Photo Tutorial Captive Interlinked Necklace

Author's Note
Our projects were very popular during the lifetime of our business and we wanted to ensure they continued to provide inspiration for chain maillers whatever their experience. It's a pleasure to see they will live on with Chainmaillers.com
-Sarah Austin

Captive Interlinked Necklace​

Materials​

For a long 70cm necklace, you will need (each necklace repeat measures 2cm):

• 280 small gold anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 5mm, WD 1.2mm - A
• 140 small red anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 5mm, WD 1.2mm - B
• 35 medium gold anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 5.9mm, WD 1.2mm - C
• 35 large black anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 10.2mm, WD 1.6mm - D
• 35 gold anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 6.7mm, WD 1.2mm - E
• 17 x 6mm berry red Czech glass pearls

Tools:

• two pairs of smooth jawed chain nose, flat nose, or bent nose pliers

Instructions​

1. Link two closed rings E and two small closed gold rings A with two rings E. Lay out the rings as shown with the two small gold rings A on the left hand side.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Open the two pairs of rings E between your thumb and forefinger and insert one bead.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Trap the bead by joining the last pair of rings E with one small gold ring A.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Weave a second small gold ring A following the same pathway.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Link one large black ring D through the first pair of rings A. Encircle the caged bead, threading the ring D between the two rings A that have trapped the bead. The right-hand picture shows the captured bead from the side.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Close six small gold rings A and link with one medium gold ring C.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Using two small gold rings A, link the medium gold ring C from step 6 to the captive bead component where the pair of small gold rings are linked to the rings that form a V.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Weave one large black ring E through the two small gold linking rings A from the step 7 and the six small gold rings A from step 6.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Link one small red ring B through four of the small gold rings A - the pair of rings joining the component and one ring on either side of this pair. Make sure that the red ring is positioned towards the centre of the component (left-hand picture).
   
   Weave one small red ring B through the opposite four small gold rings A and under the red ring B already added. Close the red ring B (centre picture).
   
   Turn over the component and repeat on the other side (right-hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
10. Using two small gold rings A, weave through the central pair of small gold rings A of the end group of four rings (left-hand picture).
    
    Link two small gold rings A to the small gold rings A just added (centre picture).
    
    Close two gold rings E and, using two gold rings E, link to the last small gold rings A added.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Using two small gold rings A, capture the bead as in step 4.
    
    Link one large black ring D through the first pair of rings A. Encircle the caged bead, threading the ring D between the two rings A that have trapped the bead, as in step 5.
    
    
    
    
    
12. Repeat steps 6-12 until your necklace is the desired length, ending with a non-bead component.
    
    
    
    
    
13. The rings used to join the end components to make a continuous chain are shown in blue for clarity. Using two small gold rings A, weave through the central pair of small gold rings A of the non-bead component and link to the end pair of gold rings A of the captive pearl component.
    
    

Variations​

• Use contrasting coloured pearls and rings such as purple pearls and large ice blue rings E with purple small rings B.
• Make a chain just using the interlinked component. For instructions, click here.
• Use shades of one colour for the pearls, small rings A and large rings D.

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©2021 Sarah Austin. All rights reserved.