On a visit to my Lexus dealer back in late August last year during this leather interior project, I decided to see how large the stitching was on their cars. In particular, the GS-F. Luckily they have an orange one that hasn't sold for some reason so I climbed in and measured with my new digital micrometer.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96tL-mpxsanGR_caEmxZV-1BCfeTCvKsaLeqbrJ7L6Iu1zGWpa8H3QSC6WLTOcFts9AzsaghxIs-dVn5wl-aX6AcQclsM7hTemn0x_7_RulYS5banUvB31ok3LDa-p8CGoyUCXTsJFHw_/s640/IMG_4407.jpg) |
So Lexus has a single line of 4mm stitches - this stitching is more visual than functional I bet |
Not only did I report these findings to Cesar, I also told him that one of my inspirations for this project was this photo on Speedhunters:
In response, Cesar sent me photos of not just some more parts he had done - the glove box, airbag lid and the ignition key surround - but he also had some samples of 3mm and 4mm stitching.
As before, I'll let the photos do the talking:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzWWslvitzo_f7-zf3B9DknR9odZDf0nM1lPnO-gWsveB0Q5bZVYwg_Ea_ffofYF5SbmZPhKTwhS1lo3ds-oD3Hpu7obIjJFxt962RknUt76HSPRDBg5rLoBulrGIjZ-jfiu6j810Ia9Y/s640/Imagen10.jpg) |
First, he creates a mold to fit where the latch is |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSotMlc69TthOUXS2NxLlGMwOUIkYZ7eZlsDzB6ZP7h_4Qrnd0rOWydv7hLr7C4b9ywp5zpHPDoXT6ZKR_gixC4ZRFANinXU1gESvUl4yQh9pXmeKtoFimk0L86pBIVdgoxR4cQol9BMl9/s640/Imagen8.jpg) |
Using a weight, he uses the mold to stretch the leather to fit the glove box door |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1urWpDRqBmC_Ml8ZV2ClGbY2D08NxBXM_Bs-FsIYLCO2QUz6-2ez3IelGbN7GGgpgE7FYHo60WuZZ7fSCHuRtnU7DoXqq2fsW6WP7Kg9SStP5NMAOn3_0K3ZC_cmuCOgBMNHeqOVKDxwD/s640/Imagen11.jpg) |
That is, he makes sure that the leather wraps into the latch nicely |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh36f61nrRGLlnWeK_Umre3pyO0PPB6i4E6XVE58Z4IQ2CzWKoTdnn4nrloec9jft53Vv4LR6sJTc2byjmVuBEbY4eMrBz8OsEpka8zkp55nXE1NKa_EmCSphOo4ZddFdvShvMJ5yK_MqV/s640/Imagen9.jpg) |
You can see the outline clearly here |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1yLLeEX16f5kQZDIbRg7TF1I64nvAzTYBhBqZeqPSu_jSdi4ubD_d15S8mPgT0Y3HwXfpeeH7W947rGMSktRS80SEZ0xbf0WMK9FBiwwitqqGjfZHSPjHnsCyOJIENH20S2_s_G8hyphenhyphenQV/s640/Imagen2.jpg) |
Then it's just a matter of lining it all up, gluing, and using clips, while using the mold to ensure the square hold stays square |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROZnBEi9Ioe2fVpV_ztW6ltAIDBK1eqyS5kvXNvpBjsd7bG_66mEaBziAXX9J2T4t4absN2XLzzC85PM5cVft5gn_prcWNjo0NMkFHhXJlET5T8s5-fZWrcwtT6344_IiVpPWaLomgCag/s640/Imagen7.jpg) |
Using clips to hold the leather in place as it dries |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAtjYHEXRkQ4s7w95u8QwL1jSlMUvxRA3S47pndMsnyNbu4E_x_-xkRRkrcFHf9qdrahM4huGzleEM_Ff_Hw_6nc62fzhb0FGX0z6zQc8E4kaizI3h4iMJ0KHycUjTBD7UVw6pdB75yxc/s640/Imagen6.jpg) |
That is gorgeous! |
If you remember from
this prior post, the glovebox was one of the first parts Cesar fixed up! I guess he wanted to start with something familiar and which WASN'T easy...
Here is the airbag flap - another part that had to be repaired:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwP9jdT0eUJMaQe72hrwiQg2Ip0MTQ8AX7p_EG3hy9MQTzOqfwxHeYUPJzhFmITaieCLG_Ngwl3RP8xMUg162kHx01YLjlN-t6U_Wl_zKfDJaxoBGIeG-2SNguOC4xRzNfSWPMY_velnV/s640/Imagen12.jpg) |
Can't really tell from this photo, but upon closer inspection... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTDgswzL1d9yCh-W1NR1KBvWzPMuNLgqFrMj19B81zFftKmWmqJ8hp_WXho7cJaNejlcSHld5e4G_h2jsgFx6N7yBSnh15V7fCBklBY_3OTDTWC6YYwi9AxEzMPiwaBhqTsn7Kdde6DXL/s640/Imagen13.jpg) |
Cesar said he had to special order the metal mold to imprint this. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvrccEofB5ENDiKDyxqai3v3dZ1cjMJCPxq78bGln6ZuKbCEXCQHyHHFHWFrKrpmKBgaVWvyIR7EJ9yZOcqO1wDIe7zkyEit-MT1Ed0e4w3fgZk_YpyrDwHrvq0EMBq8UaL6WqKNHAa66/s640/Imagen15.jpg) |
Close-Up. Very nice. Looks OEM! But that is real leather! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnVCH7fRZm2E8WoVsWZTDn5R_trdP5durUxna3JOsFDhGugGuf05rMvO0or42RlbKYarCzwrT_3rzp_eV0rrdudeP5Dmn1_H1WBfp0hMBFB0Offd1_mGVpOdCeKKnZYhq6drurIpZEwea/s640/Imagen14.jpg) |
You can see how the leather was stretched over and glued. |
Finally, the ignition key surround.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tb3KOdFWl-FV_YntI6RUHOi2s3R9VGkUxjuvIw_l1i_4kFravlXkloZpy88rH6S7GkJPkKTWmQfdM_7uszB3itV_d9akGPUxV-FDbTjgDG1ePJY1lXitN2s_UEvEuDShdoImiQ561225/s640/Imagen16.jpg) |
Look closely and you can see yes it's real leather... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDip6OoiGQcr_Rq2FCqE6pu7Fqak3f0zDC7dGwpfrK-v_FqNAoazg5qhod3SVxzTGlkSmibRfbK-IepizKZPIagh9vo_NhEfvI5jCXoCNgvrthsHvwkwS6QLhxfu53vLmrZjTmQtymW-Z/s640/Imagen18.jpg) |
Another angle |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDmpf-FgSGWrzIl7b_mgNnhWp08fdVu6Mwjp5JLYwidp1sykrGxtsEuLcuHiLXJ8F1ZCLCL23_gtexaDoHhxbJrpClUOcGmh1rZCO4fkPhlhiARydvijxzNwuGzZVfLsW2ya14JZwWxYI/s640/Imagen17.jpg) |
Again you can see the intricate work here. And how it was folded over and glued. |
As I mentioned above, Cesar also asked me which stitch length I preferred - 3mm or 4mm. He also sent me the following photos to help me decide:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsn8w-ak7TNmtubQnwYaxp16NPAER-cPuGkd9c_DBSu40L-P8AF-MIoVt2m2bIqTQsCMm6mIeMqM-Qah9m-EbR8Uibtx1NXvR_r0Bil3em7rkLGkP_A5V64Ma0M5j4iJPWazOqwAl_Zwf/s640/Imagen5.jpg) |
Side by side comparison on the glovebox surround |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9uBJpSKGHU1zfjVkX1Vp7rhCc3QzRu4zOO1r-lbp2HMGFLb_-VG-QD_OPxIGK1b8xYzUJtbuFwWeiY5uNQZFBvzirilegxm70TwyLSE_CpfyxQ1ArFd5W9jquPcLGwrhJu-3jTgYBVvv/s640/Imagen3.jpg) |
This is 3mm |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-JO5MyvI1HTrumf4-HRCDDGnQVhymbhwmmJBTZVETEShTMCJpYkkZcN2mTnRkIYE3kaSwxQ2etqJGAB3A1G2owcVy1TFMMU-rkry69sTpx5I6-ygMNNsCcskz6NVuvWJhtjYUrYJltu6/s640/Imagen4.jpg) |
And this is 4mm on the right. |
But I noticed something - the gap between the stitches looked fairly large. At this rate, I would want the 4mm because the gap is proportionally shorter compared to the 3mm.
Cesar followed up in an email saying that I had "keen eyes" as I had spotted stitching on the "closing sewing" where he had used a 90-14 needle, then on the "oversewing" he had used a 120-19 needle. However, on the actual project, he said he would use a 110-18 needle, and would send me photos later to show the difference.
Here are those photos:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlusVT7d7hyphenhyphenf3axvqOjWU-RRsubXfDVX7JGfF4iZ3KNNtBD30WqJKqMxXSn-VZ5KI1w7Ff1mRIusRoMkR9QrhkHgjzfrUHu9Cj2x6HJ2nse-Yv8GQqkDHmtDu4704uO7EC7Zumo4IevPaE/s640/Imagen19.jpg) |
3mm stitching, with 110-18 needle |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxOg3_5mgZd4hpNRGBp2_54ZkqWfo2NnCZ1fMQEhTe-CTttGjwIKV0w8zdT-RXTc5tdVHAbsGo2SuQcKDgwaEBJLXNNT6jNz-UXdGSIaGOapf-p2tzsffKsedJO_BlpT6LavWfIBZz3aa/s640/Imagen20.jpg) |
4mm stitching, with 110-18 needle |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Bkn07Dl9_QlQ6j0_bTBN6hwcnGqSYEYaCvmfNO-FMMQoLFhpXSNto1b61PaIX6JzfqdzcLxmmPgcFJP_P5_250VD1LYbB94bZqtmd3HbXbkRW3dYjbbiMk3oeWaiTxMYLRia9YIBeQtQ/s640/Imagen21.jpg) |
Side by side comparison, 3mm on top |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhViJiNxSHTfBfy_EZMyz656QQhLNfW7Y1pCNpN6uWnkA7YLSw3pjEShVKfQGhhSVjw39OK53KVO1YJr2eQyNqNClEUjW6Jy-fi5tbkuPorveVUARfCZJhEDbkToi3tKQyN48IiqzWB7KYn/s640/Imagen22.jpg) |
As how it would look on the gauge cowl overhang. Here is the 4mm stitch. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaZ0bhE35zwri5D78OxZH_ALWjrpkVGNOUA6pJkg52TJM7oryG-uJMy3wL7wgjT7680gc8mnYmeiwOHySd_upVtwTX_RmdVxKn-WupJuVhoPruUGVerCutAX64q6HrqWZtRGANVqYloX8/s640/Imagen23.jpg) |
And here is how the 3mm stitching would look on the gauge cowl overhang. |
Cesar recommended 3mm, but I was not so sure. It's hard to tell from photos of other cars, and nowhere could I find anything about what the OEMs use. I asked around, but in the end I had to make a decision...so I went with the 3mm. I hope that this is the right decision....what do you guys think?