Join Colin and add a little “bling” to your chainmail! The Elf Weave is a box style chain with 3mm crystals woven into the design to add a touch of sparkle and color. Colin teaches how to connect jump rings together to make the chain, to adjust the length for the perfect wrist measurement and how to add crystals into the chain. This class is perfect for students who wish to take their chainmail skills to the next level.
This class has a running time of 1 hr, 7 minutes.
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Paper Clip
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Approximately 6" length of 18g wire.
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Sterling Silver 4.5mm I.D. 18 Gauge Jump Rings, .25 ozt - $17.84 - you'll need 150 jump rings
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Sterling Silver 3mm I.D. 18 Gauge Jump Rings, 1/4 ozt - $17.84 - you'll need 4 jump rings
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40-50, 3mm Swarovski Bicone Crystals
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Beading Wire .014 Diameter (FINE) - You'll need approximately one foot.
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Two crimp beads, either 2mm x 1mm or 2mm x 2mm.
I want to know if I can use 2mm beads without having them fall through or get stuck? I am working with faceted rubies. I couldn't get them in all one size so I am putting them in a graduated line with the largest in the middle and the smallest at either end. I am using 4mm rings instead of 4.5mm. The 3mm beads were a bit tight but if I don't have them in each opening it doesn't seem to be a problem. I am just concerned about loosing the 2mm ones. Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you Colin!
We have not tested this, but in theory, the smaller beads should be just fine. Using the 4mm rings will naturally create a more structurally solid bracelet, so at worst, the beads may move around a bit on the beading wire within their space in the bracelet, but they probably won't fall through or get stuck.
Colin hasn't made the bracelet with aluminum jump rings, but she thinks it will be fine because there are a lot of interwoven links to support the overall structure.
I wonder if it is possible to make this chain with 5mm ID jump rings, 18gauge (or 1mm in the UK) as I have hundreds/thousands of Swarovski 4mm bicones and would like to use these up.
From Colin: I have never tried it in the 5mm. It is worth a try though. The chain will probably be pretty loose in that size, but adding the crystals should help it hold it's shape.
Hi Dorothy! Yes, it will be just fine. Crimp tubes were made to be crimped flat and have been in use long before crimping pliers were even a thing (I've had more failures using a crimping plier that I have with flat crimping, and I made strung jewelry for about 15 years). You can squeeze the crimp tube more than once, and from more than one direction, if you don't feel you got it the first time. You are more than welcome to use your crimping plier if that will make you more comfortable, but it is not necessary, and you will find it challenging, if not impossible, to get your crimping plier into the tiny space that is left at the end of the bracelet to do the second crimp bead. I hope you enjoy the project!
