Photo Tutorial Glass Sweetpea Chain

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

Glass Sweet Pea Chain​

This is a variation of the Sweet Pea weave using glass rings. You need to use two different size jump rings when using glass rings in this weave as opposed to using a single size ring. The weave is technically easy, although it can be fiddly to weave the anodised aluminium rings.

Materials​

For a 17.5cm (7 inch) bracelet, you will need:

• 121 bright aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 6.5mm, WD 1.02mm
• 22 gold (or lavender) anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 5mm, WD 1.2mm
• 11 red (or hematite) Czech glass rings - 9mm
• 4 silver anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 3.8mm, WD 1.00mm - clasp rings
• silver plated small wrapped Tierracast toggle, 9x12mm

For a 43cm (17 inch) necklace, you will need:

• 348 bright aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 6.5mm, WD 1.02mm
• 60 gold (or lavender) anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 5mm, WD 1.2mm
• 30 red (or hematite) Czech glass rings - 9mm
• 4 silver anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 3.8mm, WD 1.00mm - clasp rings
• silver plated small wrapped Tierracast toggle, 9x12mm

Tools:

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

Instructions​

1. Link five bright aluminium rings to one glass ring and lay out the rings as shown in the left hand picture.
   
   Using one clasp ring, attach the toggle ring to two of the bright aluminium rings linked to the glass ring (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
2. Looking at the group of three rings, which are linked to the glass ring, push back the centre ring so that it is out of line with the two outer rings (left hand picture).
   
   Weave one gold ring through the left hand gap you created by pushing back the centre ring (centre picture).
   
   Continue to weave the same ring through the right hand gaps of the two outer rings (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
3. Close the gold ring. Looking at the group of three rings, the centre bright aluminium ring should be in between the set of two rings on the left hand side. (right hand picture).
   
   The right hand picture shows how the linked rings should NOT look! It is easy to fiddle the centre bright aluminium ring into place at this point of the construction - this must be done before you add the second gold ring in the next step.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Turn the unit over and weave a second gold ring through the left and right hand gaps as in step 3.
   
   The right hand picture shows the sweet pea unit from a different angle.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Turn the unit by ninety degrees.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Link three bright aluminium rings to one glass ring and group the rings as shown in the left hand picture.
   
   Weave one bright aluminium ring through all three bright aluminium rings at the end of your last unit and the new glass ring (centre picture).
   
   Following the same pathway, link a second bright aluminium ring (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
7. Looking at the group of three rings at the end of the chain, push back the centre ring so that it sits between the previous pair of bright aluminium rings (left hand picture).
   
   Referring to steps 2-3, weave one gold ring through the left and right hand gaps (centre picture).
   
   Turn the chain over and, following the same pathway, link a second gold ring (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
8. Repeat steps 6-7 until the chain is the desired length, ending with step 7.
   
   
9. To ensure that your chain does not fasten twisted, count the number of glass rings used and attach the toggle bar accordingly.
   
   If your chain has an odd number of glass rings: Using three clasp rings, link the toggle bar to the end two bright aluminium rings.
   
   If your chain has an even number of glass rings: Using two clasp rings, link the toggle bar to the end two bright aluminium rings.
   
   

Variations​

• Make matching earrings, hanging them so that the glass ring is at the bottom and attaching the two bright aluminium rings at the other end to the earwire.
• Try black glass rings with silver and gold for a classic go-with-anything chain.
• Use gunmetal glass rings with pastel coloured jump rings (ice blue, ice pink, ice green and lavender).

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©2021 Sarah Austin. All rights reserved.