Sewing Collars & Leashes with a LK-1900BN Bartacking Machine

I think the biggest risk with this machine is rounding off the head of a screw (then needing special equipment to drill it out, clean the threads.). There are a few screws you'll probably need to remove at some point. I would ask the seller to loosen & re-tighten with some grease applied to the threads so they'll be easier for you:

• 5 screws holding the "work-clamp face plate" to the arch.

  These are notoriously difficult to loosen. When they snap free they spin so freely that you'll think you snapped the head off. (Their problem doesn't seem to be the threads seizing, but the anodized surface of the plate & screw binding somehow.). Putting the arch in the freezer overnight seems to help more than using heat. I spray some "Liquid Wrench" on the screws, use a heat gun, then put in the freezer (don't try to loosen while hot. It always works better when frozen. The heat might help the Liquid Wrench penetrate better.). After a deep freeze, if they don't break free, do it again (penetrating oil, heat, deep freeze). It's important to let it completely freeze. Give it hours. You can strike the screwdriver with a hammer. That can help when frozen (I don't think it helps when hot). It's a good idea to buy a few spare screws (#SS2110930SP, desc: SCREW 11/64-40 L=8.7).

• 2 very small setscrews holding the fingerguard to the arch.

  Unlike the above 5 screws, these seem to have thread-locking compound applied to their threads. Heat is all you need. But, the screws are tiny. You need a jeweler screwdriver for them. It's hard to get a good grip on such a small screwdriver. (And, if you turn too hard, the tiny screwdriver might snap.). I clamped long-nose clamping pliers onto the screwdriver. With my thumb pushing hard against the end of the screwdriver (into the setscrew), I rotate the screwdriver with the other (using the clamp for better leverage). Rock it back and forth a very little and it will work free. Trying to force it with such a small screw driver will break the screw driver. As I said, heat seems to help.

• 1 set screw holding the "ball retainer" to the top of the arch.

  This one's not as bad as the prior two. It's part #43 in the "feed mechanism components." Prior versions of the 1900 used balls. Now it's a "slider" (#42) that fits into this cup. You may need to adjust this part up/down. If it's too loose the front of the arch will flex up/down too much. If it's too tight, you'll get an E926 error when the machine initializes (the arch won't move freely enough).

• 2 screws on each side of the arch securing the "lever driving plates."

  These let you make the two sides of the clamp level in the UP position. But, you can adjust both sides a little higher/lower. These two screws are almost as difficult as the 5 faceplate screws. They break free easier when frozen (but pre-heat with liquid wrench before freezing might help too. I wouldn't waste my time trying to loosen while hot. They come loose easier when frozen.). Like the faceplate, I think it's the anodized finish of the screws & plate. The threads aren't seized, it's that surface beneath the screw head. (FWIW: you'll notice the same phenomenon with the screw securing the feedplate. The under-side of its head seems to bind against the washer. They're both anodized. Grease between the screw's head & washer helps. Eventually the anodized finish wears off enough that it's not a problem. That screw has an allen-head. Not much risk wrecking that. It's these slotted screws that are risky.)

• 4 screws holding the needle plate (the plate the work clamp comes down on)
• 6 screws holding the feed presser plate (the plate to the rear of the needle plate)

  These two groups of screws are awkwardly located. It's hard to get a screwdriver straight-vertical over them. If you round one off, it will be even harder to drill out (the head of the machine in the way). It would be a good idea if the seller made sure these won't be a problem for you. It could be a long time before you have to remove these two plates. But, if you wreck one of these, it would be a big problem. I'd ask the seller to make sure there's easy to remove so you don't have to worry about it. (In the meantime, find some quality stubby screwdrivers, or low-profile bit drivers. Be prepared.)

There is "hinge screw" which the wiper arm rotates on (the arm that pulls the thread out of the fabric after sewing). You shouldn't have to remove this (I wouldn't ask the seller to go to the trouble of loosening this one for you.). But, this is another one I had to freeze. (Like the 5 faceplate screws, I think it's the anodized surfaces that bind). To remove that part (to freeze it) you have to remove a tiny retaining ring. I wrecked my ring. It could be worth buying some spares in advance (part# RC0470611KP, desc: retaining ring 4.7).

Ask the seller if they recommend any screwdriver sets, "hollow-ground" bits? You want some good tools for this. You'll also need an allen wrench for the screw that holds the feed plate down (4mm), and another for the screw that holds the arch down (5mm). I feel like I get a tighter fit with a 5/32" allen wrench in the feed plate's 4mm screw head. Look for a set that has the rounded (ball) on one end. That's useful to hand tighten while you're positioning the arch and feed plate. (Use the non-ball end to crank it down tight after you've got the pattern centered within the opening.).

You'll need Juki #2 oil (thicker than #1 oil which is used with the DU-1181N I sew leash sleeves with).

You'll need spare bobbins (#138-12102. I believe they're "Style A, class 15." I don't know for sure. The large-capacity bobbin is #B180-621-0D00.). If you sew Tex 70 & 90, then you need another bobbin case (#B1828-980-0BB. Or, the large-capacity B1828-210-DAA case for the large-capacity hook.). You'll adjust the bobbin tension differently for different size thread. It's better to have dedicated cases so you don't have to change the adjustment back/forth. You can find these (often generic clones, cheaper) on eBay & Amazon. However, there is a bobbin-case I would avoid.

Lighting

You'll want more lighting than the machine's built-in light. You can buy gooseneck lamps that clamp onto the table, or you drill a hole & install permanently. There is a common design used with industrial machines (google industrial sewing machine lamps. You'll see lots of setups with these lights). They seem to be called SNU-21, or SNU-26 referring to the length of the gooseneck. But, the 21 has a larger hood (6-1/2" long, 4" inside diameter at the opening) and can use a larger A21-size bulb. (Being shorter length, it can hold more weight? The SNU-26 has a smaller hood - 5-3/4" long, 3-3/4" ID - and uses the smaller A19 bulb.). IMPORTANT: if you use the larger A21 bulb in the SNU-26's smaller hood, it will protrude & be glaring to your eyes.

I installed a SNU-21 lamp each side of the machine:

The SNU-21 barely reaches. The -26 might be a better choice not just for the length, but the hood is a little smaller (which fits the slightly smaller A19-shaped lightbulb). Sometimes the -21's hood feels a little in the way (the -26 may not). It's important to note that the machine may have to lay on its left side someday for service (warning: requires two people to safely tilt it over). That lamp should be installed so it doesn't interfere with that. I.e, my table is only 36" wide. If the machine head tilted over, it would extend to the edge of the table. I can' mount a lamp on that edge (except perhaps at the rear corner). For me, mounting the light directly behind the machine worked well. The light can bend straight up to allow the machine to lay on its side.

The machine comes with a built-in light which has a few brightness levels. By itself, it seems glaring to me. Putting some scotch tape over it might help (or tape some tissue paper over it).

One of the switches I changed was K021 & 23 (pressure switch positions 1 & 3). These are in Memory Switch 2 (3 beeps). These specify when the foot pedal causes the presser foot to drop, and when sewing starts. The default settings are 90 & 230. I found it hard to hold the pedal between those two positions. I set these to 45 & 245. That gives more range between the clamp coming down, and sewing starting. (It can go to 250, but that didn't work reliably. Often it felt like I couldn't push far enough to make it start sewing. So, I backed it down to 245. (It might be worth trying 248. Apparently there's some play in the pedal sensor that won't touch 250 all the time.). I definitely recommend this change. A lot happens all at once. It's overwhelming. Having more "wiggle room" with your foot definitely removes some stress. (Note: K022 isn't used. There is configuration of this machine that uses a "2-stage" pedal. It actuates something else between "clamp-down" and "sewing-start." You can ignore it.).

Also, I was stressed by the work clamp coming down. There's a lot going on (at once). K027 (3 beeps, mem sw 2) sets the work clamp lowering speed. I have it set to 1,500 now. But, I started around 800. It sounds bad the slower it goes. But, I preferred the slower speed in the early days.

Winding bobbins with this machine is harder than others. The official(?) way is to wind the thread over/under a few times, and that will create enough friction to start. That didn't work for me most of the time. Another problem: it seems to be sensitive to the thread tension when wound. Often, the machine doesn't catch the bobbin thread, or the thread has retracted into the bobbin case. It seems to be sensitive to being wound too tight (or loose). I haven't figured it out. I use a low thread tension, which requires the bobbin's tension to be low so the black/white thread is balanced (so the white doesn't pull through to the black). Maybe I'm at such a low bobbin-case tension that's causing my occasional problems.

For winding the bobbins, it works better to drill a 3/32 (0.0938) hole in one side of the bobbin, near the center hole:

Be sure to smooth any burrs. I used a small flat (or half-curved) steel file. The tip fit into the hole (at an angle from inside the two walls of the bobbin), and I dragged the sharp edge of the file around the edge of the hole, knocking down the sharp edge. The tip of an x-acto blade might work. You want the edge of the hole to not snag the thread interfering with the thread pulling off while sewing. But, you don't want to roughen the inner surface of the bobbin trying to do this. The inner surface should remain as smooth as it is, and you're just taking any snag-potential off the edge of the drilled hole. It's a little hard to do. You need something with hard, square edge you can get into the hole from inside the bobbin, and drag that sharp square edge around the hole's edge to knock down the burrs.

To wind a bobbin: pull the thread through the hole, wind the thread around the bobbin a few times (the winding post rotates counter-clockwise. You'll wrap the initial few winds clockwise looking down on it). While holding the end of the thread (coming out the drilled hole) toward you, push the bobbin down so it comes down over the thread, locking the thread against the surface beneath the bobbin. You must snip the excess thread as close as possible to the edge of the bobbin (or it will interfere with winding). However, the bobbin (clamped down on top of the thread) doesn't grip the thread very tightly. You have to snip the excess gently so it remains clamped under the bobbin. After winding, you'll need to snip the rest of the excess coming out of the hole.

Standalone bobbin winder

There is a standalone bobbin-winder which works with these bobbins (style A, class 15?):

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That photo comes from Amazon (ASIN: B07RJL9XHY seller CKPSMS). You'll find many sellers of this winder. I chose this seller because their photos were more informative (instructional. The english is hard to understand. But, that was more than other sellers do.).

It works. It could be worth having on hand. Lots of caveats:

1. Most of the spools I use won't fit its stand. You need a standalone thread stand. I have one with a cast-iron base (Amazon ASIN: B01ELYA1HC). That same stand is also sold with a plastic base. The cast-iron base is worth getting. I cut a piece of felt to fit the bottom, and glued it on.
2. Insert the thread into the guide hole, then go 3/4 turn around the tension disk, then straight to the bobbin. (You might be tempted to go all the way around to the guide, and exit that hole the same way you use the LK1900's tension disk, but the guide isn't positioned properly for that.).
3. The shutoff sensor is light-based. If you have too much light shining on this, it won't shutoff. You can improve that condition by taping some cardboard around the sides/end. Add a horizontal piece to the top of that shade.
4. The tension disk isn't great in a few ways:
   • It's too close to the bobbin. You'll center the vertical height of the tension disk so the thread winds evenly up/down the bobbin. But, being so close it won't let the thread travel that far up/down. You'll end up with a bulge in the center of the bobbin. You can sew with it. But, you're not using the entire bobbin's capacity.
   • The silver knob adjusts the height of the tension disks, but it also limits how high the beige knob (tension adjustment) can go. This is more of a problem the lower the tension disks need to be.from The lower the tension disks are (for a narrower bobbin). Even with the taller LK1900 bobbins, I feel like the tension is a little too much. (This could also contribute to the thread not travelling up/down the bobbin).
   • The guide hole isn't positioned to let you go in and out of it the way they usually work.

If I were going to use this winder a lot, I would:

• Mount the box to a plank of wood (not the small steel plate it comes with).
• Make another box (stack of wood, something the same height as the winding box) to mount the tension disks. Mount that to the plank of wood so the tension disks are twice as far away. Orient the guide hole so you can go in & out of it using an external thread stand.
• Replace the tension disk with the one used on the LK1900 (#141-13468). It's not very expensive, but much better quality. (Or, I would replace the silver center knob with some threaded rod so the beige knob can adjust higher, allow the tension to be reduced more. I would take the silver knob to Ace Hardware and find something with the same therad, but longer.).
• Add some shade around the sensor end.

I think it would be a good winder with those changes.

The instruction manual (pgs 15 & 16) shows how to install the bobbin. But, two things worth emphasizing:

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1) The thread should go through the hole in case's arm. I didn't do that for 2 months. It seemed to work ok. (I somehow got the idea the needle went though that hole.). But, it's supposed to hold the thread for the needle and shuttle hook to bring together. I'm surprised how well it worked. I probably missed the first couple stitches and didn't notice it. 2) The tension plate (on the outside of the bobbin case) has two guides which the thread should stay between. If it's not between those guides, the thread tension will be inconsistent. (This was more of a problem with a bobbin case I bought on eBay, below. The tension plate is different, maybe an older design.).

Bobbin case to avoid?

I bought a case on e-Bay that looks like this:

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Notice how one of the guides (which the thread's supposed to stay between) hangs off the side of the case. The thread easily pulls past that guide, and will feed from behind it - coming off the side of the tension plate. It wasn't a big problem. But, it's hard to get the thread tension balanced. You can find the other style (shown above. Both "guides" go down into the square hole the thread comes out of). This may be an older design.

This one might work better with tex-90 (thicker) thread. Maybe that wouldn't slip past the guide as easily. My experience could also be due to me adjusting the bobbin thread tension to be pretty light. That means the tension plate is sprung higher, and the guide doesn't hang down the side of the case as far. Maybe that side of the tension plate could be removed & bent down a little to make that guide fit better. (FYI: I use light tension because whenever I made a mistake - like forgetting to install the d-ring before sewing the buckle-end - it was a lot of work to fix if the stiching was tighter. Having light thread-tension makes it easier to use a thread-ripping tool to "unsew" the mistake. I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning. This saved me a lot of time.).

The machine comes with a 27 x 5mm work clamp (27.4 x 5.2mm feed plate). You can use this for all the collar bartacks from 3/8"- to 1"-wide. (For the 1-1/2"-wide collars, sew two 3/4"-long bartacks end to end). This is the fastest way to get started. But, you'll need to add some cut length to the smaller collars (increase the overlap distances to accomodate a larger clamp). You'll end up with less adjustable range. But, not much less. (This could be the way to start.).

I bought a 40mm-wide clamp for the 1-1/2"-wide collar (one long bartack). And, a 20mm-wide for the 3/4 (and smaller) collars. My goal was to reduce the webbing's overlap (have more adjustable range). Previously, I made these collars with a Singer 201-2 which has a narrow foot. I was able to put the stitches closer to triglide, buckle, ring. The 20mm clamp (modified as you'll see) got closer to what I had been doing (than if I used the 27mm). There's no reason to start this way. I use the following with collars:[2]

For leashes you need box clamps. (The 3/8"-wide leashes are the exception. That webbing is the same as used for collars. Bar tacks are fine.). The webbing used with wider leashes is thin. If you tried to use a bartack, I think it should have a wider zig-zag (y-direction) than used for collars. The idea would be to cover more material. But, that could require you to enlarge the clamp & plate's opening (for a really wide zig-zag). If had to do that, you might as well buy box-clamps.

The machine comes with a 74x59mm fingerguard (#135-48300). There's a smaller 64x56.5mm fingerguard (#135-33104. I found mine on eBay.) which fits the smaller (20mm) bartack clamp. Initially, I felt fingerguards were in the way. I removed them. After 2-3 months I installed them (they didn't feel obstructing anymore). The work clamp is a guard to some extent (while in the up position). You have to be more careful if you go without the fingerguard.

For leashes (box clamps), I haven't tried the fingerguards yet. I believe those rectangular guards will work with the square clamps. Positioning the leash (seen below) doesn't involve getting your fingers as close to the needle as the collars. I started making leashes long after making collars. So, I've been more comfortable not using a guard with the box clamps.

If you change the clamps (one arch), see the before buying section above for more info about breaking the fingerguard's two small setscrews free. Once that's done, it's trivial to change the guard with the clamp.

• The melted ends require a higher thread tension. The higher number is for that. The lower number is for all the other bartacks. (The melted end at the tri-glide would benefit from the higher tension too, but I don't do it. If the white thread pulls through, it won't be visible because it's beneath the collar. If you were selling these, you might increase the tension on that end too so it would look better.).
• These numbers represent balanced bobbin & needle tension. If your bobbin tension is higher, then your needle tension will be too. Be aware: if you balance with higher thread tension (because the bobbin tension is higher), it will be harder to rip the stitching (with a thread-ripping tool). When I started, I made a lot of mistakes (forgetting the d-ring). A looser thread tension is easier to rip. I set my bobbin tension lower, which resulted in the needle-tensions being lower too. Don't try to have my exact numbers, but be aware of how that balancing works, and that you can lower your numbers by reducing bobbin-thread tension.
• I took me a long time to realize each webbing required a different tension to balance the thread (so the white wouldn't pull through). I thought it would all be the same. I spent a lot of time chasing thread tension until I realized I was going in circles, and they each had their own best tension. Whatever numbers you end up at, you'll probably see the same kind of difference between the different webbing.
• For any of the buckle-end tacks, if I run out of bobbin thread, then I'll increase the tension 5-10 when I sew over that partial with a new one. Sewing over a tack can cause the white thread to pull through to the visible side. More tension in that case helps. (You may still have to ink it out with a Sharpie. But, it should be less than not changing the tension.). I single out the buckle-end because the white thread pulling through is visible. You definitely don't want it. The same effect happens with the tri-glide end (if I run out of bobbin thread). But, you can't see that. It's under the collar. If you were selling them, then maybe you'd care. But, donations... I don't think about it.

This uses the clamp & plate the machine came with. The photos are in the order of operations: 1) Tack the tail of the triglide end. 2) Tack next to the triglide (you can see the tail tack. Remember: I clamp onto the triglide itself. This is not a good way to start, may not even be worth doing at all. You can add 1/4" to the cut length of webbing, and use that here to clamp down onto the webbing for both tacks). 3) At the other end, tack closest to the buckle, then 4) the tail, 5) tail-side of the D-ring, 6) the other side of the D-ring (closest to the buckle tack):

Notice how I ground off some of the front of the 20 x 4.8mm clamp I found on eBay. I used a dremel with a cutting wheel to go back/forth against that surface taking that material down to what you see. I did this for the 5/8" & 3/8" collars, so I could get the stitching into a smaller space. But, I found that this clamp works better for photo #2 (clamping down onto the tri-glide). The unaltered 20mm clam didn't work as well.

I've said numerous times that clamping down onto the triglide isn't a good idea. I had the most trouble with this collar. For this collar, it's definitely easier to add 1/4" to the cut length, sew both tacks clamped onto the webbing. This one requires me to pin the webbing hard against the feed-plate's screw using my thumb. That locks it to the plate as it moves. This webbing is harder/stiffer than the others. That might have something to do with this method working.

Clamping under the triglide

FWIW: You can adjust the "lever driving plate" on each side of the arch:

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This will let the clamp's "UP" position be lower. (You can dremel out the slots in those plates so the clamp can go even lower.). If you get it low enough, you could put the triglide over the clamp. But, I don't like this idea because the triglide could freely move into the needle. You'd need a feed plate that extends further to the front, and some kind of "catch" to snag the edge of the triglide to hold it back. (If you're inclined to make things like this, you can make a lot of money selling custom clamps/plates. If someone made this for you, they'd charge $1-2k.).

I only mention this to show how there are more possibilities depending on how far you want to go. (FYI: There's also a shaft adjustment under the machine's top cover to adjust the clamp's UP height. See the engineer manual (pgs 26-27).

The -Short collar has just one bartack at the tri-glide. I sew it by clamping onto the tri-glide (skip the 1st photo.) However, I suggest you add 1/8" to the -Short's overlap, clamp onto the webbing. (You can do it without adding 1/8", but the tack can be too close to the melted end for just one tack. It's a little more secure if the stitch has a little more webbing behind it.).

If you ever try clamping onto the tri-glide, this collar (the -Long) is the easiest. (The 3/4" is the hardest, 1-1/2" is slightly less challening. 1" isn't bad. This one's the easiest.). But, while starting I suggest adding 1/4" to the -Long's cut length (and put that length into the tri-glide overlap). Sew the -Long by clamping both bartacks onto the webbing, After that, you'll probably think it's not worth the hassle to squeeze that 1/4" out the way I do. (Once again: I don't think it's ever worth clamping the -Short's triglide. I shouldn't be doing it.).

Note: My choice to start using 2 tacks at the tri-glide with the 5/8"-Long was completely arbitrary. I've mentioned elsewhere that two tacks is probably overkill even for the 1-1/2" collars. Almost no force reaches those stitches. (Think of how the webbing loops through the tri-glide. That's like a pulley. There's much less force reaching those stitches than at the D-ring stitches.). I like the security (redundancy) of two tacks. I can't see myself doing just one tack with the 1-1/2" tri-glide. Even though I'm sure it's strong enough, I'd feel better with two there. Then it turns into "where is it obviously over-kill?" I chose 5/8"-Long. You could easily decide that it (and 3/4"-Short) are overkill with two tacks.

Both the -Long & -Short collars use just one bartack at the tri-glide (like the 5/8"-Short above):

I increase the zig-zag height a little for this stich. In the table of pattern info, I said I use 80% y scaling. But, for the single-tack triglide, I enlarge that to 100%. You don't have to do this. I think there's space for a little more "grab" across the webbing. You can play with it yourself. (Be sure the needle won't stike the feed plate when enlarging the pattern.). The added vibration (of more zig-zag distance) may make it harder to clamp onto the tri-glide the way I do.

As I said about the 5/8-Short, I suggest adding 1/8" to the tri-glide overlap; clamp down on the webbing instead of the tri-glide. (You can almost do it without adding that length, but the stitches tend to be too close to the melted end. There should be 1/8" to 3/16" of webbing past the stitches.).

If you try clamping down on the tri-glides, I would start with the 5/8" long which has two tacks. As I said there, one tack on top of the tri-glide is harder than tacking the tail first. If you try clamping on the tri-gide of a one-tack collar, I'd do these 3/8"-Short & -Long first. These feel a little easier than the 5/8"-Short's single tack.

Long

The -Long collar has two bartacks each side of the ring like the above collars:

Short

The -Short collar uses just one bartack each side of the ring (at the buckle first, then the tail):

Notice I use a smaller clip to hold the tail (when sewing the first tack at the buckle). It's a very tight fit to get the ordinary plastic sewing clip into that space behind the work clamp. These clips are called "Mini Alligator Clips" (I bought Amazon ASIN: B0F2T9YJH6.). The ones I bought have a silicon piece inside the metal clamp. Some of the other sellers seemed to show a photo of a clamp without that insert. I think the silicon surface would grip better. (These might work better than the more common plastic clips. The plastic clips stress from repeated use, and break after using one 50-100 times. They're cheap; it doesn't matter.).

Like the one-tack tri-glide both the Long- & Short- collars have: I increase the zig-zag of this single-tack too. It's not necessary. But, there's a little more space with one tack (each side of the ring). Try 90% instead of the 80% I said I use in the table of pattern data above. That's a little more grab across the webbing.

The machine doesn't come with box-x patterns. This zip file contains the patterns I use. You can put them on a USB and copy them into the control panel (the numbers 150-153 are the pattern numbers where mine are stored). The instruction manual (pgs 42 & 43) talks about how to do this. (The seller of your machine should be able to do this for you.).

For the snap end: I use a "T-pin" (1-1/2" long). The above shows the "regular" leash with charcoal thread. (I also make a "heavy" version with amber/ochre thread to denote a heavier snap.).

Notice how I ground off some of the clamp's right-side to make it narrower (I used a Sharpie to mark the edge so I could see how much I'd ground off. You can still see that mark.). That lets me sew a little closer to the clamp. I did this with the smaller box clamps below.

Lining up

It's challenging to get this lined up. You have to pay attention to three things. I clamp-down once (and release) to flatten the webbing. 1) Position left/right using a mark from a Sharpie pen as a reference:

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I hold my head to the left side, and 2) align the webbing to top-edge of the feed-plate's cut-out. Also, 3) make sure the two layers of webbing are staked squarely on each other:

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This takes some time to get fast (and accurate). Some of this depends on how you centered the pattern in the plate & clamp. How you line up to these reference points (the dot, the top edge of the cutout) will change each time you change to a new setup (and back again). You can use the pattern-settings' X & Y adjustment to dial it so you visually align like you did last time (use some scrap webbing). Or, notice how it's lining up & make a visual adjustment to your reference points. (I think commercial leash-makers use custom clamps & plates made for the webbing to align & "seat" into place.).

I sew the 3/8" leash like I do the 3/8" collar (with bartacks). The same webbing is used for both. And, I think it would be hard to sew a box-x this small. I start with the handle end, tacking the tail first, then the handle opening. I try to space the tacks 1/2" apart:

The snap end is similar, but I sew the tack closest to the snap first (with the webbing tail clipped in place. Then I sew the tail:

That small clip barely fits behind the clamp. I provided more info about that clip in the 3/8" collar section above.

The photos show the "Light" version (using blue tex-70 thread & lighter-weight bolt-snap). I make a "Regular" version using "shark gray" thread (to denote a heavier-duty bolt-snap.).