Project Elf Chain continues!

[janestarz]

With the financial impulse of my holiday money, Project Elf Chain continues:



I have some 5000 small aluminium scales to make a set of sleeves out of. Stay tuned for updates!

New achievements unlocked!

European 4-in-1

Aluminium rings.

Boring weave, really not my thing, still looks boring even though it's green. I wouldn't want to do a shirt in this but probably will some day. (Black RVS is on the list but I promised myself one big project at a time)

Half-Persian 4-in-1

Rubber and aluminium rings.

Am surprised to hear this weave gives people headaches. This video taught me all I know. Only had to try two times and got it.

Full Persian

Aluminium rings.

Learned this one at KreaDoe. It's a headache to start up but using wire ties makes it a LOT easier.
Can also be done with rubber rings, but it still makes a pretty chunky chain.

Go me!

Comments

[absintheskiss.livejournal.com]

This character had better live a very, very long time!

[janestarz.livejournal.com]

Updated with some more pictures now!

Well, the chain mail will probably be legendary...

[fiofiorina.livejournal.com]

I believe this set of chain mail will become a family heirloom

[twilightbanana.livejournal.com]

Yay for E4-1 and the Persians!

[tarlia.livejournal.com]

I never did managed the half-persian when I tried it. I'll check the video out!

[twilightbanana.livejournal.com]

Here's how I teach this to people. This would be the easy way that should help you grasp the weave. Later you can use all metal rings, but for now rubber will help as they are a different colour, and they stack more easily.

(pictures would help, but I don't have any unfortunately).

Use rings with an AR of around 5 or 6. Rubber 1,7x7,9 mm and metal 1,6x8,5 mm are a good combination (these would both be 16 ga. 5/16" in non-metric)

Hang four rubber rings on one metal ring and close the metal ring.
Seperate the rubber rings: two to the left, two to the right.
Stack them into a little set of steps stepping away from you (counting from left to right) : \\\\

*)Hang one new rubber ring from one open metal ring. Pass the metal ring through the rightmost (and hindmost) rubber ring, from the back of your piece to the front. Pass it back through the two previous rings, from the front to the back.
Close the metal ring, stack the new rubber ring behind the others.

Repeat from *) until you have the right length. Note that the metal rings will also stack, though in the opposite direction of the rubber rings. Metal rings never pass through other metal rings; if they do, you've made a mistake.

To finish, add one metal ring without adding a rubber ring to both ends, or just cut away one rubber ring on each end. Put a clasp on one end and a short length of chain on the other. Done!



OR, if you're feeling like another challenge, you can try to connect the ends. Leave the extra rubber rings on both ends, and prepare three more open metal rings. Put the ends (I'll call them Start and End) together, making sure the rubber rings stack properly.

Pretend the first ring on the Start is your new rubber ring: pass the first metal ring from back to front through the first rubber ring at the Start and the last rubber ring at the End. Then pass the metal ring from the front to the back to the two previous rings of the End. Close the metal ring, and tidy up; re-stack.

Pass the next metal ring from back to front through the first two rings at the Start, then from front to back through the last two rings of the End. Close the metal ring, and tidy up your stack.

The last one is tricky, because there isn't much space to move. Take your time. Pass the metal ring from back to front through the 2nd and 3rd ring at the Start, and from front to back through the 1st Start and last End ring. Close the ring, and celebrate. You're done.

Thanks!

[tarlia.livejournal.com]

*bookmarks this link and then hides under something to whimper a little*