Hand Made 1860 Base Balls
Wendel Dickason
Sec. 1. The ball must weigh not less than five and three-fourths, nor more
than six ounces avoirdupois. It must measure not less than nine and three-
fourths, nor more than ten inches in circumference. It must be composed of
india-rubber and yarn, and covered with leather, and, in all match games,
shall be furnished by the challenging club, and become the property of the
winning club, as a trophy of victory.
(From Beadles Dime Base Ball Player
Edited by Henry Chadwick)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
For some time, I had wanted to make my own base balls, partly
because our seminal vintage base ball program doesn’t really have a
treasury (In fact, I am the treasury!) and balls don’t come cheap, but
perhaps more so lately because when I host demonstrations or ‘show
and tells’, I’ve found that our visitors are always more impressed with
the hand made balls, especially when I have a few on display that are
‘under construction’ so they can see what goes into the process.
Once I started making my own and had a few dozen under my belt, I
got the size, weight and techniques down pat, and with all that practice,
I got to where I could turn out a new ball from scratch in well under two
hours. In fact, I usually do this now while sitting in front of the TV
watching Texas Rangers baseball and I crank out about two balls per
game.
As my inventory increased, I started to use some of the home-made
balls as gifts and also as incentives to many who’ve shown an interest
in the old game and for those who are thinking of forming a team.
Down the road, I plan to sell them at games and events to help finance
the program.
By the way, this article should not be seen as a set of inviolate
instructions, but simply a guide and hints based on my experience with
the craft. There will be a number of things that folks might want to
change when it comes to their own projects, and except for the specifics
laid down in the rules and regulations, just about everything else is up
to the individual. This is, after all, more art than science!
“It must measure not less than nine and three-fourths, nor more than ten
inches in circumference.”
When I first started making my own balls, I purchased ‘kits’ from Lefty
Trudeau at Phoenix Bats. However, Lefty indicated that the hides that
he had been supplied were based on some of the first commercially
available reproduction balls but were actually just a hair larger than
what is being supplied now. They measured 10” from petal point to
petal point, which seems like it would be just right for a ball that could
be ‘no more than ten inches in circumference’, but after winding a core
large enough to stretch the hides so that they would fit snugly, the
balls were closer to 10 ½” in circumference. This isn’t all that
important, but if I were really going to brag about them being hand
made, I figured I’d go ahead and try my hand at making them
completely from scratch.
To create my own pattern, I cheated a bit and scanned one of the
unused hides but found that by simply reducing it a couple percent
didn’t work because the proportions between the petal length and petal
width didn’t seem to follow and left me with a ‘loose waisted’ base ball
(baggy around the middle)! So I had to ‘narrow’ the petals so that when
stretched and stitched, the ‘equatorial’ circumference was the same as
the ‘polar’ circumference. It would have been easier to take apart a
‘store bought’ ball and scan it, but because the hide would have already
been stretched, it probably wouldn’t have had the right dimensions,
either.
Anyway, I printed the 9 ½ inch template* on card stock and cut it out,
then used a hand held hole puncher to create holes to mark where the
stitches were to go on the leather. I use one of those that resemble a
set of pliers and has a variety of die holes so that I can pick the size
that makes openings in the leather that are big enough for the needle
and thread but not so big that they weaken it.
On the leather, I trace around the pattern with a fine point marking
pen and then mark the holes.
I then cut the leather ‘lemon peel’ out with a decent pair of scissors
and then use my hole puncher to carefully poke the 172 holes along the
edges of the petals. A trivial note: The original hides I bought had
thirty one stitching holes per petal (plus the crossover) and one of the
store bought balls I have has thirty, but I chose to figure out the
spacing for twenty one holes. I could claim that I picked that number
in symbolic tribute to the number of runs it took to win a game when ol’
Alex and the Knickerbockers first laid down their rules, but it’s
probably truer to say that I just wanted fewer stitches to deal with.
Even with twenty one, the spacing between them is still extremely close
and the balls hold together just fine.
“The ball must weigh not less than five and three-fourths, nor more than six
ounces avoirdupois.”
Once I found out that avoirdupois simply refers to the measuring
system we use (as opposed to the Metric system) I was good to go. I
find that my Weight Watchers digital scale works very well for figuring
and verifying the weights of the materials and the finished ball as it
displays measurements to the hundredths of an ounce.
The important thing is to get the right balance between the weight of
the hide, the stitching and the materials on the inside of the ball. But
before I address that, I have to admit that a few of my materials are not
quite as authentic as the originals, but they are close and get the job
done nicely. My ‘pill’ is a 3oz high density rubber ‘bouncy ball’. I
haven't found any reference by Chadwick regarding the size or weight
of the core of the 1860 ball, though early references indicate it was
made from strips of India rubber, so I suppose that a rubber band ball
in the middle would probably be even more authentic, but who’s gonna
know?
Chadwick did, however, say that the preferred yarn was wool, and that
was because it helped the ball keep its shape better when hit and
fielded. However, when I experimented with wool (or high percentage
woolen blends) and wrapped the yarn very tightly, I found the balls
exceeded the 6oz. weight limit (not to mention what it did to my
fingers!), even when using different size and weight rubber cores so I
tried using cotton yarn for the inside layers. The cotton does not
stretch and so it’s simply pulled snug. And because it doesn’t require
the same pulling pressure, it’s much easier on the hands.
However, also because it doesn’t stretch, it does leave small gaps
throughout (which is probably what keeps the weight down) and if used
alone, would give the finished ball a very uneven surface. And so I go
ahead and tightly wrap several layers of the wool yarn over the cotton
yarn ball to smooth it out. Some techniques call for adding a third layer
of crochet yarn, a very fine string like material for additional hardness
and smoothness, but I haven’t found that it is as necessary as I once
thought, especially if I pull the wool tightly.
_________________________________
Now, back to the beginning. To start wrapping the yarn around the
pill, I just hold the end with my thumb, and after I’ve made a couple
revolutions, it will hold itself. Because the rubber balls I use don’t have
a slick surface, my first few wraps don’t slip. However, when I first
started out and was using the shiny balls, I would wrap a couple rubber
bands around them for friction. It is very important when wrapping the
yarn to turn or twist the ball slightly with each wrap to avoid building
up too many layers in one ‘latitude’. After about a dozen revolutions,
the yarn should appear to be wrapped in every direction.
It’s also important to avoid too many crossovers at the same point to
avoid ‘peaks’. However, it’s also possible to have low or flat areas
formed by not having the yarn cross over them enough, and so crossing
over there a few extra times can help to build up and level those areas.
It is a good idea to pause after every few dozen wraps to hold the ball
away and look at it to be sure it’s still round. This will help keep the
ball from becoming a watermelon or a hockey puck! When I need to
pause or take a break, I use a piece of masking tape to hold down the
yarn where I left off. I also use the tape when I reach the end of the
process and cut the yarn.
Regarding the leather and stitching materials
There is a Tandy Leather company store in Fort Worth about twenty
miles from my house, so that makes my leather acquisition fairly easy.
I’ve found that most craft stores have leather that can be used for
purses and holsters but not the relatively thin and elastic hide needed
for a baseball. It’s also nice to be able to go somewhere that I can feel
and ‘play’ with it before buying it. I buy entire sides of leather but I can’
t really say exactly what the thickness is because they’re not labeled
that way, but when I find one that’s right, I know it. Not shopping for
the high end, fine fashion clothing quality leather keeps the price way
down, too, but I have to watch out for pieces that have a big difference
in thickness from one end to the other.
The color of the leather is not a big issue. Balls of the mid 1800s were
seen in a variety of hues, ranging from almost white to dark brown.
Some players actually preferred the darker ones because fly balls could
be better seen against the sky, while others liked the lighter balls ones
that stood out from the landscape or tree line. Because I buy off the
bulk rack, it is almost impossible to find an exact match for whatever
color I bought the last time so I just concern myself with the thickness
and pliability of whatever I find that’s close to the shade I want.
For the stitching, I prefer to use what is called fake sinew. This is
something used by historical reenactors and others for sewing primitive
leather goods like black powder shooting bags and rifle covers, but I
find that it’s a good choice for base ball stitching as well. It’s ‘waxed’,
which makes it easier to sew with and the natural looking sinew makes
the balls appear even more rustic. It is thicker than the more common
stitching material, but that also contributes to the primitive look of the
ball. However, almost any kind or color of leather stitching material will
work and can be obtained at a craft or leather goods store.
One thing I recently started was stamping my balls with the team
emblem. I use an archival ink designed for leather (among other things)
and apply the stamp in the center of the petal after I’ve traced it but
before I cut it out. It would be next to impossible to stamp a ball once it
is round. When creating a stamp, it must be remembered that the
texture or grain of the leather might make very small lettering and
details hard to print. Rubber stamps also provide another opportunity,
and that is to be able to use the leather scraps and leftovers for book
marks and other ‘souvenirs’.
Applying the cover
A trick I use to see if the yarn ball the right size is to push it through
a 3 inch hoop, or in my case, the cardboard ring from that roll of ¾ inch
painter’s masking tape I used to secure the yarn. When the ball just
barely fits through the ring, it’s time to wrap on a few layers of the wool
yarn.
Then I take the cover and tack two opposite petal ends together with a
temporary knot and force the yarn ball into the leather ‘tube’. It should
be tight but not so tight that I risk tearing out the crossover stitch
holes. I then pull the other two ends together (bringing all four points
together) and tie them. After that, I locate adjoining stitch holes in each
seam about half way up from the bottom and temporarily tack them
together with short pieces of the sinew. This pretty much stretches
the hide all the way around its equator. Then it’s time to start the final
stitching.
I start with a piece of the sinew about six feet long and I use a pair of
two inch long, round end tapestry needles. The brand of needles used
isn’t important, but I’ve found that some of them are more flimsy than
others and will bend when being pushed and pulled through the leather
so I try to remember which ones those were or keep the package of the
ones that work. But even the good ones will occasionally break at the
eye if too much pressure is put on them when the leather is stubborn
or whatever. Split happens!
Stitching a baseball is a lot like lacing shoes. I pick a seam and shove
the needle into one bottom hole and out of the other one and pull the
sinew through. I pull the ends even and then take one needle and run
it into the seam and out of the hole on the opposite side. I do the same
with the other end and then pull the stitching snug.
I repeat the process over and over, working my way up the side of the
ball, yet while doing so, I have to be sure that the previous stitches are
still tight and the seam is not spreading. I might use my thumb to hold
pressure on the lower stitches, but often have to pause and gently pull
the sinew to tighten the previous ones. When I reach the temporary tie
used to bring the seams together, I just cut it off and proceed with the
stitching. Ordinarily, when the needle emerges from a hole, it can be
gripped by the fingers and pulled, but sometimes it will encounter some
resistance. That’s when it might help to have a set of needle nose
pliers handy to grab and help pull the needle through.
There are different techniques used when reaching the crossover
point, but the way I do it when my stitching reaches the top is to cut
the temporary ties I used to bring the ends together and then, instead
of running the needle into the seam and out of the opposite hole, I go
over the top and down into the adjacent hole and come back through
and out of the hole I came from, and then do this with the other one.
This helps me to bring the points together tightly. I then go over the
top again, back down into the opposite hole, and then under the seam
and out of the next hole on the opposite side. Of course this gives me a
little thicker stitching at the crossing point, but if pulled tightly enough
or pressed down when done, it is not a problem.
I finish stitching down the other side of the ball, and when I come to
the end, I make sure the seam is completely closed and all the stitching
is tight and I then run the needle back up into the seam so that it
emerges from the seam about an inch or so back up. I pull the
stitching tight and push the needle back into the seam so that it
emerges once again farther up the seam. I can then cut it the sinew off
flush with the surface of the ball. The tightness of the cover is what
holds it fast and will not let it slip back and loosen.
I repeat nearly the whole process on the other seam, except for the
crossover. Instead of the double-back stitch I did the first time over, I
will either come out of the hole, go over the top and down into the
opposite one, then run the needle and sinew below the seam and up
out of the second hole or, if I feel that the stitching will be too thick at
the crossover, I’ll just run the needle below the crossing all the way to
the second hole and come out there. The only real difference is how it
might look if the stitch seems to run a little more parallel to the seam
just before it gets to the crossing.
A few final tips
Care must be taken to avoid pulling too hard and busting out the
holes in the leather, though the stuff is pretty resilient and it’s a little
harder to tear than one might imagine. One way to see how tough the
material is might be to punch some holes near the edge of a scrap or
unused piece of the leather and run some of the stitching through it
and give it a tug or two. When you find the breaking point, don’t pull
that hard on the base ball! One good technique I’ve learned to avoid
tearing out the hole is to pull in the direction of the seam and not
across it. This keeps pressure off the thinnest part of the leather.
Another tip I picked up is to avoid pulling away from the ball because
that stretches the leather the wrong direction. That’s especially true
when reaching the end of the seam. At that point, I press down on the
hide with my thumb as I pull the sinew to keep from making a pucker.
Some suggest applying glue (Elmer’s, etc.) between the yarn and the
hide, in part, to make the surface a little harder but I don’t do that
because as I am stitching up the last seam, I want to be able to pull the
leather tight from all around the ball rather than just the adjoining inch
or so, and if the glue sets up before I get to that last side, I won’t be
able to do that. Besides, if the yarn ball is just the right size, the skin
won’t be baggy. And if it’s too loose (or too tight), I can still undo some
of the stitches, pull the core out and add (or remove) some yarn and
then re-sew it. Fortunately, with practice, this is not something I have
to do too much anymore.
‘A glorious lack of sophistication’
Because they lack the quality control of commercially made balls, ones
made by hand might appear a bit on the crude side, but a better term
might be ‘rustic’. If a ball is a little out of round when finished it can
probably be fixed by whacking it on a hard surface. Of course, even if
the ball starts out perfectly symmetrical, it will not stay that way after
being hit a few times, and that applies to the $15 and $20 balls, too.
But that’s the nature of our game.
* Download and save the pattern for the 1860 base ball hide here. It
might help to print out a couple draft copies to be sure the pattern
measures exactly 9 ½ inches from point to point. The shaded
background should be just a little over 7 inches wide and tall. Then
print it on card stock.
Wendel Dickason
Sec. 1. The ball must weigh not less than five and three-fourths, nor more
than six ounces avoirdupois. It must measure not less than nine and three-
fourths, nor more than ten inches in circumference. It must be composed of
india-rubber and yarn, and covered with leather, and, in all match games,
shall be furnished by the challenging club, and become the property of the
winning club, as a trophy of victory.
(From Beadles Dime Base Ball Player
Edited by Henry Chadwick)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
For some time, I had wanted to make my own base balls, partly
because our seminal vintage base ball program doesn’t really have a
treasury (In fact, I am the treasury!) and balls don’t come cheap, but
perhaps more so lately because when I host demonstrations or ‘show
and tells’, I’ve found that our visitors are always more impressed with
the hand made balls, especially when I have a few on display that are
‘under construction’ so they can see what goes into the process.
Once I started making my own and had a few dozen under my belt, I
got the size, weight and techniques down pat, and with all that practice,
I got to where I could turn out a new ball from scratch in well under two
hours. In fact, I usually do this now while sitting in front of the TV
watching Texas Rangers baseball and I crank out about two balls per
game.
As my inventory increased, I started to use some of the home-made
balls as gifts and also as incentives to many who’ve shown an interest
in the old game and for those who are thinking of forming a team.
Down the road, I plan to sell them at games and events to help finance
the program.
By the way, this article should not be seen as a set of inviolate
instructions, but simply a guide and hints based on my experience with
the craft. There will be a number of things that folks might want to
change when it comes to their own projects, and except for the specifics
laid down in the rules and regulations, just about everything else is up
to the individual. This is, after all, more art than science!
“It must measure not less than nine and three-fourths, nor more than ten
inches in circumference.”
When I first started making my own balls, I purchased ‘kits’ from Lefty
Trudeau at Phoenix Bats. However, Lefty indicated that the hides that
he had been supplied were based on some of the first commercially
available reproduction balls but were actually just a hair larger than
what is being supplied now. They measured 10” from petal point to
petal point, which seems like it would be just right for a ball that could
be ‘no more than ten inches in circumference’, but after winding a core
large enough to stretch the hides so that they would fit snugly, the
balls were closer to 10 ½” in circumference. This isn’t all that
important, but if I were really going to brag about them being hand
made, I figured I’d go ahead and try my hand at making them
completely from scratch.
To create my own pattern, I cheated a bit and scanned one of the
unused hides but found that by simply reducing it a couple percent
didn’t work because the proportions between the petal length and petal
width didn’t seem to follow and left me with a ‘loose waisted’ base ball
(baggy around the middle)! So I had to ‘narrow’ the petals so that when
stretched and stitched, the ‘equatorial’ circumference was the same as
the ‘polar’ circumference. It would have been easier to take apart a
‘store bought’ ball and scan it, but because the hide would have already
been stretched, it probably wouldn’t have had the right dimensions,
either.
Anyway, I printed the 9 ½ inch template* on card stock and cut it out,
then used a hand held hole puncher to create holes to mark where the
stitches were to go on the leather. I use one of those that resemble a
set of pliers and has a variety of die holes so that I can pick the size
that makes openings in the leather that are big enough for the needle
and thread but not so big that they weaken it.
On the leather, I trace around the pattern with a fine point marking
pen and then mark the holes.
I then cut the leather ‘lemon peel’ out with a decent pair of scissors
and then use my hole puncher to carefully poke the 172 holes along the
edges of the petals. A trivial note: The original hides I bought had
thirty one stitching holes per petal (plus the crossover) and one of the
store bought balls I have has thirty, but I chose to figure out the
spacing for twenty one holes. I could claim that I picked that number
in symbolic tribute to the number of runs it took to win a game when ol’
Alex and the Knickerbockers first laid down their rules, but it’s
probably truer to say that I just wanted fewer stitches to deal with.
Even with twenty one, the spacing between them is still extremely close
and the balls hold together just fine.
“The ball must weigh not less than five and three-fourths, nor more than six
ounces avoirdupois.”
Once I found out that avoirdupois simply refers to the measuring
system we use (as opposed to the Metric system) I was good to go. I
find that my Weight Watchers digital scale works very well for figuring
and verifying the weights of the materials and the finished ball as it
displays measurements to the hundredths of an ounce.
The important thing is to get the right balance between the weight of
the hide, the stitching and the materials on the inside of the ball. But
before I address that, I have to admit that a few of my materials are not
quite as authentic as the originals, but they are close and get the job
done nicely. My ‘pill’ is a 3oz high density rubber ‘bouncy ball’. I
haven't found any reference by Chadwick regarding the size or weight
of the core of the 1860 ball, though early references indicate it was
made from strips of India rubber, so I suppose that a rubber band ball
in the middle would probably be even more authentic, but who’s gonna
know?
Chadwick did, however, say that the preferred yarn was wool, and that
was because it helped the ball keep its shape better when hit and
fielded. However, when I experimented with wool (or high percentage
woolen blends) and wrapped the yarn very tightly, I found the balls
exceeded the 6oz. weight limit (not to mention what it did to my
fingers!), even when using different size and weight rubber cores so I
tried using cotton yarn for the inside layers. The cotton does not
stretch and so it’s simply pulled snug. And because it doesn’t require
the same pulling pressure, it’s much easier on the hands.
However, also because it doesn’t stretch, it does leave small gaps
throughout (which is probably what keeps the weight down) and if used
alone, would give the finished ball a very uneven surface. And so I go
ahead and tightly wrap several layers of the wool yarn over the cotton
yarn ball to smooth it out. Some techniques call for adding a third layer
of crochet yarn, a very fine string like material for additional hardness
and smoothness, but I haven’t found that it is as necessary as I once
thought, especially if I pull the wool tightly.
_________________________________
Now, back to the beginning. To start wrapping the yarn around the
pill, I just hold the end with my thumb, and after I’ve made a couple
revolutions, it will hold itself. Because the rubber balls I use don’t have
a slick surface, my first few wraps don’t slip. However, when I first
started out and was using the shiny balls, I would wrap a couple rubber
bands around them for friction. It is very important when wrapping the
yarn to turn or twist the ball slightly with each wrap to avoid building
up too many layers in one ‘latitude’. After about a dozen revolutions,
the yarn should appear to be wrapped in every direction.
It’s also important to avoid too many crossovers at the same point to
avoid ‘peaks’. However, it’s also possible to have low or flat areas
formed by not having the yarn cross over them enough, and so crossing
over there a few extra times can help to build up and level those areas.
It is a good idea to pause after every few dozen wraps to hold the ball
away and look at it to be sure it’s still round. This will help keep the
ball from becoming a watermelon or a hockey puck! When I need to
pause or take a break, I use a piece of masking tape to hold down the
yarn where I left off. I also use the tape when I reach the end of the
process and cut the yarn.
Regarding the leather and stitching materials
There is a Tandy Leather company store in Fort Worth about twenty
miles from my house, so that makes my leather acquisition fairly easy.
I’ve found that most craft stores have leather that can be used for
purses and holsters but not the relatively thin and elastic hide needed
for a baseball. It’s also nice to be able to go somewhere that I can feel
and ‘play’ with it before buying it. I buy entire sides of leather but I can’
t really say exactly what the thickness is because they’re not labeled
that way, but when I find one that’s right, I know it. Not shopping for
the high end, fine fashion clothing quality leather keeps the price way
down, too, but I have to watch out for pieces that have a big difference
in thickness from one end to the other.
The color of the leather is not a big issue. Balls of the mid 1800s were
seen in a variety of hues, ranging from almost white to dark brown.
Some players actually preferred the darker ones because fly balls could
be better seen against the sky, while others liked the lighter balls ones
that stood out from the landscape or tree line. Because I buy off the
bulk rack, it is almost impossible to find an exact match for whatever
color I bought the last time so I just concern myself with the thickness
and pliability of whatever I find that’s close to the shade I want.
For the stitching, I prefer to use what is called fake sinew. This is
something used by historical reenactors and others for sewing primitive
leather goods like black powder shooting bags and rifle covers, but I
find that it’s a good choice for base ball stitching as well. It’s ‘waxed’,
which makes it easier to sew with and the natural looking sinew makes
the balls appear even more rustic. It is thicker than the more common
stitching material, but that also contributes to the primitive look of the
ball. However, almost any kind or color of leather stitching material will
work and can be obtained at a craft or leather goods store.
One thing I recently started was stamping my balls with the team
emblem. I use an archival ink designed for leather (among other things)
and apply the stamp in the center of the petal after I’ve traced it but
before I cut it out. It would be next to impossible to stamp a ball once it
is round. When creating a stamp, it must be remembered that the
texture or grain of the leather might make very small lettering and
details hard to print. Rubber stamps also provide another opportunity,
and that is to be able to use the leather scraps and leftovers for book
marks and other ‘souvenirs’.
Applying the cover
A trick I use to see if the yarn ball the right size is to push it through
a 3 inch hoop, or in my case, the cardboard ring from that roll of ¾ inch
painter’s masking tape I used to secure the yarn. When the ball just
barely fits through the ring, it’s time to wrap on a few layers of the wool
yarn.
Then I take the cover and tack two opposite petal ends together with a
temporary knot and force the yarn ball into the leather ‘tube’. It should
be tight but not so tight that I risk tearing out the crossover stitch
holes. I then pull the other two ends together (bringing all four points
together) and tie them. After that, I locate adjoining stitch holes in each
seam about half way up from the bottom and temporarily tack them
together with short pieces of the sinew. This pretty much stretches
the hide all the way around its equator. Then it’s time to start the final
stitching.
I start with a piece of the sinew about six feet long and I use a pair of
two inch long, round end tapestry needles. The brand of needles used
isn’t important, but I’ve found that some of them are more flimsy than
others and will bend when being pushed and pulled through the leather
so I try to remember which ones those were or keep the package of the
ones that work. But even the good ones will occasionally break at the
eye if too much pressure is put on them when the leather is stubborn
or whatever. Split happens!
Stitching a baseball is a lot like lacing shoes. I pick a seam and shove
the needle into one bottom hole and out of the other one and pull the
sinew through. I pull the ends even and then take one needle and run
it into the seam and out of the hole on the opposite side. I do the same
with the other end and then pull the stitching snug.
I repeat the process over and over, working my way up the side of the
ball, yet while doing so, I have to be sure that the previous stitches are
still tight and the seam is not spreading. I might use my thumb to hold
pressure on the lower stitches, but often have to pause and gently pull
the sinew to tighten the previous ones. When I reach the temporary tie
used to bring the seams together, I just cut it off and proceed with the
stitching. Ordinarily, when the needle emerges from a hole, it can be
gripped by the fingers and pulled, but sometimes it will encounter some
resistance. That’s when it might help to have a set of needle nose
pliers handy to grab and help pull the needle through.
There are different techniques used when reaching the crossover
point, but the way I do it when my stitching reaches the top is to cut
the temporary ties I used to bring the ends together and then, instead
of running the needle into the seam and out of the opposite hole, I go
over the top and down into the adjacent hole and come back through
and out of the hole I came from, and then do this with the other one.
This helps me to bring the points together tightly. I then go over the
top again, back down into the opposite hole, and then under the seam
and out of the next hole on the opposite side. Of course this gives me a
little thicker stitching at the crossing point, but if pulled tightly enough
or pressed down when done, it is not a problem.
I finish stitching down the other side of the ball, and when I come to
the end, I make sure the seam is completely closed and all the stitching
is tight and I then run the needle back up into the seam so that it
emerges from the seam about an inch or so back up. I pull the
stitching tight and push the needle back into the seam so that it
emerges once again farther up the seam. I can then cut it the sinew off
flush with the surface of the ball. The tightness of the cover is what
holds it fast and will not let it slip back and loosen.
I repeat nearly the whole process on the other seam, except for the
crossover. Instead of the double-back stitch I did the first time over, I
will either come out of the hole, go over the top and down into the
opposite one, then run the needle and sinew below the seam and up
out of the second hole or, if I feel that the stitching will be too thick at
the crossover, I’ll just run the needle below the crossing all the way to
the second hole and come out there. The only real difference is how it
might look if the stitch seems to run a little more parallel to the seam
just before it gets to the crossing.
A few final tips
Care must be taken to avoid pulling too hard and busting out the
holes in the leather, though the stuff is pretty resilient and it’s a little
harder to tear than one might imagine. One way to see how tough the
material is might be to punch some holes near the edge of a scrap or
unused piece of the leather and run some of the stitching through it
and give it a tug or two. When you find the breaking point, don’t pull
that hard on the base ball! One good technique I’ve learned to avoid
tearing out the hole is to pull in the direction of the seam and not
across it. This keeps pressure off the thinnest part of the leather.
Another tip I picked up is to avoid pulling away from the ball because
that stretches the leather the wrong direction. That’s especially true
when reaching the end of the seam. At that point, I press down on the
hide with my thumb as I pull the sinew to keep from making a pucker.
Some suggest applying glue (Elmer’s, etc.) between the yarn and the
hide, in part, to make the surface a little harder but I don’t do that
because as I am stitching up the last seam, I want to be able to pull the
leather tight from all around the ball rather than just the adjoining inch
or so, and if the glue sets up before I get to that last side, I won’t be
able to do that. Besides, if the yarn ball is just the right size, the skin
won’t be baggy. And if it’s too loose (or too tight), I can still undo some
of the stitches, pull the core out and add (or remove) some yarn and
then re-sew it. Fortunately, with practice, this is not something I have
to do too much anymore.
‘A glorious lack of sophistication’
Because they lack the quality control of commercially made balls, ones
made by hand might appear a bit on the crude side, but a better term
might be ‘rustic’. If a ball is a little out of round when finished it can
probably be fixed by whacking it on a hard surface. Of course, even if
the ball starts out perfectly symmetrical, it will not stay that way after
being hit a few times, and that applies to the $15 and $20 balls, too.
But that’s the nature of our game.
* Download and save the pattern for the 1860 base ball hide here. It
might help to print out a couple draft copies to be sure the pattern
measures exactly 9 ½ inches from point to point. The shaded
background should be just a little over 7 inches wide and tall. Then
print it on card stock.
