By Lifetips
So you’ve seen those amazing chainmail jewelry pieces, right? Big, bold, intricate designs that look super fancy. And you probably thought, “That must take serious skill.” Well, guess what? You can totally make your own—and it’s not as hard as you might think.
Let’s dive into how to make some chainmail jewelry that looks awesome, even if you’ve never done anything like this before.
Grab Your Stuff
First, you’ll need a few basic tools. Nothing fancy. You’ll need jump rings (these are tiny metal rings), pliers (two pairs work best), and wire cutters. That’s it, really. You can get jump rings at craft stores or online, and they come in all sorts of colors and metals, but for starters, I’d say go with something light and easy, like aluminum. It’s cheap, and it won’t kill your hands after a few hours of crafting.
Start with the Basics
Start simple. Grab one jump ring and another ring, and link them together. Use your pliers to close the rings. Keep adding more rings in a chain until you have a nice little line of linked rings. That’s the start of your jewelry piece.
Let’s Add Some Pattern
Now comes the fun part. You can make all sorts of cool patterns, but let’s start easy with the “4-in-1” weave. Don’t let the name scare you off. It’s simple—just add a new jump ring through four existing ones. Sounds like a lot, but really, it’s just about adding new rings through the ones you already put together. Slowly but surely, you’ll see the design taking shape.
You’ll probably mess up a few times—that’s totally fine. Chainmail can be a bit tricky at first, but it’s very forgiving. If you don’t like something, just undo a few rings and try again.
Play Around with Weaves and Colors
Once you get the basic weave down, you can start experimenting. There are endless types of patterns—some simple, some a little more complex. The “box weave” is another good one to try. You’ll get the hang of how the rings fit together, and you can play around with colors, too. Switching up the colors is a great way to give your jewelry some personality.
Finish It Off
Once your chain is long enough for your bracelet, necklace, or whatever you’re making, you’ll need a clasp. You can buy clasps from any craft store, or you can make your own with a little wire. If you’re not into clasps, just leave the ends open, and slip it right over your head or wrist. Easy, right?
If you want to take it a step further, add some beads or charms to your piece. You can slip a bead between the rings, or dangle a charm off the chain to make it even more personal.
Done and Done
That’s it! Seriously. You’ve made chainmail jewelry. No need to overthink it. Once you get into the rhythm of it, you’ll be cranking out beautiful, custom pieces like a pro.
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