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Scale Maille Jewelry
Chain maille is a two thousand-year-old art form originally used to create garments worn for protection by warriors from Europe, the Middle East and the Orient. Modern approaches use these classical patterns of cold-connected jump rings for sculpture and jewelry. For these non-traditional applications, hundreds of new patterns have been invented. Our chain maille classes and workshops teach students how to transform some of these classic patterns of connected rings into striking pieces of jewelry. Over the course of three Fridays, this class focuses on teaching students how to work with scales to create scale maille jewelry.
Students will learn how to weave scales in linear and staggered/overlapping formations. We will create 4 pieces of jewelry using anodized aluminum scales and jump rings: Linear Scale Necklace with Crystal Pendant and Lotus Bracelet using “small” scales and 2 pairs of “tiny” scale earrings. Each kit will contain all of the supplies needed to complete the 4 projects, plus left over jump rings and scales for exploring design variations demonstrated in class. Lectures covering chain maille basics, tool tips, working with scales, and care of chain maille, will be presented. Students will receive a color handout documenting each step in the construction of the projects presented.
This class is intended for beginning chain maille students with no prior chain maille experience, but more advanced students may also enjoy this course.
Meet the instructor
Jewelry designer and author, Karen Karon, has been weaving maille for well over a decade. She teaches chain maille and scale maille classes and workshops at Metalwerx School for Jewelry and Metal Arts, at local venues, and also provides private chain maille/scale maille instruction. In addition, Karen is a certified PMC (Precious Metal Clay) artisan. Karen has written articles for Art Jewelry, Bead Style, Bead&Button and Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazines and is the author of Chain Maille Jewelry Workshop and Advanced Chain Maille Jewelry Workshop, both published by Interweave. Her jewelry can be purchased at Loveday in West Concord, MA.
See Karen’s work on her website (karenkaron.com) or visit her on Facebook and Instagram.
Materials & Tools
There is a $70 materials fee for this course, which is payable upon registration, and includes various sizes of anodized aluminum jump rings and scales, 1 pewter clasp, 1 brass clasp, 2 pairs of sterling earwires, a large baroque crystal and a 38 page full-color, illustrated instructional booklet.
Please note that Metalwerx has pliers and optivisors on hand if students do not already have these tools. Keep in mind, you might have to share.
- 2 pairs of pliers with smooth jaws - (I feel that flat nose pliers are best suited for chain maille, but you can use what you feel most comfortable with – any combination of 2 chain nose, bent chain nose or flat nose pliers.)
- 1 roll of blue painter's tape
- Optivisor or other form of magnification if necessary