Clasps, Closures and Fasteners
You might remember my post a few weeks ago about sorting and using felt scraps, and the notebook cover I made with offcuts. Well, as much as I liked the button closure, I wanted something a little more secure. I had a hunt through my craft drawers and found a bag clip I’d salvaged from something I threw away (I recently discovered these are called Delrin Clips) and using some more felt offcuts, attached this instead of the button.
One of my WIPs at the moment is a small shoulder bag, just big enough for a camera and purse. The closure I’ve used on this is a metal magnetic bag clasp. They’re quite easy to use: each half comes in two parts, you need to make a small cut in the fabric, push the metal ‘prongs’ through, then add the little washer and fold the prongs in. I haven’t decided yet whether to cover the top with more felt or maybe a large fimo button.
This got me thinking about all the different kinds of claps, closures and fasteners I have. I have the usual buttons, zips, poppers/snap fasteners, hooks and eyes etc, but I also like to salvage and collect any I find cheap. Not so long ago, I saw cheap packs of dog and cat collars and leads in Poundland (like a dollar store) and couldn’t resist buying a pack, which gave me a few Delrin clips and Trigger Hooks.
These Delrin clips were either bought or salvaged from old bags. The small ones are slightly different, they take a cord type of attachment rather than a flat webbing or ribbon type of fixture.
Most of the Delrin clips I have do take a flatter attachment though, so I just had to buy some nice braid for attaching them 🙂
I’ve managed to add to my collection of fasteners while I’ve been doing a lot of clearing out and tidying up lately. I salvaged quite a few lobster style trigger hooks, D-rings, split rings and key rings from old or broken or unwanted items.
Do you have any interesting clasps, closures or attachments? Do you have any tips for salvaging or buying them cheaply? We’d love to hear your ideas 🙂
17 thoughts on “Clasps, Closures and Fasteners”
Oh, this is such a big subject. I have used most of these, but the choice is usually driven by what type of fabric I am using. I find it hard to decide. I have been using the decorative frogg types on my vests, but they are hard to find now. I have been buying the ready made purse straps with the lobster claw clip lately for purses.. Every project is different.
I don’t think I know what the decorative frogg types are, Judy?
Thanks for your interesting suggestions; one of the closures I like is a felt loop with a felt toggle button.
Thanks, Margo 🙂
I made a fimo toggle but haven’t used it yet, I like the idea of felt ones.
I’m all for recycling too and keep meaning to make some Fimo closures. Let me know how that goes.
I use magnetic ones on little change purses and sometimes on bags. Can get them cheaply on EBay, though I find those with a dull bronze type finish are stronger than the shiny ones, which bend too easily with regular use. I usually use a piece of matching felt to make a cover for the exposed prongs and either needle felt it into place or machine stitch around it and sometimes continue across the rest of the fabric with free motion stitching.
I’ve also made felted “toggles” similar to those on a duffel coat.
I’ll have to look on ebay, I haven’t seen the dull bronze ones, I like the sound of those 🙂
I’ve used lots of fimo buttons, just not the toggle yet. I probably should have attached the clasp to the lining I used, but was wary because they magnets are so strong 🙂
I don’t think I have anything different. I do cut the interesting buttons off things before they go in the rag bag. i like Velcro on things I have bought but never seem to get them on well if I put them on myself. they seem to pull or rip off no matter the stitch or glue used.
I never have luck with velcro either, it likes to stick to the other half but rip off whatever it was attached to.
I am looking for a magnet closeure for a purse that can be felted over and works well. Does anyone have something like this and has used it? If so, where did you get it. Thanks. Button girl
I suppose you could use the magnet ones I did, if you attach them to prefelt first? I’d be really careful that they were really good ones though, you wouldn’t want them rusting.
Zed – here’s a blog post about frog closures. http://blog.nonipatterns.com/2012/03/
I have used one before and liked it. But mainly I use buttons or something very basic. I never knew what those Delrin clips were called. Thanks!
Thanks, Ruth 🙂
I have seen those, I didn’t know they were fasteners, I thought they were decoration.
I didn’t know Trigger Hooks until recently, either 🙂
I didn’t know they were called Delrin clips either but I think it’s the best idea for fastening a felt journal cover that I’ve ever seen and I wouldn’t have thought of sourcing them via the Poundland pet department. Nice one Zed.
I’ve used an eyelet punch and coloured eyelets to fasten felt together with ribbon to make vase wraps (think corset).
Fastenings of any sort can be expensive to buy new, so salvage is a great way to build a stash of them without spending a fortune.
This post shows that a little ‘thinking outside the box’ is necessary when rummaging through a boot sale, charity shop or pound shop.
I don’t always want to use felted handles for a bag, and to buy unusual handles is difficult. I went to a local boot sale and bought a handbag for 50p (80cents). The handbag was awful but it had the most unusual wooden handles. A quick snip, snip and I had a pair of beautiful handles for just a few pence.
Thanks, Lyn 🙂
I love the eyelet idea! I’ve used little ones on felt for keyrings, I have some large ones, but need the kit for them.
I love the idea of buying handbags for handles, they are expensive usually. I’ll keep an eye out for those now aswell 🙂
I bought some nice woven cord for using on camera bags/lightweight bags, but I always save the cord from bags too (I thought I was clearing out, seems I’ve started a new collection!)
Thanks for that Zed, i havent really thought about closures much as i havent really made much that needs them but now you’ve made this interesting i’ll be on the look out for different things now 🙂
I am making a 3-4 mm cord for a necklace. I need to figure out a closure. Any ideas?