Photo Tutorial Stretchy Staggered Helm Weave

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 Staggered Helm Weave​

Make short strips of staggered helm weave using rubber o-rings to make this stretchy cuff.

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Materials​

For a 19cm bracelet, you will need:

• 322 white EPDM o-rings, ID 5mm, WD 1.2mm
• 184 gold aluminium jump rings, ID 5.2mm, WD 1.00mm
• 220 matt silver (white) aluminium jump rings, ID 3.6mm, WD 1.00mm - these rings join the strips so are best in a similar colour as the o-rings.

Tools:

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

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Instructions​

1. Link five white o-rings with one gold ring and lay out the o-rings as shown with two on the left-hand side and three on the right-hand side.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Slide the middle right-hand o-ring in between the two left-hand o-rings.
   
   
   
   
   
3. The gold ring added in this step is the top gold ring. Weave one gold ring where the centre o-ring intersects with the two left-hand o-rings and through the centre of the two right-hand o-rings.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Using one gold ring, link three o-rings to the last two o-rings.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Slide the middle o-ring of the three o-rings just added in between the last two o-rings of the chain.
   
   
   
   
   
6. The gold ring added in this step is the top gold ring. Weave one gold ring where the centre o-ring intersects with the two left-hand o-rings and through the centre of the two right-hand o-rings.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Repeat steps 4-6 two more times to make a short strip with four pairs of gold rings.
   
   Make twenty three strips, repeating steps 1-7.
   
   
   
   
   
8. In steps 8-9 you will join the strips you have made using jump rings of a similar colour to the o-rings. The pictures show the white rings in red for clarity.
   
   TIP: When joining the strips, ensure the gold rings of each strip are the same orientation, e.g. the top gold ring is slightly forward of the bottom gold ring.
   
   Starting at one end, link one white ring through the two end o-rings of the upper strip and through the single centre o-ring of the lower strip.
   
   Link the next white ring through the same single centre o-ring of the lower strip and the next two o-rings of the upper strip.
   
   Link the next white ring through the same two o-rings of the upper strip and the next single centre o-ring of the lower strip.
   
   Continue joining the two strips in this zigzag pattern.
   
   
   
   
   
9. The white rings used to join the strips in step 8 are now shown in white whilst the two end rings added in this step are shown in red.
   
   Using one white ring, link the end two o-rings of each strip. Repeat at the other end of the strip.
   
   
   
   
   
10. Repeat steps 8-9 until you have a sheet of strips that fits your wrist. Join the two ends of the sheet in the same way, by repeating steps 8-9.

Variations​

• For a classic look, try black o-rings with matt silver (white) or silver anodised aluminium jump rings.
• Try two shades of one colour such as ice and royal blue for the staggered helms.
• Make strips of staggered helms in different colours, such as rainbow or pastel colours, and join them in blocks or in a repetitive order.

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©2021 Sarah Austin. All rights reserved.