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DIY Chainmail Necklace

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Did you know that chainmail was the earliest form of metal armor and was invented as early as 300BC by the ancient Celts? Used as protective armor for centuries by multiple cultures, it’s still being made today – often in the form of jewelry. It’s a method I was determined to teach myself years ago as a jewelry designer and I’m so excited to share the most simple chainmail necklace tutorial. Don’t let the process intimidate you, it’s actually quite easy! So grab your pliers and let’s get medieval . . .

You’ll need:

Start by separating the jump rings into two halves: 175 open and 175 closed.

Thread three closed jump rings onto an open jump ring. Close the ring. Spread the three rings apart, with the rings looking exactly as shown below. The bottom ring will be the end of the necklace and the top two rings, which are spread open over the middle ring, will be where the chain mail begins.

Keeping the rings in place with your forefinger and thumb, take an open jump ring and hook it through the front side of the two rings.

Add 2 closed rings to the open ring and close.

Spread the two rings apart in the same way as the first set of rings. Take another open jump ring and hook it through the front side of the top two closed rings.

Add 2 closed rings and close. Continue the same steps until you’ve reached the desired length.

To add an optional fourth row, lay the necklace flat and hook an open ring through first and second closed rings on the right side. Close the ring. Add another open ring through the second and third ring. Close. Add another through the third and fourth ring and so on. Can you notice a pattern forming?

I stopped at 4 rows but you can continue adding rows for a more bib-like necklace.

Connect the two ends with a single jump ring or clasp.

Fini!

(top image from here, rest of images by HonestlyWTF)

113 Comments

  2. irem    November 8, 2011

    great !!
    I think it needs a lot of patience to do it but I’m gonna try it, looks great =)

  11. Nikki    November 8, 2011

    I absolutely love your DIY’s and this one, in particular, is amazing! The fact that you gave a little history lesson before the tutorial is really cool as I am a huge history buff! I can’t wait to try this one —- you make it look so simple! The necklace turned out beautifully!

    http://www.cositabella.com

  13. Cynthia    November 8, 2011

    I tried this with 6mm rings, the rings were too small and they clustered

  17. April    November 8, 2011

    Holy cow, that looks amazing!!! The steps seem simple enough…I don’t think I have the patience for that though.

  20. ACC    November 8, 2011

    Oh wow. This is DIY perfection. My mind is racing with all the chainmail possibilities!
    acleanercloset.blogspot.com

  22. Ambyr    November 8, 2011

    I have to do this. I was at the craft store for 2 hours pacing around this past weekend trying to find the supplies I wanted to make a few DIY pieces and nothing looked “right”. I kept passing by these rings over and over and couldn’t think of anything to do with them. I’m now going back and getting them!

    xoxo
    http://www.thewrittenrunway.com

    **Enter my Oakley Giveaway on my blog!**

  23. Anita    November 8, 2011

    Loooove this necklace!! Only $14 for the jump rings and a beautiful result! Thanks for posting the tut!!

  27. Alicia    November 8, 2011

    I just made a breast plate featuring waaaay too many jumprings as it is; don’t think my little hands could take it. Still, super amazing ladies.

  29. Arcadia - I Do Windows    November 8, 2011

    You did a great job, it doesn’t look big clunky, but light and delicate! I must say you guys always have the best DIY posts with the clearest instructions, thanks so much!!

  33. Bri    November 8, 2011

    What’s the top pic from? Your piece and the necklace you link to appear to be European, but that top pic looks like a loose roundmaille, and I’d love to get a better look at it.

  41. Karilyn    November 8, 2011

    It would be cool to try to do it in a triangular shape. Or with smaller link pieces.

  44. Nomadic D    November 9, 2011

    That is amazing. I cannot imagine having the patience, but maybe one of these grey rainy wintry days I’ll just have a movie marathon and get to business… Absolutely love it though, even if I never do get off my lazy butt and try it myself.

    http://nomadic-d.blogspot.com/

  48. Miss Oh'    November 9, 2011

    This is awesome!
    Wanting to make a harness-like piece now (or even a top),
    it might take me a few years though :p

    x
    Oh’

    blogbymissoh.blogspot.com

  49. Vicky    November 9, 2011

    omg this is so cool!!!!!
    but i do not have enough patience to do this!!!! :)

  51. Lanie Ann    November 9, 2011

    This necklace (the original chainmail version) reminds me of the necklace from an old, not so good movie called “The Polar Bear King.” which I happened to watch on Netflix instant play last night. In the movie, a king (of Summerland) was turned into a polar bear but happened to have a similar necklace that once he gave to a woman (from Winterland) was to be his wife for life, but apparently the necklace didn’t overpower the magic of the witch who turned him into a polar bear. Anyways, that’s what the necklace reminds me of, I made it through the end of the movie, but the necklace was honestly the best part of the movie, in my opinion.

  57. Tori    November 14, 2011

    Umm so Gorgeous!! I bet your fingers burned by the time you were done with all those jump rings! It’s looks wonderful though!!

    P.S. I am having a little DIY giveaway on my blog, I’d love for you to stop by :) Thanks

    http://www.mythriftychic.com

  60. Shay Kozak    December 6, 2011

    Ok everyone, take it from someone that has been making chainmail for over 7 years, if you dont have alot of time and patience this craft will never be for you. However if you are willing to take the time to actually learn this and other patterns and keep doing the same motion over and over and over again you will be amazed at what you can create.

  61. Grace    December 13, 2011

    Wow, your version looks much better than the inspiration picture!

  62. The Way We Were    December 23, 2011

    So inspired that I made a bracelet using much larger jump rings. Mine didn’t stay flat however. Could that be caused by the large size of the rings? Anyway, mine still looks awesome and got lots of compliments today. Thank you Erica. You are awesome!

  63. Somiyya    December 31, 2011

    I just tried this today! It looks quite complicated but its actually easy once you get started. Thank you for the tutorial dear.

  64. Martine    January 24, 2012

    I added a silver row and it adds a subtle but interesting element : ]

  66. Alison    January 30, 2012

    love the look of this necklace but mine doesn’t sit flat like this one and wants to twist all the time but is also not as long as this one is, so can anyone tell me why? do i have to make mine longer to fix this or is there another trick I need to know? This is my first necklace please help me>>>

  67. Rebeca    February 3, 2012

    Alison – do you have a way of taking a photo of your piece? I am a chainmaille designer and might be able to help (or some of our “fans” might, on our page on facebook – http://www.facebook.com/BlueBuddhaBoutique) figure out why it is twisting.

    So glad to see so many of you are excited about making chainmaille! :-)

  68. Maria    February 12, 2012

    It’s awesome!! I enjoy making jewelry and want to learn more on how to use chains, etc. Also, I would like to learn to make three or four strand bracelets and earings. God bless you for sharing your talent!! What does URL mean?

  69. Maggie    March 7, 2012

    wow! This is awesome. You have have some serious patience because I dont think I could do it!!!!

    Take a peek at my place, borntobeblonde.com

  70. priya    March 27, 2012

    Have been looking for a tutorial for so long, many thanks

  72. JR    April 5, 2012

    The plus side of having an SCA boyfriend. He can me me all sorts of chainmaile shiny goodness.

  75. Valerie    June 30, 2012

    Just made one! Took me about 4 hours, but I’m in love with the results! I also think it looks better with a fourth row!! Definitely going to make a bracelet like that!! Thanks for this DIY!! =)

  78. nina    October 30, 2012

    Was excited to do this but couldn’t get it to work, they kept not layout out flat :( anyone else have this problem and have any suggestions as how to overcome it?? thanks! :)

  79. Ronald    November 12, 2012

    Made something like this with different kind of wire. I used a soft wire but it was easy to flex. I’m going to try with a different kind of wire. But with 2 different colors.

  80. Tim    December 30, 2012

    I love how all the circles connect to each other. I want to make this so people ask me where I got it and I can stay I made it myself from a guide on honestly.

  81. Patsy    January 16, 2013

    Wow this is beatifull, i’ve been beading for a while, but deffinately going to try this one !!!

  82. Jen    January 29, 2013

    Can you tell me is the 8mm measure the inside of the ring or to the outside? Also, what gauge is the wire. I just did my first piece of chainmaille jewelry after going to a jewelry design show and the chain maille designers said if you have the wrong size of ring and/or gauge(thickness) the piece won’t look right.

  84. Bernardette    March 12, 2013

    Well, and vintage buttoms necklace!!! ahaha I’m fan of this website!

  85. Charon    May 22, 2013

    Love Necklace

    Tried making the necklace but it is not flat is it that my rings are to small?

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