Beading Daily Shop | Help / Customer Service

Make a Cool Leather Clasp!

Mar 7, 2012 by DanielleF@9

I think I've mentioned what a big fan I am of the Sundance Catalog. It's a great source for design inspiration. 

For instance, lately I've noticed that the catalog has featured a lot of designs with leather cord or lace formed into a clasp.

I tried the technique myself recently. I used some silk beading cord to stringing up some pale blue handmade pottery beads I got from Royalwood Ltd. and some beige keishi pearls.

The necklace was so light I didn't want to weigh it down with a heavy all-metal clasp. So, I used a cute sterling silver bird button by Springall Adventures as one half of the clasp and some leather formed into a loop for the other half of the clasp, a la Sundance.  

1 2
3 4
 

To form the loop use a 5" or longer piece of 1.5mm leather cord to perform the following steps:

1.  Form an "S" shape near the middle of the leather.

2. Bring one end of the leather around the folds, forming a figure eight.

3. Wrap the same end of the leather twice around the other end, then pass the end of the leather through the wraps just made, forming a knot.

4. Adjust as necessary to create a loop your desired size, then secure the knot with jewelry cement and trim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy playing with this technique. I've already used it in another necklace, too. Viva la leather!

   

Filed under: , , ,
Related Posts
+ Add a comment

Comments

 
kwjenkins wrote
on Mar 10, 2012 2:07 PM

Thanks for the tip! Do you mind if I ask which end of the necklace you start with? do you make the leather loop of clasp and then string the bead thread through it and start adding beads, leaving the button attachment to the end of the process, or the other way around. I will experiment, but would love your input. Cheers!

JaneL@51 wrote
on Mar 11, 2012 5:33 PM

you mentioned you strung the necklace on silk beading cord so how did you attach the leather loop to it?

3xBlessed02 wrote
on Mar 12, 2012 6:33 PM

I LOVE the Sundance catalog too!  Great creative inspiration found there.

3xBlessed02 wrote
on Mar 12, 2012 6:34 PM

I LOVE the Sundance catalog too!  Great creative inspiration found there.

DanielleF@9 wrote
on Mar 13, 2012 4:54 PM

I honestly forget which end I started with! I think I started with the button end. You can't see it, but I used the silk cord to strung a few seed beads, then the shank of the button. I figured the seed beads would protect the cord from rubbing on the metal shank and possibly fraying. Then I tied a few overhand knots and secured with jewelry cement. I strung the rest of the beads then the smaller loop of the leather clasp. I then tied a few overhand knots beneath the leather, secured with jewelry cement, and trimmed.

martinshaw wrote
on May 16, 2013 11:18 AM

I love this look and would desperately like to be able to use this technique. I have tried countless times to follow these directions, but just end up with a jumble that doesn't work. I feel like an idiot, but you lost me at step three and I can't tell what you are doing in the third picture. Help, please. Maybe a video?

Advertise | Subscribe | Community Guidelines

Copyright (C) 2013 Interweave Press, LLC
Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms and Privacy Policy, updated March 2007
Interweave network sites:
Artist Daily Beading Daily Cloth Paper Scissors Crochet Me
Interweave Store Jewelry Making Daily Knitting Daily Quilting Daily
Sew Daily Spinning Daily Weaving Today