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
If you found this tutorial helpful: Please let other users know, leave a rating.
©2021 Sarah Austin. All rights reserved.
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
Filigree Chain Bracelet
Create a filigree lace effect using a Japanese chain maille weave to surround a bead.
Materials
For a 19.5cm bracelet, you will need:- 6 montana blue 8mm Czech glass pearls
- 5 aqua marine 8mm Czech glass pearls
- 148 black anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 3.6mm, WD 0.81mm - A
- 24 black anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 5.2mm, WD 1.00mm - B
- 62 black anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 5mm, WD 1.2mm - C
- 11 black anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 10.2mm, WD 1.6mm - D
- 12x16mm black coloured medium wrapped Tierracast toggle
- 0.8mm black coloured copper wire
- two pairs of smooth jawed chain nose, flat nose, or bent nose pliers
- round nose pliers
- cutters
Instructions
- Cut a workable length of wire about 10cm in length. At one end, make a loop. Thread one bead and make a second loop as close to the bead as possible. Make sure that your loops are large enough to thread onto the largest jump ring (D). Make eleven beaded eyepins.
- Close 144 rings (A) and all the rings (B). Thread one loop of the beaded montana blue eyepin onto one ring (D). On either side of the beaded eyepin, thread one ring (B), two rings (A), and one ring (B).
- Thread the other end of the beaded eyepin onto the ring (D), making sure that it is threaded in between two rings (B). Close the large ring (D). Take care not to let your pliers scratch the bead whilst closing the ring (D).
- Thread one large ring (D) through one ring (B) on one side of the montana blue eyepin loop of the previous beaded ring, one loop of one beaded aqua marine eyepin, and the second ring (B) on the other side of the montana blue eyepin loop.
- On each side of the beaded eyepin, thread six rings (A) and one ring (B).
- Thread the other end of the beaded eyepin onto the ring (D), making sure that it is threaded in between two rings (B). Close the large ring (D).
- Thread one large ring (D) through one ring (B) on one side of the aqua marine eyepin loop of the previous beaded ring, one loop of one beaded montana blue eyepin, and the second ring (B) on the other side of the aqua marine eyepin loop.
- On each side of the beaded eyepin, thread four rings (A) and one ring (B).
- Thread the other end of the beaded eyepin onto the ring (D), making sure that it is threaded in between two rings (B). Close the large ring (D).
Repeat steps 4-9 until the bracelet is the desired length, ending with step 8 where you will thread two rings (A) and one ring (B) and step 9 where you close the ring (D).
- To make the filigree edging on one side of an aqua marine ring: Link two rings (C) through two rings from the beaded montana ring and the first two rings of the aqua marine ring, and thread two extra rings (A).
- Link two rings (C) through the two rings (A) added in step 10 and the middle two rings of the aqua marine ring, and thread two extra rings (A).
- Link two rings (C) through the two rings (A) just added, the last two rings of the aqua marine ring and two rings from the next beaded montana ring.
- Repeat steps 10-12 to make the filigree edging on the other side of an aqua marine ring.
- Repeat steps 10-13 to make a filigree edge for all the aqua marine rings.
- At each end, link two rings (A) to the pair of rings (B). Attach the toggle ring and toggle bar to these pairs of rings using one ring (C) each time.
Variations
- Hot pink and violet pearls will look vibrant with the black rings.
- Try gold rings with terracotta and blood red pearls.
- For more neutral colours, try champagne rings with white and black pearls (the brass oxide Tierracast toggles work well with champagne rings).
If you found this tutorial helpful: Please let other users know, leave a rating.
©2021 Sarah Austin. All rights reserved.