Make a Cool Leather Clasp!

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.  

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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!