This is part 3 of the tutorial on how to make chainmail. And in this part we get to the good stuff. We actually start weaving the chainmail.

Let's Weave some Chain Mail

There are a wide variety of pattens that you can weave and some of them are very complex and difficult. But there is one pattern that is pretty much a staple of mail making. And it is a really good looking pattern. It is called the 4 in 1 pattern. This is because every ring is linked by four other rings. This is the pattern that we will make in this tutorial.

Here is a quick look at the four in one pattern. You might be thinking that this is going to be pretty tricky but actually it is easy. That is because of the way we do it.

Start with five links. Close up four of them and open up one of them.

Take those four closed rings and place them right onto the open ring. Then close that open ring.

Okay now lay that five piece down on the table just like shown. Notice how the middle ring is oriented with the high point away from you.

Go ahead and lay a few of them out on the table. And be sure to keep the orientation exactly the same in all of them. Can you see how this is starting to give the hint of actual chainmail? Well, now its just a matter of stitching stuff together. And, as odd as it sounds, even the stitched in rings will become 4 in 1's.

Okay, let's do our first stitch. In the picture we have two four-in-ones aligned close together. And we have an open ring. Notice how the four-in-ones are in the exact same orientation.

Push those two four-in-ones together so they overlap very nicely. You can see how the pattern continues very nicely. THere is just a ring missing. That is the open ring that we will insert.

These next two pictures show where that open ring goes.

I am left handed so I start on the left. If you are right handed then you would probably want to reverse this two picture process. You will insert the open ring down into that hole where the toothpick is.

Then you bring the ring up out from this gap here where the toothpick is shown.

This shows that ring just inserted. See how it goes down between the two on the left and then up between the two rings on the right?

That's pretty much it! Use your pliers and close that ring you just inserted.

And that is it! You can go ahead and just add on another 4-in-1 to this and then add another. Well you get the picture.

This process will get us long chains. But we also have to learn how to stitch pieces to the sides of this.

Okay, lets continue on with the tutorial and see how we stitch chains like this together

Chainmail Joe Bright Aluminum 1 Pound Chainmail Jump Rings, 18SWG 1/4"ID

You are looking at one pound of quality Bright Aluminum jump rings for making outstanding jewelery or mail armor. These rings are saw cut by an extremely precise jewelers saw (0.008" thick) to make perfect closings for your projects. They are made of Aluminum Alloy 5356, which has 5% Magnesium and makes for a much brighter finish than regular aluminum and doesn't oxidize(no blackness ruboff). They have been cleaned and polished and are ready to use!

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