sew awl mind pain

After reading the car cover zipper thread, when
one of my tote bag's straps broke, I remembered
I have a sew awl ("Awl for All" by brand).
I think I have it threaded. Not sure about the
"needle groove" bit.
I cannot figure out how to do the stitching,
and this is very irksome.
Thanks to anyone who reads this.

I believe you poke the "needle" of the awl through the hole, and with your under hand, hole a loop of the thread forward of the next hole, the pull the awl out leaveing the thread loop behind, and poke the awl through the next hole and the loop of thread.
Hold the next loop of thread only over the following hole, withdraw the awl (which then pulls the previous loop tight), and insert it in the next hole.
This sounds like it might be easier if you hold the awl underneath and poke it UP through the holes. but actually you will have to work out whatever works best for you.
Hope this helps, Kitty

I haven't used mine in years but as I recall, you start by unwinding enough thread for the *underside* of the seam you need to sew, leaving it threaded through the needle eye. Punch the needle through the fabric where the seam is to begin and pull all this thread to the underside. Now pull the needle back out just barely, move to where the next stitch will be, punch the needle through, thread the end of your underside thread through the loop at the end of the needle, pull the needle out, tighten the threads so they interlock in the fabric.
Repeat this process along the seam. If you run out of underside thread just cut the needle thread, tie the ends and begin again where you left off.
Hope this is clearer than mud.
Jean M.

Jean D Mahavier did kindly advise:
right, I got that far.
this is where I get lost, maybe another needle?
Thanks to both of you. last time I got this bag repaired by Mr. Shoe Repair Man, I had to explain where to but the little reinforcing tabs on the end of the straps. ???
Doing this myself would save $ even if one got a new awl.
Little tabs diagram
| | | | | | --- end of strap
/ \ / \ \ / ---
tabs to stitch over strap ends, you have all seen these. proportions aren't quite right.

I never needed another needle but I was using a waxed linen thread that had enough stiffness to it; another needle threaded with the underside thread would work.
Jean M.

A partial success story. Did a few stitches on a practice scrap. It does do a lock type stitch. But I'm not speedy yet.

Jean is correct. After you thread the needle so that the thread coming from the spool on the awl fits in the groove in the needle you unwind enough thread on the bottom to finish the job. Then for the first stich, you poke the needlethrough the fabric, and pull the unwound thread through the hole. To make the first stich you poke the needle where you want it to be all the way through, then pull it out slightly. When you do that a loop of thread will appear on the side opposite the groove in the needle. You then thread the loose end through the loop and pull all the back side tread through it. Now pull the needle out, and you will have created a lock stich. Continue as needed.
I sew leather regularly and find I can usually do it faster and better with either a two needle or a single needle saddle stich. However if you must sew through multiple layers of shifting material the awl sticher is a good choice, as it only has to penetrate the material once, as opposed to saddle stiching which requires penetratin the material twice.
Scott