Needle Awl Saddle Stitch

Hi Guys,

Recently I spoke to some leather crafters that I know.

I asked about the topic of using the needle awl technique and how to get both side of the stitching straight, neat and nice. I was told that the way to do that is to punch your prongs all the way through the leather.

I've been practicing marking one side of the leather, gluing 2 pcs of leather together and applying the needle awl saddle stitching technique for 6-8 months. I still can't get one side of the stitching straight.

I want to achieve to the level of a hermes craftsman stitching. I understand that it takes a lot of practice but I wish to find out if I'm practicing the right way.