Chain Maille Earrings

When I teach Chain Maille classes, I always show my students how to make that particular pattern into earrings. Not only is it nice to have a matching set (earrings and bracelet) but it reinforces how to start the weave. Often starting a weave is the hardest part. When you make a bracelet and a pair of earrings, you have to start three times.

Plus you can always make a pair for a good friend who has admired your handiwork.

The first pair of earrings is Byzantine, the second, Flower or Mobius and the third, Parallel or Helm. (One thing with Chain Maille weaves, they all have at least one more different name)

Earrings make nice graduation, teacher or wedding gifts.

B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com

Kumihimo Necklace

Last week we had beautiful weather and I started a Kumihimo necklace. (You can see the post here)

I finally finished the necklace and here it is:




I was lazy and did not take the time to get a good picture of the pendant. (I'll show the picture I took last week) It is too pretty to not see a closer picture. Unfortunately, this is still not a good picture.





At least I finished a piece. Now on to finishing some more pieces I have started.


Today is cold (51 degrees) and encourages me to stay inside and work on unfinished pieces.


B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com

Chain Maille Class

Last Saturday, I taught a Chain Maille class in the Barrel weave. For various reasons it seemed to be forever in the planning. But finally we all got together at The Beadcache in Mansfield, MA and away we went.

One person had not made any Chain Maille before, the other two had experience. It never hurts to hear the basic instructions of how to open and close jump rings and what gauge and ID mean.

I always bring my "stash" of finished Chain Maille to show my students what can be accomplished. (Somehow this always results in "Oh, can you teach us how to make ...?")
;-)

The best part of teaching is seeing the smiles on the faces as they look at what they have made. "I can't believe I made this" is heard more than once or "I just love this!" It makes it all worth while.

I also get to make a bracelet too. How else do you show people how to make the Barrel weave? I've been told more than once that "I have to be shown how to do -this or that - to be able to make something"

I finished my bracelet when I got home. I had a nice pink lampwork bead just sitting around waiting for its place in my new bracelet. My students made a plain Barrel weave bracelet but were also shown how to add a bead as I did. They were also shown how to make the Barrel weave variation you can see in a previous post. A favorite Math teacher I had in high school, Mr. Conroy, always gave what he called "the enriched" class. Mr. Conroy, I try to do that too.

B

www.bevsjewelry.com and www.bevsjewelry.1000markets.com