This will more than likely be the first of many chainmail DIY posts here on Fall For DIY. I tend to get obsessed with materials and idead and right now this is my new favourite technique. Creating chain takes you right to the heart of DIY jewellery making as well as being pretty therapeutic. Another fantastic aspect of making your own chain is being able to make your own jump rings as delicate or bold and as big or small as you wish giving you creative control over your chain.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. To update spikes for Spring 2014 give them a couple of coats of pastel nail varnish.
2. Open up a jump ring and thread on two (or more) rings onto that. Close the jump ring and then do the same with another ring.
3. Add another two jump rings to those previous two rings. You should now have three chain links.
4. Continue to add links until you have the desired length.
5. Add two smaller jup rings to the ends with the clasp on one side and the extension chain on the other.
6. Open up the links of the extension chain and thread a spike on each then close up again.
Fun! Love the colors you added to the spike charms.
I have a hoard of jump rings so this would be perfect to make. Love the mix of colors on the spikes too. Very cute results!
This is such a lovely diy!! x
How do you close the “hand-made” jump rings tightly so they do not pull open once wearing the bracelet?
Hi Amy,
So, you have a few options with the jump rings. I’ve made these ones huge which make them more likely to stretch or pull open. To combat this you could either use a harder or thicker wire. I’m not totally clued up on wire hardness or where to find out (I need to do some research) sorry. Alternatively you can hammer the wire a little once you’ve formed the ring to harden it.
Another option is to make smaller jump rings. These are more likely to stay in shape than the big boys and again give them a little tap with a hammer. This very slight miss shaping will make them stronger. (Again, I’m not quite sure exactly why this happens…)
With all jump rings when you’re closing them wiggle the the sides slowly together and keep going until they are slightly overlapped. Wiggle back outwards until the two ends are flush – the wire keeps the memory of the overlapped ends and will continue to push the ends against each other. I hope that makes sense. I’ll have to make a video as this is quite hard to describe!
Hopefully these are some helpful ideas!
Fran
Thank you this does help! I tried to squeeze them(flatten them) with the needle nose pliers, not sure if that changed much. Will try the wiggle technique this evening.
I’ve been seeing ring bracelets all over the internet and pacman 30th anniversary wanted one for so long that finally I decided to make one myself! If you’ve been feeling the same way hopefully this instrucable’s gonna be helpful. :)