STP Frog by Elaine Cook
STP Frog by Elaine Cook
| Hook: | TMC 8089 size 4-8 |
| Thread: | Red, flat, waxed nylon |
| 2 mm closed-cell foam (available at Beverly's) white and olive |
|
| Legs: | medium speckled olive |
| Eyes: | Doll eyes also available at Berverly's |
| Glues: | Zap-A-Gap or Super Glue |
| Markers: | Red and black Sharpies |
1. Crimp barb.
2. Cut foam, (see pattern) adjust size to size of hook. Cut one olive and one white.
3. Color one side of olive head red; color one side of white head red.
4. Attach thread behind eye, wrap in touching wraps to above barb.
5. Position white foam with narrow rectangular end on near side of shank, visible red side of foam head to rear. Tie in place with close wraps up shank. Return thread to above barb.
6. Position olive foam with narrow rectangular end on far side of shank, red side of foam head facing away. Tie in place as above.
7. Twist foam with fingers so olive is on top and white on bottom.
8. Reposition hook in vise so it is upside down. Apply Zap-a-Gap to thread wraps along shank.
9. Cut two rubber legs, each about 3 inches long. Tie in center of both legs above hook tip with many X-wraps.
10. Advance thread forward to 3 hook eyes behind hook eye.
11. Cut one rubber leg 3 inches long. Tie in place as above.
12. Bring both pieces of foam forward pinching them together, wind thread around both halves at once, just ahead of front rubber legs and behind bulge in head, forming a thread neck. Use about 5 to 6 thread wraps, using only moderate tension to avoid cutting the foam. (Note: To prevent the body from twisting on the hook shank, run the thread through the near corner of the mouth, and make one wrap around the hook shank inside the mouth behind the hook eye, Make sure the head is centered on the hook and then take another turn of thread around the hook shank. To ensure that the head stays centered, pass the thread out the far corner of the mouth and wrap once around the back of the head. Pass the thread back through the far corner of the mouth and take two turns around the hook shank behind the eye).
13. Trim back legs so they are slightly longer than the length of the body. Front legs are slightly shorter.
14. Remove from vise, sparsely dab the inside of body with glue. Carefully mate the outside edges, hold together till glue sets.
15. Attach eyes with Zap-a-Gap.
16. Use black marker to make spots on top of body.