Just Create Weekend, July 27

[silvercat17]

I am back from doing things and a big thank you to Kyleri for doing the post last week! Now I need to do all the things before I start my new job in a week or two.

How are y'all doing? What have you gotten done and what are you working on?

Comments

[urbanspaceman]

I'm on a chain mail kick right now. I've been opening rings to finish my coif, which is down to my shoulders, and only needs two more inches of Euro 4-in-1 plus the bishop's mantle before it's done!

[silvercat17]

Nice! Looking good. I've always been interested in mail, but I have too many hobbies as it is.

[urbanspaceman]

Thanks! It's a lot of fun and is very satisfying, but can be a bit of an investment; good jewelry pliers aren't cheap compared to the short-handled crappy ones that kill your hands or the workmen's rough ones with no springs (which are aggravating because you have to manually open them every time you go to pick up a ring), and the supplies can be pretty costly, especially if you like your metals anodized, use stainless steel, use precious metals, etc.

I've been making mail and maille jewelry for a long time, and it seems the price of rings goes up on a monthly basis these days. :P

[kellan_the_tabby]

Ooh, shiny!

Ever played with riveted mail? I know I don't have the patience, it takes forEVer, but it looks SO COOL.

[urbanspaceman]

No, I just do mail with butted rings; I don't ever make my own rings, as I dislike the uneven look of pinch-cut rings in jewelry applications. ;-)

Also, I don't make welded rings-- the whole welding thing is just a bit too much for me to want to try. ;-)

I mostly make jewelry instead of armor. This amor piece is intended to be for renaissance festival type wear (decorative) only, not functional.

[kellan_the_tabby]

I think I'd be more likely to play with riveted mail than with making my own rings, which makes NO sense, but I don't think I'd get very far with either. I lurve chain mail jewelry, though I've only made, like, one bracelet. I'll stick to banging on copper & leave the links to someone else.

[urbanspaceman]

Yeah, I know what you mean. :-) I think I'd like to try alcohol dyes and resin sealing to make some custom-colored chainmail accent pieces using non-anodized aluminum scales, but right now I don't have the money to invest in any new craft supplies!

[kellan_the_tabby]

Ohhh those look FUN.

[juzo_kun]

...so cool!!!

[urbanspaceman]

Thank you! :D

[ruinousrapture]

Nicely done! I have a fried who makes chain mail jewelry and well... Chain mail crafting ain't for the weak! Your work is looking great!

[urbanspaceman]

Thank you! :D Frequently people marvel at how much patience it must take to make mail. I don't know if I'd say it tries my patience quite so much as it tries my persistence. X-D I'm usually quite calm and serene making it and am content to work on it for much longer at a stretch than is strictly healthy for my joints-- I just have to keep at it until the piece is done!

(The only weave that's ever destroyed my patience is Moorish Rose, which I simply cannot for the life of me learn to do-- I need a teacher to help me with the tricky two steps of that one and tell me if I've got it right yet or not).

Thank you! :-)