beginner

chain mail

C hain mail has been used as a garment

of war by various cultures since at least

the fifth century. In recent generations,

we’ve adapted the techniques and weaves to

create art and jewelry.

To make these simple yet elegant earrings,

you’ll coax a Japanese chain mail weave into

a circular pattern to form an orb. Carefully

held inside the orb is a small, half-hidden

gemstone. These gemstones can have signifi-

cance beyond their aesthetic appeal — you

can choose your gemstone for its folkloric or

symbolic attributes, such as rose quartz for

romance or aventurine for creativity. For a

different look, try a combination of colored

niobium jump rings or a blend of silver and

gold-filled rings.

The procedure for making an orb can be

divided into three phases: the chain phase, the

triangle phase, and the orb phase. There are

other sequences to achieve the same end, such

as forming each row of the triangle separately,

but I prefer to use this method as it is the least

confusing and most efficient.

Make a Simple Chain mail Capture

Adapting a flat weave into a round form is easier than it looks.

by Beth Hall

ORB EARRINGS

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©2008 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.

2

Close twelve 6 mm-inside-diameter (ID) jump rings and open twenty-four 4 mm ID jump rings. Place four 6 mm rings inside one 4 mm ring, and close the 4 mm ring.

Place a second 4 mm ring through all four 6 mm rings, and close it.

Separate the 6 mm rings so there is a pair on each side of the 4 mm rings.

Use a pair of 4 mm rings to connect a pair of 6 mm rings to a previous set of 6 mm rings.

Continue this pattern until you have a chain of six pairs of 6 mm rings alternat-ing with five pairs of 4 mm rings.

NOTE: The numbers shown inside the rings will act as a guide to making the connections between rings during the triangle phase.

Pro

cess ph

oto

s by B

arry Hall.

1 Make the chain

endless

possibilities• Make a bracelet by connecting eight orbs with pairs

of jump rings.• Make a pendant by attaching a dangling drop bead

to a single orb, then suspend the assembly from a snake chain.

• Make a necklace by using pairs of jump rings to connect three orbs. Then attach them to a handmade chain. Attach further pendants, such as a fourth orb and dangling drop beads, right, to the center orb.

• Attach orbs to your cell phone or MP3 player, to a light pull or fan, or to your car’s rearview mirror!

3

Lay the chain on your work surface so that it forms a triangle, positioning it so that three pairs of 6 mm rings are on the bottom of the triangle; two pairs of 6 mm rings are in the middle; and one pair of 6 mm rings is on the top.

Using the ring numbers in the previous photo as a guide, connect the rows of the triangle by adding a pair of 4 mm rings at each of the four possible new connection points. (For clarity, the image shows these connection points

in green rings.) The triangle now consists of six pairs of 6 mm rings and nine pairs of 4 mm connector rings.

NOTE: While you’re making the connections, hold the piece in your hand, rather than laying it on the table; this allows you to maneuver the jump rings more easily. If you lose your place or get confused, return the piece to the table, and re-form your triangle.

When you’ve finished the triangle, double-check to ensure that all rings of the triangle are in pairs.

2 Make the triangles

Thread a 4 mm ring through 6 mm-ring pairs 6 and 3 of the triangle (the points of the triangle on the right side), and close it. Add another 4 mm ring to complete the paired connection (the image shows this new connection point in green rings).

Insert your bead or gemstone into the little pouch that has been created by the last step.

Connect 6 mm-ring pairs 1 and 3, and then 1 and 6, with pairs of 4 mm rings to form the orb (the image shows these connection points in green rings).

3 Make the orbs

NOTE: A bit of gentle coaxing may be required to attach the last few rings, as space is getting tight. Try gently rolling the orb in your hand or shaking it in cupped hands, or try using a different 4 mm ring or even a different entry point for the new ring. Don’t force it. If it seems absolutely impossible, or there is a wide gap between the points of the triangle, you may have to choose a smaller gemstone, particularly if it is faceted.

Repeat the above steps to make the second earring in the pair.

Not all manufactured ear

wires will accommodate the width of the paired 4 mm rings. To avoid this problem, I like to create my own ear wires (see “Make Your Own Ear Wires,” page 5).

Note that the orb has two possible hanging positions. One position displays the stone more prominently. In order to have this side facing forward when the earrings are worn, connect the ear wire directly to a pair of 4 mm rings. If you want to make your earrings longer, use an even number of jump rings to connect the orb to the ear wire. Using an odd number will cause the orb to dangle with the alternate side facing out.

4

Attach the ear wires

materials ■ Sterling silver jump rings:

■ 16-gauge (1.3 mm), 6 mm inside diameter (ID), 24

■ 18-gauge (1.0 mm), 4 mm ID, 48 ■ 6 mm beads or undrilled gemstones (you may need a smaller size if using faceted stones): 2

■ Pair of ear wires

4

T he question of what particular stones

“mean” is a perfect example of a can of

worms just begging to be opened. After all,

the world of gems and jewelry is inhabited not only

by those who believe that crystals have magical

healing properties, but also by those who define

stones strictly by their scientific properties —

finding middle ground calls for uncommon levels of

diplomacy. George Frederick Kunz, in his 1913 book,

The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, related one

such instance of skepticism:

“Here and there, however, a note of

skepticism was sometimes apparent, as

in the famous reply of the court jester of

Emperor Charles V, to the question,

‘What is the property of the turquoise?’

‘Why,’ replied he, ‘if you should happen

to fall from a high tower whilst you were

wearing a turquoise on your finger, the

turquoise would remain unbroken.’”

And yet, we have a peculiarly human need to see

meaning in the stones that we admire so much.

What particular gemstones symbolize is largely

determined by what culture is choosing the symbol;

different peoples throughout history have credited

stones with bringing certain human characteristics

to the fore, or with warding off particular external

influences or internal failings.

Anyone trying to determine an exact meaning for

each stone will confront the inescapable truth that

symbols hold the meanings that we give them and

have the power that we allow them. Here’s a list of

some common gemstones paired with their most

commonly named symbolic meanings. —HLW

Agate: calmness, courage, grace, fidelity, remembrance, longevity

Alexandrite: grace, purity, abundance of joy and hope

Amber: sensuality, wisdom

Amethyst: sobriety, spirituality, happiness, humility, sincerity

Aquamarine: health, hope, youth

Carnelian: courage, joy, sexual appetite

Chrysoprase: generosity, wisdom, communication, eloquence

Citrine: creativity, wisdom, mental health, generosity

Coral: fertility

Diamond: courage, fidelity, purity, innocence, brilliance, constancy, joy

Emerald: wisdom, growth, patience, perception, memory, truth, self-knowledge, youth, rebirth, hope

Garnet: passion, loyalty, love, strength, vigor, courage

Hematite: courage

Iolite: leadership, self-confidence

Jade: courage, wisdom, mercy, justice, love, fidelity, generosity, purity, health, longevity, harmony

Jasper: confidence, boldness, fertility, creativity, mental clarity, purity

Labradorite: vision, spiritual guidance

Lapis lazuli: power, wisdom, insight, intuition

Moonstone: rebirth and new beginnings, good fortune, intelligence

Pearl: innocence, purity, modesty, humility

Ruby: glory, courage, power, charity, dignity, passion

Sapphire: tranquility, amiability, hope, sight, contemplation, truth, virtue

Tigereye: willpower, confidence, personal insight

Topaz: chastity, friendship, fidelity, hope, courage, gentleness, integrity

Turquoise: wisdom, romance, spiritual love, earth, happiness, hope, good health

Zircon: respect

symbolism

of stonesthe

EDITOR’S NOTE

5

Handmade ear wires can range from simple to elaborate, with spiral embel-lishments, forged edges, or granulated designs. The benefits of creating your own ear wires are that you get the design you want, the size that fits your needs, and the style that complements your particular project.

Cut two 60 mm (23 ⁄8-in.) pieces of 20-gauge (0.8 mm) wire. Use a needle file to file one end of each piece flush, then use sandpaper to remove any burs.

Use flatnose pliers to make a 90° bend 10 mm (approximately ½ in.) from one end of the wire [A]. Using roundnose pliers on the short end, make a loop [B].

To form the curve for the ear, bend the long tail of the wire around a dowel. (I used a size 17 [12 mm-diameter] knitting needle) [C].

Push the outside of the curve against the dowel while bending the end of the tail slightly outward to give the ear wire more form [D].

Use wire cutters to trim the tail to your desired length. With a needle file and sandpaper, file and de-bur the end of the wire, giving the tip a smooth surface where it enters the ear.

Lay the ear wire on a bench block, and hammer the curves slightly with a ball-peen or planishing hammer to work-harden them and to give the wire a forged look. Use a rawhide mallet to flatten and harden the entire surface.

Your ear wire will likely widen during hammering; reshape the ear wire as needed. Repeat to make the second ear wire.

make your own

ear wiresmaterials

■ Sterling silver wire: 20-gauge (0.8 mm), round, half-hard, 12 cm (4¾ in.)

Beth Hall is a jewelry artisan and musician based in Westborough, Massachusetts. She and her husband, Barry Hall, perform Celtic, Renaissance, and Medieval music under the name “Nine Stones.” More of Hall’s work can be seen at www.ninestones.com/adderstone/jewelry; she may be contacted by e-mail at beth@ninestones.com.

A B

C D