How to make a chain of wire with your own hands?
Of the many handmade jewelry, wire chains look quite expensive and aesthetically pleasing. Despite the fact that making a product requires a long and painstaking work, the final result is really worth it.
Tools and materials
Most often, chains are created precisely from copper wire, but there is also an alternative: brass, steel or silver thread. The main thing is not to choose materials that are too thick, as this can complicate the weaving process. In addition, if further work involves the use of beads, it will be necessary to ensure that the hole of the decorative element corresponds to the thickness of the thread.
In order for the metal used to become more flexible and ductile, some craftsmen it is pre-fired using a conventional gas burner. The tools used are determined depending on the complexity of the jewelry being made. Some of them are created simply with the help of hands, others require a crochet hook, and some will have to be soldered.
Crossbars, vices, files and pliers are often used for work.
Manufacturing instruction
It is quite simple to make a chain of wire with your own hands using the technique called "Viking weaving". Since this method does not require additional metal soldering, work will require just a long piece of thin wire, preferably copper, a pencil, scissors and a ruler.
Before weaving the jewelry, you will need to prepare the base. To do this, a piece of metal thread about 40 centimeters long is twisted six times around the ruler. Having removed the base, it is necessary to fix the resulting loops by wrapping the free end of the wire around them.
If everything is done correctly, then the workpiece will be neatly opened with a "flower", and then put on the blunt tip of a pencil, bending the "petals" on all sides. Further, for work, a new piece of wire is cut off already 70 centimeters long. Leaving a small end free, you need to create a loop around one of the "petals". The next loop is wrapped with an indent of one "petal" to the right, and the movements should be performed from top to bottom. Having created four more loops in the same way, it will turn out to return to the first "petal".
Then you can proceed to the same formation of a new row. To do this, the next loop is created in such a way that it clings to the first loop of an already completed row. Work according to this scheme continues until the tip remains from all the wire, the length of which will be from 10 to 12 centimeters. Since at this stage the decoration is not yet ready, the material needs to be increased. After cutting off a new long wire thread, it must be wound under one of the vertical rows of loops.
When the braid gets to the connection point, the new wire is used alongside the old one. Having brought the row to the end, at the same time reaching the new thread, the last one must be brought up to the left of the loop, and the old one must be hooked to the right of the loop and taken down. For the next few laps the old wire should be used together with the loop of the previous row and then cut. When the dimensions of the weaving are sufficient, the structure can be removed from the pencil base. By gently pulling on the loose ends, the workpiece can be transformed into a beautiful chain.
At home, the same "Viking weaving" can be created using a crochet hook. When preparing tools and materials, it is important to ensure that the thickness of the hook matches the thickness of the gimp. If a beginner master knows how to knit, then working with wire will not present any difficulties for him. Everything is done similarly to the first method, but when the first loop is ready, it will be necessary to crochet the next one and stretch it through the previous one.
The loop is pulled to the required length, after which the process is repeated as many times as necessary to obtain the finished workpiece of the required size.
Very simple wire chain is created from separate rings... First, a long metal thread is cut into several pieces, the length of which does not exceed 5 centimeters. Bending the ends, it is necessary to press them firmly with the flat part of the pliers. If done correctly, a piece with curved round tips should form. Each piece of gimp is taken with pliers at the midpoint, after which it is bent in half so that one loop is pressed against the other. It is important that the tool is always centered at all times during work.
When creating any piece of jewelry, one should not forget about clasps. To do this, at the end of the wire, you will have to make small loops into which hooks of a suitable size will be threaded.
The thickness of this fittings should be determined depending on the thickness of the metal thread.
Recommendations
To weave a wire chain, you can use one of the traditional twisting techniques. For example, this could be an anchoring method that requires links to be attached to each other at a 90 degree angle. In this case, the individual links should have an oval shape. If a crossbar is added between the individual links, then the weaving can be called a "sea anchor".
See below about the viking weaving technique for making a chain of wire with your own hands.
