How to Make a Frog Clasp

Garment closures called frogs are fashioned from intricately tied cord.

Frog closures make beautiful adornments to a garment. They are so named for their shape, which loosely resembles their amphibious namesakes. The Chinese contributed frog closures to the fashion world centuries ago. Frog closures serve the same function as buttons and buttonholes, and consist of two complementary parts. A knot is sewn onto one side of a garment and a loop onto the opposite side, which fits over the knot to close the garment. The closures are usually fashioned from intricately tied cord, making them as beautiful as they are functional.

Things You'll Need

• Black cord
• Thread
• Needle
• Pins
• Pencil
• Paper
• Pin cushion

Instructions

Loop Side

1. Create the template. Draw two 2-inch circles with their sides touching. Draw a horizontal line through the center of both circles. Draw a vertical line through the intersection where the circles meet. Draw a circle above the intersection and one below. All four circles should touch at the intersection and overlap to form a cloverleaf pattern.

2. Lay the template on a pincushion or cork board. Insert a pin at the intersection and at each outside edge where the circles meet the lines. The pins will be your weaving loom.

3. Let two inches of cord extend below the bottom circle, and pin it in place. Wrap the cord over the center pin, around the right pin, back to the center pin, up and around the upper pin, back to center, around the left pin, then back to center. Tuck the cord under the bottom of the right loop.

4. Bring the cord over the bottom of the left loop, then under the crossing middle loop. Weave the cord over and under the cross loops, then back under the bottom of the right loop to form a knot.

5. Bring the end over and under the bottom of the knot and back up toward the top loop.

6. Unpin the tail, and tuck it under the knot to make the bottom loop, or buttonhole. Remove the pins, turn the frog over, and pin the tail to the long end of the cord.

7. Cut the tail and long end the same length. Stitch them together with needle and thread.

8. Secure the ends to the knot; sew the bottom loop together near the knot to make a button loop.

Knot Side

1. Hold the end of the cord with your thumb, and loop the cord over your index finger and under your middle finger two times.

2. Wrap the cord around the vertical loops twice, then through the vertical loops above the horizontal loops. Bring the cord over the horizontal loops, back down and between the vertical loops, then around the horizontal loops and through the vertical loops.

3. Slide the cord off your fingers. Gently pull the cords, one at a time, to tighten the knot.

4. Pin the knot to the template, and repeat the steps for creating the loop side, but with the knot as the tail.

References

• Pattern Review.Com: Make Your Own Frog Closures
• Bridges on the Body: Frog Closure How To
• Perfect Patterns: Making Decorative Frogs