DIY Chain Maille Bracelets

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Recently I had Irina from Irina’s Cute Box here to share with you her gorgeous chain maille pearl bracelet tutorial.  My sister fell in love with it, so when we had a night together this weekend, we knew it was time to give this project a go.  They were super easy, and worked up fast.  We are both addicted, and we love our new bracelets.  I have a few designs in mind with some beads other than pearls, and sis wants to make one with glass beads next.

Chain Maille #Bracelet Tutorial at @savedbyloves

Irina’s tutorial linked above is super easy to follow.  I want to share with you a few tips I learned in the process of creating these beautiful bracelets.

SUPPLIES:

I used a 6mm pearls with 9mm jump rings and 8mm pearls with 11mm jump rings

Jewelry pliers

OR…

This handy dandy jeweler’s jump ring tool for easy opening and closing of jump rings:

I love this thing because you can put it on your finger and still have both hands available for the jewelry work, unlike using pliers to open and close the jump rings.  Well worth the $3.

TUTORIAL:

Chain Maille #Bracelet Tutorial at @savedbyloves

For more detailed description, see original chain maille bracelet tutorial post.  After your first “Nest”, make sure you add a jump ring at the bottom to keep the first pearl from popping out (shown in bottom picture).  I ended up adding 2 jump rings there since my beads were smaller in comparison to the jump rings than Irina’s.  Even with one, the bottom one popped out of its box.

Here is a variation using copper split rings and black glass beads:

The possibilities are endless.  Your imagination will go wild when you get into this project.  These would make great Christmas gifts.  They are stunning, inexpensive, simple and quick!

Chain Maille #Bracelet Tutorial at @savedbyloves

Chain Maille #Bracelet Tutorial at @savedbyloves

For more bracelet how to’s, be sure and visit the SBLC tutorial gallery, HERE.

Don’t forget about our 50+ bracelet roundup with the best DIY bracelet tutorials on the web, in one spot!

How to Make Chain Maille & Pearl Bracelet

How to make chain maille bracelet at @savedbyloves

I am so excited to share with you this beautiful chain maille bracelet by Irina from Irina’s Cute Box.  Chain maille goes back to medieval times as a metal weaving technique they used to make armour worn by knights.  Now it is a common jewelry technique.  I have always wanted to try chain maille, but have been intimidated by its complex appearance.  This is Irina’s first attempt, which encourages me to try out the technique.  Her piece came out beautifully, and I would never have guessed she was a novice.  See how to make your own chain maille jewelry, incorporating pearls!  Take it away Irina…

I’d like to share how I made this chain maille bracelet with pearls.

I made jump rings of sterling silver filled wire (18 ga, half hard). The rings have to be a little bit bigger than beads.

Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial

To make first bracelet link, connected 4 rings as it shown on the picture.

Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial

Then keeping them in fingers fingers as shown on the image below, I “opened” the rings forming them in a shape of nest. Places a pearl bead inside the nest.

Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial
Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial

Then, closed upper rings like it shown on the picture…

Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial

… and connected them with two more jump rings. This rings are starting next chain maille bracelet link.

Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial

Again… opened rings to make a nest, placed a bead inside.

Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial

Closed the rings and connected with more jump rings.

Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial

And so on until the bracelet is needed length. In the end, I attached a clasp, and the bracelet is ready to wear 🙂

Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial

And there are earrings to match the bracelet. 🙂

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