A first chainmail project

A bracelet is the right first project. It is small enough to finish in an evening, large enough to teach you the weave, and useful when it is done. This plan uses European 4-in-1 in aluminum, which is forgiving and cheap.

What to buy

• Rings: 16 SWG with a 1/4 inch inside diameter (aspect ratio about 3.9), or 18 SWG with 3/16 inch. About 250 rings covers a wrist up to seven inches with spare, in two or three colours if you want a pattern. Anodised aluminum rings are easy to find as chainmail jump rings.
• Pliers: two matching pairs of smooth flat nose pliers. See the tools guide.
• Clasp: a lobster clasp and a spare ring to attach it.

Links go to Amazon and earn a commission; see the affiliate disclosure. If you would rather buy a bundled set, the kit buying guide covers what to look for.

Prepare the rings

Sort rings into two dishes: open and closed. Take half the rings, open each by twisting as in how to open and close jump rings, and leave the others closed. Mixing them is the commonest cause of wasted time. Work from one batch.

Build the first row

1. Take two open rings and slip two closed rings onto each. You have two groups of three.
2. Take a third open ring. Slip one end of each group on, then close the ring. You now have a short chain of five rings.
3. Check the rings lie flat and alternate left and right.

Add rows

Each new row follows the same move. Open a ring, pass it through two rings of the previous row that sit next to each other, add one closed ring, and close it. Repeat along the row until it reaches the width you want. For a bracelet two rings wide is slim, three is typical and four is substantial.

Alternate the tilt of the rings from row to row. If you see a ring leaning the same direction as its neighbour, rework it. The European 4-in-1 diagram in the weave guide shows the pattern.

Check as you go

Lay the piece flat after every few rows. It should be straight, even, and flexible without gaps. If an edge curls, find the row where a ring flipped and fix it. If it looks stiff, the ring size may be too tight; check the aspect ratio.

Length

Measure your wrist with a strip of paper. Add about half an inch for ease, and add the length of the clasp. A wrist that measures six and a half inches wants a bracelet around seven inches including the clasp. Stretch is small, so measure before you stop.

Attach the clasp

Use a spare ring to attach the lobster clasp to the end rings of one side, and a plain ring to the other end for the clasp to catch. Use two rings at each end, not one, so the clasp does not lever a single ring open. Close the rings with no gap.

Finishing

Check every ring for a visible seam. Close any that gape. Rinse aluminum in water and dry it. Avoid chlorine and strong cleaners, which can dull anodised colours.

What to try next

Once this works, try a longer strip in a different colour order, or move on to Byzantine. For something bigger, see the scale mail dice bag.