Photo Tutorial Shaggy Loops

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

SHAGGY LOOPS​

This is a versatile weave that can be varied by ring size and the addition of beads.

Shaggy Loops is a fairly flexible weave and can be made with rings with an AR between 3.3 to 6.0. The higher the aspect ratio is, the looser the weave. Our favourite, especially if you wish to add beads, is a jump ring with approximate measurements of ID 4mm, WD 0.81mm.

FUNKY SHAGGY LOOPS BRACELET​

Materials​

For a 19cm bracelet, you will need:

• 120 bright aluminium jump rings ID 4.2mm, WD 0.81mm
• 80 offset hole lentil beads (20 each of butterscotch, opaque turquoise, opaque green and bright red)
• one 12mm lobster clasp
• one 6mm split ring

Tools

• two pairs of smooth faced chain nose or flat nose pliers

Note: The offset lentil beads will only fit bright aluminium jump rings of 0.8mm; other metal types are fractionally thicker.

Instructions​

1. Open 40 jump rings and put them to one side.
   
   
2. Open a jump ring, place one offset hole lentil bead onto the jump ring and close the jump ring. Repeat until you have 80 beaded rings (20 each of butterscotch, opaque turquoise, opaque green and bright red).
   
   Keep the colours in separate piles. When you are making the bracelet (steps 3-4), you can randomly place the colours or devise your own pattern.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Place two closed beaded jump rings onto an open jump ring #1. Also place the lobster clasp onto open jump ring #1. Close jump ring #1.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Place two closed beaded jump rings onto open jump ring #2. Hold jump ring #1 so that one beaded ring is on the left and one beaded ring is on the right with the lobster clasp in the middle. Link jump ring #2 onto jump ring #1 and close.
   
   
   Repeat until your bracelet is the length desired. On the last jump ring added, also add your split ring.
   
   
   
   
   Tip: For added strength, place an extra jump ring at the ends of your bracelet so that two jump rings are attached to your split ring and lobster clasp. Our lobster clasp did not allow for two jump rings but other clasps may.

Variations​

• There are almost an infinite number of variations you can make to this weave. Below are a few suggestions.
  
  Made with 120 bronze jump rings ID 4.5mm, WD 0.8mm and 80 transparent green offset hole lentils with goldstone. Finished with a copper plated toggle.
  
  
  
  
  
• Earrings with a 5cm drop, made with 72 silvertone jump rings ID 4mm, WD 0.91mm and 48 magatamas. The earrings have a spine of 12 rings.
  
  10g magatamas = approximately 110 beads
  
  
  
  
  
• For a 19cm bracelet, you will need 135 silvertone jump rings ID 4mm, WD 0.91mm and 90 magatamas.
  
  10g magatamas = approximately 110 beads.
  
  
  
  
  
• For a 46cm (18") necklace, you will need 321 silvertone jump rings ID 4mm, WD 0.91mm and 214 magatamas.
  
  10g magatamas = approximately 110 beads
  
  
  
  
  
• Made using bright aluminium, ID 5mm, WD 1.29mm and acrylic pepper daggers.
  
  
  
  
  
• Made using sterling silver and enamelled copper jump rings, both 4mm ID, 0.81mm, size 8 seed beads and rock crystal chips. There was a little trial and error with the the rock crystal chips as not all the chips would fit onto the jump rings. There are four jump rings to every centre ring.
  
  
  
  
  
• Made using enamelled copper jump rings, ID 4mm, WD 0.81mm and 6mm bells.
  
  
  
  
  
• Try changing colour using shades of the same colour or contrasting stripes – the variations are endless.
  
  Made using small jump rings – anodised niobium ID 2.4mm, WD 0.8mm.
  
  
  
  

Suggested beads you can use:

• Seed beads – size 8 (3mm) or size 6 (4mm)
• Magatamas
• Offset hole lentils
• Miyuki cubes and triangles
• Any bead that will fit on a jump ring!

The best size jump ring when using beads are those with approximate measurements of ID 4mm, WD 0.81mm

Other suggestions:

• Coloured jump rings and beads
• Different sized jump rings
• More than one jump ring on either side of the centre jump ring
• More than one bead per jump ring

If you found this tutorial helpful: Please let other users know, leave a rating.

©2021 Sarah Austin. All rights reserved.