Eastern Promise

Cultures collide in this beautiful chain maille necklace

James Stevenson, MJ Designer

"It really is worthwhile properly opening and closing the required number of jump rings before starting a chain maille project – this way everything's ready to go and you can concentrate on the fun part of putting them all together!"

Work Japanese style 12-in-2 chain maille with fiery wire wrapped fire-polished dangles to create James Stevenson from Crystals and Ice Bead Shop's statement piece worthy of a princess all for under £10.00! Jump rings have never looked so good!

Necklace

1. Thread seven head pins with individual fire-polished beads and create wrapped loops. Close all of the medium and large jump rings, and open all of the small ones. Make a triangle by laying out three medium jump rings, and stack another on top of each. Link each stack to the next using two small jump rings for each join. Repeat a further five times to make six units.
2. Create a double stacked jump ring chain in the following pattern: 8mm, 6mm, 6mm, 6mm, 8mm, 6mm, 8mm, 8mm, 6mm, 8mm, 6mm, 6mm, 6mm, 8mm, using two 3mm rings to join. Lay this on a flat surface, and starting from the lefthand side, attach a triangle between the third, fourth and fifth rings, using two small jump rings for each join. Each top stack of the triangle should be joined to two rings on either side.
3. Attach the next triangle to the righthand top ring of the first triangle and to the fifth and sixth rings. Secure the next triangle to the right-hand top ring of the previous triangle and to the sixth and seventh rings. Secure the next triangle to the right-hand top ring of the previous triangle and to the eighth and ninth rings.
4. Continue in this way, adding another triangle next to the previous, and to the ninth and tenth rings. Join the last triangle to the previous and the tenth, eleventh and twelfth links. Lay two large jump rings on top of each other, and place between the two centre triangles. Attach each ring from the triangles to the large centre rings using two small jump rings.
5. Create a three link double stacked chain of medium jump rings and attach the first stack to the bottom of the left-hand centre triangle and to the large jump rings in the centre. Attach the next to the large rings in the centre, and the left-hand rings. Link the final one to the large rings, the bottom of the right-hand centre triangle and the rings to the left.
6. Use a small jump ring to attach a wrapped dangle to the bottom of every triangle, and to each stack of the three bottom rings in the centre of the necklace. Cut 50cm of trace chain into two equal lengths and use a small jump ring to attach both ends to one side of the chain maille panel. Secure the other side to a trigger clasp.