New Chain Maille Fascination

I love jewelry. I don't wear it much, since I'm usually working at home. But I do love it.

I enjoy helping my children when they design their jewelry. I would like to sell what I make, but with a wonderful jewelry maker at the Elmsdale Farmers Market (and she really does fabulous silver wire-work), I wanted to go in a different direction in case I decided to take things to the market for sale.

So, I decided to try out chain maille. And I've fallen in love (once again!). It's very time consuming, and it took me 3 evenings to make my first bracelet (which was a fairly simple Byzantine weave), but after a few repetitions it went fairly smoothly. And if I hadn't been watching the Olympics at the same time I probably would have finished it much quicker :)

Anyway, here are some pics. After some practice, I'd like to offer some pieces in copper, fine silver, and possibly 10k solid gold (even though it's expensive...)

Looks like another obsession!

The last time I was obsessed about anything was when I started making candles and soaps, back in 2000. Now I have another obsession...

I recently purchased some beading supplies for my two younger children, who are 7 and 10. They've been making simple bracelets, rings, earrings and chokers (which I have available at the store if anybody's interested). So, the last 3 evenings while watching tv, I've been playing with some copper wire, and this is what I've come up with...

Nothing fancy, and I can spot all the mistakes. But it was so much fun watching me transform simple copper wire into something that I'm now wearing on my wrist. And it fits perfectly! I don't normally like bracelets as I don't like dangly things around my hands. But this fits like a glove :) Almost as if it was made for me - oh, wait, it WAS made for me, BY me :)