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Whether you’re familiar with chain mail or you love e
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wireworking, Chain Mail & Wire Reimagined offers You’ll only a
suosminegt bhointgh ttreuclhyn uiqnuiqeus.e : jewelry projects made necuernedi aqat uefee wa l ottooroukll!sy t o gined
Wire artist Karen Rakoski and chain mail designer
Barbara DeYoung have teamed up to combine the two
skills in 18 stunning pieces. You’ll learn how to shape wire
into diamonds, ovals, 3D twists, and more. Shapes can even act as links
to connect with traditional chain mail weaves for fabulous necklaces,
pendants, and bracelets.
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND »
Complete step-by-step instructions
for 18 jewelry pieces
■ Basic techniques for working with wire
■ Instructions for 10 traditional chain mail weaves,
including helm chain, dragonscale, scallop,
half Persian, and more Chain Mail
■ Extra design alternatives and ideas with each
project for even more options
& Wire
Reimagined
R
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K
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www.KalmbachBooks.com I &
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67022 U.S. $21.99 O
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CAN $22.99 N
ISBN 978-1-62700-045-1 G
52199
KAREN RAKOSKI
9 781627 000451 0 64465 16722 7 BARBARA DEYOUNG
Chain Mail
& Wire
Reimagined
KAREN RAKOSKI
BARBARA DEYOUNG
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle
Waukesha, Wisconsin 53186
www.Kalmbach.com/Books
© 2015 Karen Rakoski and Barbara DeYoung
All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review, this book may not be reproduced in part or in whole
by electronic means or otherwise without written permission of the publisher and authors.
For technical and artistic reasons relating to photographic reproduction, colors reproduced in these images
may not be exact representations of the original work.
Lettered step-by-step photos and technique reference illustrations by the authors. All other photography
© 2015 Kalmbach Books except where otherwise noted.
The jewelry designs in Chain Mail & Wire Reimagined are the copyrighted property of the authors, and
they may not be taught or sold without permission. Please use them for your education and personal
enjoyment only.
Published in 2015
19 18 17 16 15 1 2 3 4 5
Manufactured in the United States of America
ISBN: 978-1-62700-045-1
EISBN:978-1-62700-186-1
Editor: Erica Swanson
Book Design: Elizabeth Weber
Illustrator: Kellie Jaeger
Photographers: William Zuback, James Forbes
LIbrary of Congress Control Number: 2014950468
Contents
INTRODUCTION .....................................................................4
TOOLS & MATERIALS .....................................................6
THE PROJECTS
LOOPS
Twine & Vines Bracelet Double Half Persian ...........................10
Trillium Flower Necklace Helm ................................................15
Caged Mail Pendant Helm Flower .............................................20
SINGLE WIRE
Hydrangea Bracelet European 4-in-1 ......................................24
Triple Twist Necklace Full Persian ............................................28
Cleo’s Charms Bracelet Helm ..................................................32
Shooting Stars Necklace Full Persian ....................................36
MULTIPLE WIRES
Draping with Daisies Necklace Helm Flower ........................41
Rose and Thorns Bracelet Helm .............................................45
Stars of the Sea Necklace Scallop .........................................50
Valley Ferns Necklace Diagonal Byzantine .............................55
FRAMES
Diamond Solitaire Necklace European 4-in-1 ........................61
Geometric Sliders Necklace Full Persian..............................66
Three Wishes Necklace European 4-in-1 .................................70
BRANCH AND WRAP
Spider Mums Bracelet Box Chain.............................................77
Squares and Lace Bracelet Victorian Lace ..........................80
Dragon Pillows Bracelet Dragonscale ....................................86
Byzantine Waterfall Necklace Byzantine ..............................91
TECHNIQUE REFERENCE
CHAIN MAIL TECHNIQUES
Box Chain .............................................................................97
Byzantine .............................................................................97
Diagonal Byzantine ...........................................................98
Double Half Persian ...........................................................99
Dragonscale ........................................................................100
European 4-in-1 ...................................................................101
Full Persian .........................................................................102
Helm ......................................................................................103
Helm Flower and Cleo's Helm ........................................104
Scallop ..................................................................................105
Victorian Lace ....................................................................106
WIRE TECHNIQUES
FROM THE AUTHORS .....................................110
Introduction
When it comes to chain mail and wirework,
we're both teachers, and our students have
provided a few hints as to what they would like
to see in a book. We took their suggestions to
heart. Hopefully these designs and techniques
will be “just what you wanted.”
MAKE A GOOD make exactly what you see in the book. When you
REFERENCE are ready to stretch what you see into the direction
SOURCE of your personal vision and designs, we have added
We are teachers to some variations, concepts, and techniques to give
the core, plain and you ideas.
simple. An idea doesn’t even have to have all the
bugs worked out of it before we need to show SHOW TECHNIQUES, NOT JUST PROJECTS
someone where it is at and where it is going. Once Perhaps you have had a lot of experience and were
the technique is refined and the directions make looking for a more challenging technique or two.
sense: class is in session! That is where you come Maybe bending your first piece of wire is ahead of
in. These designs and techniques are ready for you. you. Possibly the lines and designs of the jewelry in
If you like to see everything step by step, it’s here this book have caught your attention and you wish
in text and pictures. The directions should help you to make and wear them or give them as gifts. Or
4
maybe you are able to peek a little into the future pieces are all shown in
and can envision using the techniques and ideas to bold and prominent size,
springboard your own work. Whatever paths led which is also great for
you here, we want to help provide opportunities, showing techniques and
experiences, and creative directions that help you directions. Not everyone
enjoy the processes and the results of playing with wears statement pieces,
wire and jump rings. though, so we include
some directions for
MAKE THE JEWELRY WEARABLE going from delectable to
Wire can tell a story, paint a picture, capture space, delicate, as well as smaller
or make a connection. In many ways, the jump rings design alternates if you
in chain mail are just fine wires with well-rounded don't feel like tackling
personalities. Wire and chain mail also have some a large necklace or
very different characteristics in drape, and density, bracelet. When you
and dimension. They are worn differently. They are
wear these
shaped differently for functionality and comfort. The KEEP THE
designs in this book came first. There was no way TOOLS AND pieces, we
to make them with just wire or just chain mail. The MATERIALS BASIC
want people to
combination is simply...magical. Considering that
this book starts you ask, “Where did
MAKE IT EASY AT FIRST—AND on a journey toward
THEN MORE COMPLEX fashion jewelry, you you get that?”
The layout of this book follows the evolving might expect special
designs made with wire. First, there is a single wire tools and devices. The
used in a simple formation. Then there are more truth is that sometimes a special pair of pliers or
wires and more complex formations. Each project cutters will help you make the finished product more
includes the specific directions and materials for easily. So, when a specialty tool can make the job
the variation of the basic chain mail pattern that will a bit easier, we will tell you about it. But remember,
be required to make the piece shown. A technique we were thinking about you—so every design in this
reference in the back of the book will gude you book can be made with the most basic pliers, a
through various techniques as needed; flip to this cutter, a measuring device, and a few dowels.
section for more detailed instructions for making
wire shapes and chain mail weaves. You can pick out HELP ME WITH MY DESIGNS
an easier project near the beginning of the book and Creativity comes with “stretch.” After a technique
beginning of each chapter, or you can just dive in is learned and mastered, and long after the favored
and select your favorite. pieces are made and being worn, we hope that the
book will continue to offer you opportunities and
MAKE IT LOOK AMAZING ideas. Wirework and chain mail can continue to be
The designs in this book are meant to have the a timeless springboard for your own designs and
look of classic upscale jewelry. When you wear creative process.
these pieces (and your personal variations) we want
people to ask, “Where did you get that?” instead Enjoy creating and playing with wire!
of “Did you make that?” Everyone deserves a little
awe and amazement from their friends and fans. — Karen and Barbara
The pieces are shown in a narrow color palette
to emphasize the “look.” The pieces are shown
in enamel-coated copper wire or sterling for
affordable style—but by all means, move up to
silver and gold when you are comfortable with the
techniques and have picked a favorite piece. The
5
Tools & Materials
PLIERS KIT with a flat, rectangular
The following list surface, are recom-
of pliers and other mended for opening
common tools is and holding jump rings,
essential for wirework wires, wire bundles, and
and chain mail. other flat work.
Chainnose BENTNOSE PLIERS have FLUSH CUTTERS slice
pliers tapered smooth jaws wire cleanly without
bent at an angle. creating a tapered edge.
“Razor-cut” pliers offer
CHAINNOSE PLIERS the best cut.
have tapered smooth
jaws for gripping, bend- OTHER HELPFUL
ing, shaping, and holding TOOLS
work. Use the jaw edges DOWELS, turned to
for right angles and specific dimensions,
other sharp bends. come in various sizes for
making jump rings, coils,
Pliers with replaceable and repeatable bends.
NYLON JAWS, which
reduce marring, are Use a light adhesive
helpful for straightening TAPE that will not leave
wire. a residue (quilters tape)
to secure wire bundles
ROUNDNOSE PLIERS and mark measurement
have smooth tapered positions on pliers’ jaws.
jaws thickest at the base
and thinnest at the tips. Both a straight-edge
Bentnose pliers FLATNOSE PLIERS, RULER and a FLEXIBLE
TAPE RULER are helpful.
Use a FINE-TIP
PERMANENT MARKER.
Remove marks with
denatured alcohol or
ACETONE.
Keep your tools clean,
in working order and
Flatnose pliers sized for the appropriate
gauges. Use SAFETY
GLASSES when cutting.
6
Nylon-jaw pliers
Roundnose pliers
SPECIALIZED TOOLS Use a CHASING
BAIL-MAKING PLIERS, HAMMER or RAW-HIDE
have jaw with an equal MALLET to flatten
and consistent size. finished wirework or
Choose a graduated impart textures.
wooden, oval or steel- Use MAGNIFYING
stepped cone BRACELET LENSES or an optical
MANDREL. visor with close-up work.
Use a CALIPER to Pliers with SHAPED
measure the gauge JAWS reduce steps in
(wire thickness) and making geometric forms
inner diameter of chain and also improve the
mail jump rings and consistency of edge size
check wire sizes. and the radius of bends.
You can use a COIL Use a RING OPENER—a
MAKER, electric drills, finger band with sized
hand-cranked tools, or slots—to open jump rings Flush cutters
even wooden dowels to with only one pair of pli-
wrap wire for different ers and without putting
size coils. Use roundnose the chain mail down.
pliers’ jaws for graduat-
ed coils. A hand-cranked TUBE
WRINGER makes perfect,
Choose jewelry FILES to uniform, and wonderful
smooth wire ends and waves in metals and
de-burr jump rings. wires.
ACETONE or denatured
alcohol will remove wire Tumbling with a
marks and tape residue. TUMBLER, a polishing
technique for metal
pieces, uses stainless
7
There are two common of the wire, 4mm is the For the projects in this
gauge standards: size of the hole inside book, we use dead-soft
American (AWG) and the ring, and aspect WIRE (the softest wire)
steel shot and a burnish- British (SWG). The ratio is the number of because the pieces
ing liquid to polish and designs in this book use 18-gauge rings that can require a lot of manip-
de-burr. (Tumbling is the AWG wire standard. fit into a 4mm hole. ulation. Beginning with
not recommended for Since 18-gauge wire is hard or half-hard wire
enamel-coated copper.) The inner diameter (ID) 1.0mm thick, four rings makes wrapping multiple
is the size of the hole can fit into a 4mm hole, times difficult.
MATERIALS inside the ring. That and the aspect ratio
For most of the projects hole can be measured is four. The wrapping wire sizes
in this book, you won’t in inches or millimeters are generally 22- and
need much beyond wire (mm). When ordering The same weave can 24-gauge, and “sewing”
and jump rings. supplies for designs in use different wire wire gauges are very
this book, ask for IDs gauges. The 16-gauge fine (28- and 30-gauge).
JUMP RINGS used in millimeters. The inch full Persian in the
in chain mail are equivalents do not al- Triple Twist is bold and 18- or 21-gauge square
referenced by wire ways work the same. forceful, while the same and twisted square wire
size (gauge), ring size weave with 20-gauge allow you to fabricate
(measured by inner Aspect ratio is the term rings in the Geometric most shapes by hand.
diameter), and aspect that defines the relation- Sliders is diminutive 18-gauge half-round
ratio. ship between gauge and and delicate. When you wire is used for designs
inner diameter, and it is change gauge sizes for requiring structural
The gauge is the important when choos- a particular weave, the support. Choose
thickness of the wire. ing rings for a particular ID must change with the 21-gauge half-round
The larger the gauge is, chain mail weave. The same aspect ratio. Al- wire for lighter binding
the thinner the wire is. “mathematical” though the math for this or decorative wires.
Most chain mail jewelry definition of aspect ratio change is precise, the
uses 14–20 gauge wire. is inner diameter (ID) ring size requirements
divided by wire gauge. for certain weaves may
But there is an easier not always translate well
way to understand it. from gauge to gauge. We
recommend that you
Using the example of buy your rings in the
an 18-gauge 4mm sizes listed.
Byzantine weave,
18-gauge is the thickness
8
CHAPTER 1
Loops
