Barrel Weave Bracelet

by Marilyn Gardiner

Category: Chain Maille
Technique(s): Chain Making
Skill Level: Beginner

This weave is attributed to Susan Richards and appears on the wetcanvas.com forum and the mailleartisans.com website.

Materials

16-gauge 4.5mm ID round Copper jump rings

Lesson Quantity: 130.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

16 gauge 3 mm ID copper jump ring

Lesson Quantity: 4.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

Toggle Clasp copper

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

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Tools

Flat Nose Wire Pliers

G2-506

G2-506
Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 2.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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Instructions

Step 1

Each segment uses 5 jump rings

2 Barrel Weave Segments

Prepare several rows of 5 rings, each with 3 open and 2 closed.

Make sets of 3.

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Jump rings for barrel chain mail

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Open and closed jump rings

Step 2

Hold one open ring with the pliers, add 2 closed rings, and close the ring (red dot).

Repeat to prepare more sets of 3 rings.

Each set of 3 will use 2 more rings to connect it to make the barrel chain.

Step 3

Make the First Segment:

Pick up another open ring and insert it through the single ring (red dot) of a set of 3 rings and through a large paperclip or twist tie.

You now have a short chain of 1 ring - 1 ring - 2 rings attached to a handle.

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Short chain with jump rings

Step 4

Take an open ring, put it through the end pair and hold it there with your pliers.

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Add jump ring to chain with flat nose pliers

Step 5

Use your other hand to lift the chain upward, with ring #1 tipped away from you (very important).

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Open jump ring with flat nose pliers

Step 6

Moving from front to back, hook ring #5 through ring #1.

Close the ring.

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Link and close jump ring flat nose pliers

Step 7

Make the Second Segment:

Insert an open ring through the sides of the 2 horizontal rings of the previous segment, and then through the single ring of a set of 3 rings.

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Connecting components with jump rings and flat nose pliers

Step 8

Close the ring

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Close jump ring with flate nose pliers

Step 9

Repeat steps 4-6, inserting an open ring through the end pair of rings...

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Connect with jump ring and flat nose pliers

Step 10

...and then front to back through the first ring of the segment (red dot).

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Close connection with flat nose pliers

Step 11

Here are the first two completed segments.

Repeat steps 7 to 10 to make additional barrels.

Finish the chain with a single ring through the sides of the last pair of horizontal rings. It will match the very first ring attached to the paperclip.

Congratulations! You've made your first Barrel Weave Bracelet!

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Connecting barrels with jump rings

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Completed barrels

Marilyn Gardiner's Barrel Weave Bracelet - , Chain Maille Jewelry, Making Chain, Chain Making , Finished Barrel Weave Bracelet with toggle clasp

Reviews

Marilyn Gardiner

I am a teacher who worked for many years as a teacher librarian and educational computer consultant. As part of my job I taught teachers and principals how to use computers in the classroom and I developed curriculum modules.I love jewelry, color, pattern, and design. It is thrilling to create something new that others love too. And I truly enjoy breaking down something complex into an easy-to-learn sequence that I can share with others, whether in print or in a classroom.

During the past 10 years I have energetically and enthusiastically developed my beading and chain mail skills and used my teaching background with adults to develop bead work and chain mail kits with step-by-step instructions that really work. I know that the kits have good quality instructions because of the positive feedback from students I teach and from customers who buy the kits at shows and from my online store.I regularly teach classes locally in Toronto ON, as well as occasionally in Mississauga, Barrie, Temple TX and San Antonio TX.I have been a vendor at bead shows in Toronto ON, Guelph ON, Montreal QC, Ottawa ON, Calgary AB, Halifax NS, Milwaukee WI, and Tucson AZ - and I teach a full slate of classes at these shows. My website has details.

In 2007 I was "Folk Artist in Residence - Beadwork" at the Joseph Schneider Haus in Kitchener ON. This involved setting up a series of lectures, seminars, and demonstrations throughout the year. There was also a good-sized gallery exhibit of beadwork that featured my work and included the contemporary and historical work of many others. The residency resulted in several articles in the local media.

I later completed a bead work commission for the museum, and some of my work is sold in the museum gift shop.I have published projects available online at Beading Times, Bead Bugle, All Free Jewelry, and The Beading Gem's Journal. Some of my kits are sold online through Beadfx. Kalmbach Publishing published my first book, Modern Chain Mail Jewelry, in 2015.Most of my time at present is directed to creating new chain mail projects.

I am currently working on several new designs that will be ready as kits and for teaching this fall. Each of these will have an Argentium sterling and a copper or Jeweler's Bronze version, and a couple will be silver filled 925/10. This will bring my chain mail kit total to more than 150. (My husband makes all our jump rings and packages the kits. Good man!)

Website: www.marilyngardiner.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/GardinerDesign