Make Your Own Chains Part 1

I became interested in chain maille years ago when the teenage boys next door tore apart a lawn mower motor to create a motorized tool for coiling wire and cutting jump rings. They were making a full chain maille shirt. When they finished, it was incredible and almost too heavy to wear. I still wonder how knights during the Middle Ages managed to wear chain maille that weighed anywhere from 25 to 60 pounds, and later, full metal armor.

Adding a new skill to your jewelry-making repertoire is always worth your time, even if you never plan to make protective clothing. Chain maille is especially valuable because handmade chains that complement a design can really kick the WOW factor up a notch. Even the simplest chain maille designs add visual impact and increase the perceived value of your work.

People generally fall into three learning categories.

A) Visual
B) Auditory
C) Kinesthetic

In other words, we learn by seeing something done, hearing or reading how to do it, or by hands-on experience. Most of us learn in all three ways but tend to excel in one. How you learn best when acquiring a new skill determines whether you gravitate toward videos, books or tutorials, or classes.

My suggestion is to do all three. There are always tips and tricks to pick up with each method.

To start making basic chains, you only need jump rings, directions, and two pliers. Flat nose, chain nose, or bent nose pliers all work well. When working with large rings, two non-marring soft-jaw flat nose pliers may be helpful.

If you want to dip your toes into chain making without spending a lot, start with inexpensive base-metal rings. I love seeing designs come together using colored aluminum jump rings or colored silver-plated copper craft wire.

We all have different likes and dislikes, even in jewelry making. Do not feel bad if, after trying several complicated chains, you discover that you prefer making other things. There are many reasons someone might step away from chain maille.

When first making chain, we often grip rings tighter than necessary, which can mar the wire and cause hand, wrist, or arm pain. Early chains may not be perfect. Like anything else, practice makes perfect.

For your first chain projects, it can be helpful to purchase jump rings rather than cutting them yourself. Flush cutters often create uneven cuts, which I discuss later in the Double Cable Chain section.

Always start with an easy chain and work up to more difficult designs. Advanced skills are built on basic skills, and nothing replaces muscle memory developed through repetition.

Jump rings are the basic building blocks of chain jewelry.

Learning to open and close them properly is the first and most important skill to master.

Because most chain maille designs do not require soldered rings, this skill is absolutely critical.

Step-by-step instructions for opening and closing jump rings can be found in Wire Basics: Opening and Closing Jump Rings.

Another excellent resource is Strategies for Starting a Chain Mail Weave by Marilyn Gardiner.

It covers all the little things you wish you knew before starting your first chain maille project.

Once you are comfortable opening and closing jump rings, the first chain most people make is a Single Cable Chain. This chain is created by connecting one jump ring to the next in a long line.

No matter the size or gauge of the rings, a single cable chain made with unsoldered rings is the weakest chain. When the seam of one ring lines up with the seam of the next, the chain can pull apart with very little force.

After spending hours tumbling a delicate chain I had made from dead-soft jump rings, I tested it with a slight tug. The chain failed. Those rings are now being used as faux eyelets on sheet-metal earrings.

Two single cable chains attached side by side to a clasp are stronger than one alone.

The Jump Ring Fringe Bracelet is a great example. It is simply a single cable chain with many rings attached to create a fringe effect.

For added interest, you can swap some of the rings for twisted square wire rings.

Important Note: Many tutorials reference either the interior diameter, also called ID, or outer diameter, also called OD, of jump rings. Most chain maille books list rings by ID. Always confirm which measurement is being used before ordering or making rings.

If you're making jump rings, check out the short article Wire Temper and Jump Rings.

Make larger rings with heavier gauge wire to lessen the chance of the rings pulling open, as the Bezelled Gemstone Bracelet shown here.

Find the notes for making this bracelet with heavy gauge rings here.

Adding a focal bead, such as this Bezelled Blue Onyx faceted gemstone, adds a designer touch to a simple chain.

Do not assume all rings should be soldered closed. In one instance, a bracelet with open rings failed during an accident and likely prevented serious injury.

Read more about that story here

Save twist-tie wraps from wire coils. They are extremely useful when starting chains, giving your fingers something larger to grip.

When clasps arrive, I usually solder their attached rings closed immediately. The rings are often small and easily pulled open, and it saves time later.

A Double Cable Chain is constructed by connecting two rings to two rings, continuing down the length of the chain. This design is significantly stronger than a single cable chain.

Hand-cut rings often do not close properly because flush cutters do not create perfectly flat cuts. These gaps weaken the chain, look unprofessional, snag clothing, and can scratch the wearer. Machine-cut rings close cleanly and produce a stronger, more polished result.

A plain double cable chain can be enhanced by adding beads or larger, heavier-gauge rings between shorter chain sections.

Find the tutorial for the simply elegant Garnet 2-in-2 Chain Maille Necklace by Kylie Jones here.

A double cable chain anchors the beautiful Romanov Chainmaille Pendant by Natalie Patten, found here.

This Rubber Meets Metal bracelet by Nancy Chase is a fun take on the double cable.

Check the hardware store for rubber or silicone "O" rings.

These exact "O" rings may not be found, but adjusting the size of the connecting aluminum jump rings to accommodate the size of available rings is easy.

Using a combination of round wire and twisted square wire jump rings adds sparkle and texture to a simple triple cable chain. This creates a heavier chain that works especially well for men's jewelry.

Find the tutorial as well as tips for twisted square wire rings for this simple chain, which is a heavier chain great for a guy, in Accidentally Learning Something New here.

For more of a challenge than just twisting square wire, check out Twisted Wire Jump Rings here.

Rolo chain, also known as Belcher chain, is a single cable chain made with half-round or oval wire formed into round or oval rings. These rings can be expensive to purchase, especially when you realize how many are required to complete a chain.

Since half-round wire is available in many affordable materials, including plated, enameled, and base metals, making your own rings is an excellent way to practice and save money.

Silver Rolo Chain

Gold Filled Rolo Chain

As you can see from these examples, a simple cable chain can easily become the star of a design. By changing the size, color, gauge, or texture of jump rings, you can create endless variations and truly make a design your own.

Be sure to check out parts two and three below!