Frog closures can be used on any type of garment in place of a traditional button and buttonhole closure. You can make your own frog closures using yarn, cording, or other stringy materials; you can also create your own buttons or use pre-made round ones you find at a craft or sewing store. Frog closures give an Asian feel to any garment, and add a finished flair to your knitted, crocheted, or sewn clothing.
Things You'll Need:
- Needle And Thread
- Straight Pins
- Cording Or Yarn
- Round Buttons (Optional)
Gather your supplies. You will need cording to make the frog closures; you can purchase cording at a craft store, or use your own. If you crochet, you can make a cord by making a length of chain stitches and then slip stitching in each chain. You will need a length of cord that is approximately eight to ten inches long for a basic frog closure; you can make yours smaller or larger depending on the garment you'll use it with. For the button side of the closure, you can make your own out of yarn or cording, or purchase buttons at a craft store. Your buttons should be approximately the size of a penny, with a rounded or dome-shaped top.
Set up your work station. Use this tip from crochet designer and author Robyn Chachula to make your frog closures more easily. In the Fall 2009 issue of "Interweave Crochet" magazine, Chachula's Szechuan Sweater pattern calls for frog closures using the following method. Pin four straight pins in a cross shaped configuration. Pin two pins 1.5 inches vertically apart from each other, and the other two should be 2.25 inches apart horizontally. You will wrap your yarn or cording around these pins to make your closure.
Make the buttonhole side closure. Pin one end of your cording in the center of your cross with a fifth pin. Wind your cord around the left pin to make a loop, then around the top pin, right pin, and bottom pin. Secure in the center with a sixth pin. Carefully remove your piece and secure it in the center by sewing it with a few stitches.
Crochet a small circle to make your button if you're using yarn and crochet. The button will take the place of the left-side loop when you make your second frog closure. If you choose to use a store-bought button, simply sew the button onto your cording at an end and then continue your frog closure as folows.
Place your button in the spot where the left pin is located (pin down the button itself or the cord attached to the button). Then wind your cord or yarn up around the top, right, and bottom pins, securing in the center and sewing as with the first frog closure.
Repeat as often as necessary. Make as many pairs of closures as you need for your garment.
Tip
You can use frog closures to close bags, pouches, cardigans, or bracelets.
