The Whipstitch came about due to necessity. Whether it was called a blanket stitch, a rolled stitch, a narrow stitch, a traditional stitch, or a whipstitch, the original purpose was to reinforce the edge of thick materials. What has now become a decorative stitch was often used to finish unhemmed blankets and other materials that might fray. We at Hand & Grain have made whipstitching an artform—the decorative touch on our upholstery is purely ornamental. That’s because our benchmade upholstery pieces are as strong as can be before we add these artistic stitches.
The Origins of the Whipstitch
A conversation about whipstitching begins with leather, so let’s look at the history of this material on which whipstitching shines. Leather is one of mankind’s oldest natural resources, one that made the earliest forms of communication possible, as ancient tribes drew messages on the skins of animals that had been slaughtered for food. Parchment leather pages were the next evolution of animal skins used for communication. Did you know that archaeologists have unearthed leather artifacts that are more than 33 centuries old?
The ancient Romans used leather as currency and to make their legendary sandals, the complexity and quality of which telegraphed a person’s socio-economic status. During Medieval times, leather guildsmen protected their know-how as a sought-after asset, so that they could hand their knowledge down to their sons as a valuable inheritance. In a fascinating book by Patty Cox titled Native American Leather & Bead Crafting, she notes how indigenous American cultures depended upon leather for their clothing, sewing hides together with whipstitching and stabilizing woven basket rims with the skill.
“Native American art has a timeless appeal that fascinates anyone who appreciates quality craft and design,” the author notes. While the nomadic tribes used their simple tools to whipstitch moccasins, pouches, and vests, our artisans still work with simple tools that have been hallmarks of whipstitching for centuries. And they still achieve the beauty with their hands, just as humanity has since antiquity. Passing down knowledge is a practice that has remained strong in the lives of the leather craftspeople in our Tijuana factory. They take great pride in their artform, as their ancestors never lost the respect for craftsmanship that reaches back for centuries.
