Chainmaille jewellery

What it is

Open a jump ring, thread it through others, close it, and repeat a few hundred times in a set sequence, and flat metal rings become a flexible fabric of woven metal. Chainmaille jewellery borrows the techniques of medieval armourers, who linked iron rings into mail shirts, and applies them at a fine scale to bracelets, earrings, pendants, and necklaces. The rings do all the work, since there is no soldering, no casting, just rings opened and closed in patterns called weaves.

Each weave is a recipe. European 4-in-1, the classic dense armour weave, has every ring passing through four others, while byzantine, box chain, and dozens of others each have their own rhythm of which ring goes through which. Learning a weave means learning a repeatable sequence, and once it is in your hands the work becomes meditative and almost automatic, ring after ring building the pattern.

Ring dimensions are everything, and this trips up newcomers. A weave only works within a specific range of aspect ratio, the relationship between a ring's inner diameter and its wire thickness, so buying random rings leads to weaves that either will not close up or flop loosely. Suppliers sell rings by exact gauge and inner diameter for this reason, and saw-cut rings close far more neatly than cheaper pinch-cut ones.

The materials range from cheap bright aluminium, light and colourful, to sterling silver and even titanium. Two pairs of pliers and a bag of rings, and you are weaving metal.

Fun facts

The aspect ratio of a ring, its inner diameter divided by its wire thickness, determines which weaves are even possible, so chainmaille artists specify rings by precise measurements and a weave that works in one aspect ratio simply will not form in another.
Bright aluminium rings are a favourite for colourful jewellery because anodised aluminium can be dyed vivid permanent colours, is extremely light to wear, and costs a fraction of silver, letting makers experiment freely without a fortune in metal.
Saw-cut jump rings, sliced with a fine saw blade, close with a nearly invisible flush join, whereas cheaper pinch-cut rings have a slightly angled cut that leaves a visible gap, which is why serious chainmaille work almost always uses saw-cut rings.

How it works

Buy the right rings before anything else, because chainmaille lives and dies on ring dimensions. Each weave needs a specific aspect ratio, so order saw-cut jump rings in the exact gauge and inner diameter your chosen weave calls for rather than grabbing a mixed craft pack. Saw-cut rings close flush and almost invisibly, while pinch-cut rings leave a visible angled gap, and using the wrong size means a weave that either jams up or hangs loose and shapeless.

Master opening and closing a ring properly, since a badly closed ring ruins the look and the strength. Hold the ring with pliers in each hand and twist the ends past each other sideways, like opening a door, never pulling them apart outward, which deforms the round shape permanently. To close, twist back until the two ends meet flush with a tiny click and no gap or step you can catch a fingernail on. Most of chainmaille quality is in these clean closures.

Then follow your weave sequence patiently. Start with a simple, forgiving weave like byzantine or a basic chain, keep your rings sorted, and work the same repeatable motion of which ring passes through which. Using two pairs of smooth-jawed pliers, ideally flat-nose and chain-nose, gives the control to manipulate rings without scratching them.

Keep open and closed rings in separate dishes so you never lose track mid-weave.

Benefits

Weaves Metal Without Soldering or Heat Deeply Repetitive and Meditative Durable, Genuinely Impressive Jewellery Hundreds of Weaves to Explore Colourful Anodised Aluminium Options Affordable to Start in Aluminium A Satisfying Pattern-Based Skill

What you need

Here's what to gather before you start. The essentials are marked.

Some links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, trylii.com earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Jump rings: saw-cut rings in the gauge and inner diameter your weave needs

Two pairs of pliers: smooth flat-nose and chain-nose, no teeth to scratch

SuggestedAffiliate

Pliers

View on Amazon

Clasps and findings: to finish bracelets and necklaces

Bright aluminium rings: light, colourful, and cheap for practice

A weave tutorial: clear instructions for a starter weave like byzantine

Small dishes: to separate open and closed rings

Ring-making tools: a mandrel and saw to cut your own rings Optional

FAQs

Do I need to solder or use heat?

No, chainmaille uses no heat, soldering, or casting at all. The entire craft is built from jump rings opened and closed with pliers and woven through one another in patterns, so the only tools you truly need are two pairs of pliers and the right rings. This is a big part of its appeal, since you can make strong, intricate metal jewellery on a kitchen table with no torch, kiln, or specialist setup.

Why won't my weave hold together or sit right?

Almost certainly the ring size is wrong for the weave. Every weave needs rings within a specific aspect ratio, the inner diameter relative to the wire thickness, and rings outside that range either will not close into the pattern or leave it loose and floppy. Order rings in the exact gauge and inner diameter your weave specifies rather than using a mixed pack, and the weave will form correctly.

What metal should a beginner start with?

Bright anodised aluminium. It is very light, comes in vivid permanent colours, and costs a fraction of silver, so you can practise freely without worrying about wasting expensive metal. It is also soft enough to open and close easily while you learn the motion. Once your closures are clean and you know a few weaves, you can move up to sterling silver, copper, or other metals for finished pieces.

How do I get those invisible, gap-free joins?

Use saw-cut rings and close them with a proper sideways twist. Saw-cut rings have a flush, clean cut that meets almost invisibly, unlike cheaper pinch-cut rings with their angled gap. Closing technique matters just as much, opening and closing by twisting the ends sideways rather than pulling them apart keeps the ring round so the ends meet perfectly. Together, good rings and clean closures give the seamless look of quality chainmaille.