.

Fur lining

Men's coat with red fox lining (2014)

A separate area of work within the skinning department is the incorporation of fur linings into textile clothing for men and women, either in existing customer parts, in purchased clothing or in self-made jackets and coats, known as "covers" in skinning. Already in the Middle Ages the lining of men's coats and sleeveless hoods , which the tailor made, was the main branch of skinning.

In the second half of the 20th century, a new task for fur sewing was the production of the covers, which until then had been obtained from the tailoring trade or the textile industry.

The fur lining can be incorporated in different ways:

set back behind the fabric lining, not visible when the jacket or coat is closed

Prebrämend at the front edge

as broad trimmings on the front edge

with additional fur collar and / or fur cuffs

The fur lining can be attached to the coat in several ways:

firmly incorporated

removable, with or without an additional fabric lining

can be removed with buttons

can be removed with press studs

Can be pulled out with a zip or Velcro fasteners.

Small confection

Small clothing is understood to mean smaller items of clothing worn as accessories; in the past, they were also referred to as "fancy goods". In the fur sector, these include scarves and loose collars; Boas; Sleeve, sleeve pouches and bags; Caps, hats and hoods; Fur ornaments; Animal replicas as toys and, in the past, large numbers of fur necklaces (animal- shaped scarves) and, to a lesser extent, footmuffs . In addition, there is the processing of trimmings on ready-made fabric; Fur pillows; Fur blankets and fur covers for the living area.

The work for this partly requires special knowledge of the fur sewer and the furrier.

Fur hats and caps , as far as hat blocks are required, are usually made by millers . There are companies that specialize in fur headgear and other small parts of fur.

In the last few decades, furs woven or knitted from narrow strips of fur in nets have come onto the market to a considerable extent. Because of the high workload, these parts are almost exclusively manufactured in low-wage Asian countries, primarily in China.

literature

Eva Laue: The Staffieren , 6 volumes, Hermelin-Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin - Frankfurt / Main - Leipzig - Vienna 1966 ("Skinning Technique" series)
Eva Laue: The fur sewing (new edition of "Das Staffieren") , 6 volumes, Hermelin-Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin - Frankfurt / Main - Leipzig - Vienna 1968 ("Skinning Technique" series)

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Eva Laue: Fur sewing 1. Introduction, development of the fur sewing machine . In: The fur trade . Volume X, No. 2 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Vienna 1959, pp. 81-86 .
^ PN Sprengel's arts and crafts in tables . 2nd collection, 2nd edition, Verlag der Buchhandlung der Realschule, Berlin 1782, p. 433.
↑ Schiller: Skinning in Breslau p. 69 . From: Writings of the Verein für Sozialpolitik 7th volume ( studies on the situation of the craft in Germany ) 3rd part Prussia, Leipzig 1896. Primary source Krünitz, p. 50.
^ Friedrich Lübstorff: The woman in the furrier profession . In: The fur industry , supplement to Hermelin , XX. Vol. 5/6, 1950, p. 6.
↑ FS: The sewing competition at the Berlin Kürschnerfachschule . In: Der Rauchwarenmarkt No. 204, Berlin, September 21, 1922, p. 1.
↑ berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de: Kürschner / in, development of training . Retrieved February 5, 2017.
↑ Without title and author. In: Winckelmann Pelzmarkt No. 126, March 30, 1972, p. 12.
↑ www.buhev.de: Free letter . 2004, p. 4. Retrieved January 6, 2017 (PDF).
^ Information from Charles Ahlefeld, Chemnitz, March 23, 2017.
↑ Central Institute for Vocational Education and Training of the GDR (ed.): Job description for career counseling. Fur sewers and staffers. Job number 42 2 04 . September 30, 1978.
↑ Wage and salary collective agreement and working time regulation for industrial workers and employees in the furrier trade. Treaty of June 17, 1983; valid from September 1, 1983; can be canceled on August 31, 1984; Notice period of 5 months . Central association of the furrier trade, Bad Homburg vd H., S. 5-6 .
^ ^A ^b August Dietzsch: On the manufacture of fur. The sewing of the skins - The fur skins . In: The fur trade . Volume VII, No. 1 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Berlin, Leipzig 1956, pp. 25-28 .
↑ Alexander Tuma: Pelz-Lexikon. Fur and rough goods. XX. Tape. Verlag Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1950. Keyword "Sewing"
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d The importance of the seam for fur processing . Ackermann-Göggingen AG, Munich, sewing technology customer service, publication number 33/69. 1969?
↑ Alexander Tuma: Pelz-Lexikon. Fur and Rough Goods, Volume XVII . Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1949, p. 86 , keyword "hair seam" .
↑ ^a ^b According to information from the seamstress and fur seamstress Elisabeth Wohlgemuth. September 2017.
↑ ^a ^b ^c Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The fur sewing and staffing . In: The fur trade . Volume VII, No. 6 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Leipzig 1956, pp. 199-210 .
↑ Eva Laue: The fur sewing. 5. Simple seam types . In: The fur trade . Volume XI, No. 1 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Vienna 1960, pp. 38-40 .
↑ Without indication of the author: technical terms in the furrier trade . In: Kürschner-Zeitung , Issue 23/24, Verlag Alexander Duncker, Leipzig, August 15, 1942, p. 177.
↑ August Dietzsch, Kurt Häse, Paul Schöps: Das Anbrachen . In: Das Pelzgewerbe No. 2, 1956, Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Leipzig, p. 61.
↑ Eva Laue: The fur sewing , 3rd continuation. In: Das Pelzgewerbe No. 1, 1960, p. 39.
↑ Alexander Tuma: Pelz-Lexikon. Fur and rough goods. XXI. Tape. Verlag Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1951, p. 232, keyword "Verdichtungnaht"
^ Ernst Kreft: Modern working methods in the furrier trade, 2nd improved edition. Fachverlag Schiele & Schön, Berlin undated (the 1st edition appeared in 1950), pp. 42–43.
↑ ^a ^b ^c Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The work of the staffer . In: The fur trade . Volume VII, No. 2 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Leipzig 1956, pp. 245-254 .
↑ Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The interior finish . In: The fur trade . Volume IX, No. 6 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Vienna 1958, pp. 264-271 .
^ Author collective: Der Kürschner. Technical and textbook for the furrier trade. 2nd revised edition. Vocational training committee of the central association of the furrier trade (ed.), JP Bachem publishing house, Cologne 1956, p. 68. → Book cover and table of contents .
↑ ^a ^b ^c Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The interior finish . In: The fur trade . Volume XIII, No. 5 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Vienna 1957, pp. 198-2212 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The pricking . In: The fur trade . Volume XIII, No. 1 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Leipzig, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main 1957, pp. 28-38 .
↑ Eva Laue: The fur sewing. 7. Compilation of fur garments. Work clothes . In: Das Pelzgewerbe No. 4, 1961, Hermelin-Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin et al., P. 182.

Web links

Commons : Fur Sewing - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

[Laue1959-2-1] Eva Laue: Fur sewing 1. Introduction, development of the fur sewing machine . In: The fur trade . Volume X, No. 2 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Vienna 1959, pp. 81-86 .

[2] PN Sprengel's arts and crafts in tables . 2nd collection, 2nd edition, Verlag der Buchhandlung der Realschule, Berlin 1782, p. 433.

[3] Schiller: Skinning in Breslau p. 69 . From: Writings of the Verein für Sozialpolitik 7th volume ( studies on the situation of the craft in Germany ) 3rd part Prussia, Leipzig 1896. Primary source Krünitz, p. 50.

[4] Friedrich Lübstorff: The woman in the furrier profession . In: The fur industry , supplement to Hermelin , XX. Vol. 5/6, 1950, p. 6.

[5] FS: The sewing competition at the Berlin Kürschnerfachschule . In: Der Rauchwarenmarkt No. 204, Berlin, September 21, 1922, p. 1.

[6] rufenet.arbeitsagentur.de: Kürschner / in, development of training . Retrieved February 5, 2017.

[7] Without title and author. In: Winckelmann Pelzmarkt No. 126, March 30, 1972, p. 12.

[8] www.buhev.de: Free letter . 2004, p. 4. Retrieved January 6, 2017 (PDF).

[9] Information from Charles Ahlefeld, Chemnitz, March 23, 2017.

[10] Central Institute for Vocational Education and Training of the GDR (ed.): Job description for career counseling. Fur sewers and staffers. Job number 42 2 04 . September 30, 1978.

[Tarifvertrag1983-11] Wage and salary collective agreement and working time regulation for industrial workers and employees in the furrier trade. Treaty of June 17, 1983; valid from September 1, 1983; can be canceled on August 31, 1984; Notice period of 5 months . Central association of the furrier trade, Bad Homburg vd H., S. 5-6 .

[Dietzsch-12] A ^b August Dietzsch: On the manufacture of fur. The sewing of the skins - The fur skins . In: The fur trade . Volume VII, No. 1 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Berlin, Leipzig 1956, pp. 25-28 .

[Pelzlexikon-13] Alexander Tuma: Pelz-Lexikon. Fur and rough goods. XX. Tape. Verlag Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1950. Keyword "Sewing"

[Ackermann-14] The importance of the seam for fur processing . Ackermann-Göggingen AG, Munich, sewing technology customer service, publication number 33/69. 1969?

[15] Alexander Tuma: Pelz-Lexikon. Fur and Rough Goods, Volume XVII . Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1949, p. 86 , keyword "hair seam" .

[Wohlgemuth-16] According to information from the seamstress and fur seamstress Elisabeth Wohlgemuth. September 2017.

[Laue1956-5-17] Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The fur sewing and staffing . In: The fur trade . Volume VII, No. 6 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Leipzig 1956, pp. 199-210 .

[Laue1960-1-18] Eva Laue: The fur sewing. 5. Simple seam types . In: The fur trade . Volume XI, No. 1 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Vienna 1960, pp. 38-40 .

[19] Without indication of the author: technical terms in the furrier trade . In: Kürschner-Zeitung , Issue 23/24, Verlag Alexander Duncker, Leipzig, August 15, 1942, p. 177.

[Dietzsch/Häse-20] August Dietzsch, Kurt Häse, Paul Schöps: Das Anbrachen . In: Das Pelzgewerbe No. 2, 1956, Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Leipzig, p. 61.

[21] Eva Laue: The fur sewing , 3rd continuation. In: Das Pelzgewerbe No. 1, 1960, p. 39.

[22] Alexander Tuma: Pelz-Lexikon. Fur and rough goods. XXI. Tape. Verlag Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1951, p. 232, keyword "Verdichtungnaht"

[Kreft-23] Ernst Kreft: Modern working methods in the furrier trade, 2nd improved edition. Fachverlag Schiele & Schön, Berlin undated (the 1st edition appeared in 1950), pp. 42–43.

[Laue1956-6-24] Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The work of the staffer . In: The fur trade . Volume VII, No. 2 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Leipzig 1956, pp. 245-254 .

[Laue1958-6-25] Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The interior finish . In: The fur trade . Volume IX, No. 6 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Vienna 1958, pp. 264-271 .

[Kürschner-26] Author collective: Der Kürschner. Technical and textbook for the furrier trade. 2nd revised edition. Vocational training committee of the central association of the furrier trade (ed.), JP Bachem publishing house, Cologne 1956, p. 68. → Book cover and table of contents .

[Laue1957-5-27] Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The interior finish . In: The fur trade . Volume XIII, No. 5 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Vienna 1957, pp. 198-2212 .

[Laue1957-1-28] Eva Laue: The fur sewing. The pricking . In: The fur trade . Volume XIII, No. 1 . Dr. Paul Schöps, Leipzig, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main 1957, pp. 28-38 .

[29] Eva Laue: The fur sewing. 7. Compilation of fur garments. Work clothes . In: Das Pelzgewerbe No. 4, 1961, Hermelin-Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin et al., P. 182.