Just a few of my chainmaille jewelry designs...

As a jewelry designer and instructor, I mostly focus on chainmaille, beadweaving, and wirework.  For my chainmaille projects, I first coil and cut my jump rings from sterling silver, silver-filled, gold-filled, bronze, or jeweler's brass wire.  Next, the jump rings are tumble-polished with stainless steel shot, water, and a burnishing compound.

Once the rings are shiny and bright, I'll weave them, one at a time, into one of many chainmaille weaves. The wire diameter and the inner diameter of the rings (the aspect ratio) are specific to each and every weave.  If the ID of the rings is too large or too small, the weave will not work.  There's a lot of math involved with chainmaille - it keeps me on my toes!

I'll share some beadweaving projects in another post - think needle, thread, and beads.  I find all aspects of jewelrymaking relaxing and rewarding.  If you're interested, I highly recommend taking a class, either in your local bead shop or online.  Below are just a handful of my projects; there are many more, but this will give you an idea of the variety of chainmaille weaves.

Bonnie :)