Sometimes it's learning how to backstitch!
Finally getting to some very overdue soft top repairs on the Miata, both replacing some trim sewing that's come undone around the rear window, and patching up a pretty bad tear at the zipper. For my process, I'm doing small "retaining" stitches at the edges of where the original thread came out (which you can already see in the first pic!), and then doing a long stitch between them (shown in the second!)
I was pretty intimidated about doing this for a while, but actually this has been a really pleasant (if time consuming) process! Really feel happy with the relatively clean stitch I was able to get, though I still could be a bit less messy in tying off the ends.
I still have the other side, and some more of the zipper to do, and I'm looking forward to doing it!