Photo Tutorial - Stretchy Rainbow Barrel Cuff

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

Stretchy Rainbow Barrel Cuff

This chunky easy-to-make bangle uses o-rings to create a stretchy cuff with no clasp.

Materials

For a 17cm cuff, you will need:

72 EPDM o-rings, ID 6.4mm, WD 1.63mm in rainbow colours - 12 each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple
144 anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 6.8mm, WD 1.6mm in rainbow colours - 24 each of red, orange, yellow, green, royal blue and purple - ring A
18 anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 10.2mm, WD 1.6mm in rainbow colours - 3 each of red, orange, yellow, green, royal blue and purple - ring B

Tools:

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

Instructions

NOTE: · To make the bangle smaller, reduce blocks of colour evenly, e.g. have two blue and orange (on opposite sides) or two purple, green and orange (alternate).

Link three pairs of each rainbow colour o-ring into a 2-1-2 chain using one ring A of the same colour.

When you change colour, join the next o-ring colour using a ring A which matches the first of the two o-ring colours.

The colour order is red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.
Open six rings A of each colour.

Lay out your chain and push the first o-ring on top downwards so that it is positioned as in the picture for step 1.

Link one ring A down through the upper half of the o-ring underneath, taking it beneath the two o-rings, and weaving it up through the bottom half of the o-ring on top (refer to the last orange rings in the picture). Repeat with a second ring A so that you have two rings A linked through two o-rings.

Repeat with each pair of o-rings using matching coloured rings A.
Open three rings A of each colour.

Separate the first pair of rings A added in step 2. Link one ring A between these two rings, making sure the ring A weaves through the intersection of the two o-rings at the centre.

Using matching coloured rings A, continue adding one ring to each unit.
Now make a second chain, repeating steps 1-3 except for step 2 - at this point in the instructions, you will need to push the top o-ring upwards before adding the pair of rings A. This is so that the second chain is a mirror image of the first chain.

Lay out the two chains with the lower o-rings of each chain are in the centre.
Open three rings B of each colour.

Link one ring B between each pair of rings A added in step 2, making sure the ring B weaves through the intersection of the two o-rings at the centre. You may find it easier to weave the ring B using your fingers before closing with pliers.

Continue joining the two chains using matching rings B.
Open two purple rings A.

To join the doubled chain into a bangle, weave one purple ring A through the central intersection of the end purple o-rings and end red o-rings.

Repeat to join the second part of the doubled chain.

Variations

For a 17cm single width bangle (above): Follow steps 1-3 to the required length. Repeat step 3 linking matching coloured rings A on the opposite side of the pairs of rings A added in step 2.
For softer colours, try blocks of your favourite colours like purple, pink and white using matching coloured metal rings.
Make a bold statement with red, black and gold or silver using matching coloured metal rings.
For an approx 4cm diameter pendant (below): You will need one ring B for the centre ring.
Follow steps 1-3, making two yellow units and one unit of each of the other colours. Repeat step 3 on the opposite side of four of the units using matching rings A. Link one ring B through the four rings A just added. It is easier to add the large centre ring at this point. Repeat step 3 for the remaining three units, linking them to the ring B. Join the seven units into a circle as in step 6.

Photo Tutorial Stretchy Rainbow Barrel Cuff