Photo Tutorial Kinged European 4-1 Earrings

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

Kinged European 4-1 Earrings​

Make a matching cuff bracelet. For instructions, click here.

Materials​

For a pair of earrings with a 4.8cm long diamond, you will need:

• 98 rose pink anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 4.2mm, WD 0.81mm
• 98 purple anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 4.2mm, WD 0.81mm
• one pair purple anodised niobium earwires

Tools:

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

Instructions​

When making kinged European 4-1 in two colours, it is important to link the rings in the correct colour order to obtain the same effect as in the project.
For the instructions below pk = pink and pp = purple

TIPS - for increasing and decreasing in European 4-1
Increasing: The first and last pink and purple rings of each row are always woven through one set of rings (one set of rings = one pink and one purple ring). You increase by one set of rings on each row.
Decreasing: On each row, every pink and purple ring must go through two sets of rings (one set of rings = one pink and one purple ring). You decrease by one set of rings on each row.

1. Open one purple ring and, with this ring, link four closed rings in this order: pp, pk, pp, pk. Add one earwire before closing the purple ring.
   
   Position the rings as shown in the left hand picture, making sure that you orientate the rings in exactly the same way.
   
   Following the same pathway, link one pink ring in front of the purple ring and through the same four rings and the earwire loop. Make sure that the rings are orientated in exactly the same way as the right hand picture.
   
   These rings have created rows 1 and 2 of the diamond.
   
   
   
   
   
2. You will now start row 3. Open three pink and three purple rings - these rings will be used in steps 2-4.
   
   Weave one purple ring through the first purple and pink left hand rings and close the ring (left hand picture).
   
   Following the same pathway, link one pink ring in front of the purple ring (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
3. Weave one purple ring through the first and second sets of pink and purple rings on the second row (i.e. all four rings of the second row). This ring will sit on top of the rings added in step 2 (left hand picture).
   
   Following the same pathway, link one pink ring in front of the purple ring (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
4. Weave one purple ring through the last purple and pink right hand rings and close the ring (left hand picture).
   
   Following the same pathway, link one pink ring in front of the purple ring (right hand picture). This is the end of row 3.
   
   
   
   
   
5. You will now start row 4. Open four pink and four purple rings - these rings will be used in steps 5-8.
   
   Weave one pink ring through the last purple and pink right hand rings and close the ring (left hand picture).
   
   Following the same pathway, link one purple ring in front of the pink ring (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
6. Weave one pink ring through the first and second sets of pink and purple rings. This ring will sit on top of the rings added in step 5 (left hand picture).
   
   Following the same pathway, link one purple ring in front of the pink ring (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
7. Weave one pink ring through the second and third sets of pink and purple rings. This ring will sit on top of the rings added in step 6 (left hand picture).
   
   Following the same pathway, link one purple ring in front of the pink ring (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
8. Weave one pink ring through the last purple and pink left hand rings and close the ring (left hand picture).
   
   Following the same pathway, link one purple ring in front of the pink ring (right hand picture). This is the end of row 4.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Open eighteen pink and eighteen purple rings. Continue to increase the number of rings on each row for three rows as in steps 2-8 (the picture below shows rows 5-7). You will finish increasing on row 7 (i.e. when you have a row containing seven rings).
   
   
   
   
   
10. You will now begin to decrease the number of rings per row.
    
    Open six pink and six purple rings.
    
    Starting on the right hand side, link one pink ring through the first and second pairs of rings. Repeat with one purple ring.
    
    Continue in the same way until you have a row of six pairs of rings. This is the end of row 8.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Row 9: Open five pink and five purple rings and, starting on the left hand side, link one purple ring through the first and second pairs of rings. Repeat with one pink ring.
    
    Continue in the same way until you have a row of five pairs of rings (left hand picture).
    
    Row 10: Open four pink and four purple rings and, starting on the right hand side, link one pink ring through the first and second pairs of rings. Repeat with one purple ring.
    
    Continue in the same way until you have a row of four pairs of rings (right hand picture).
    
    
    
    
    
12. Row 11: Open three pink and three purple rings and, starting on the left hand side, link one purple ring through the first and second pairs of rings. Repeat with one pink ring.
    
    Continue in the same way until you have a row of three pairs of rings (left hand picture).
    
    Row 12: Open two pink and two purple rings and, starting on the right hand side, link one pink ring through the first and second pairs of rings. Repeat with one purple ring.
    
    Link one pink ring through the second and third pairs of rings. Repeat with one purple ring (centre picture).
    
    Row 13: Open one pink and one purple ring. Link one purple ring through the last two sets of rings at the bottom of the diamond shape. Repeat with one pink ring (right hand picture).
    
    Repeat steps 1-12 to make a second diamond earring.
    
    

Variations​

• Use matt silver (white) or champagne and a pastel coloured ring for soft colours.
• Black with silver, gold or champagne gives a neutral colour scheme that can be worn with many outfits.
• Try two bright colours for a summery look: red and orange or lime green and orange.

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