Tips 'n' Tricks

Opening and closing the rings
Never open the rings by pulling the ends outward. Instead, pull one side of the ring toward you, as though you were opening a door on a hinge. You should also give a little bit of inward pressure because the ring will need to be closed eventually, and you'll need to get rid of the kerf (the space where the saw cut through the metal). Right handers, open the right side of the ring toward you. Left handers, open the left side toward you. (It doesn't matter which way the ring is cut.) When closing rings, continue wiggling back and forth with inward pressure to close the gap.

Holding on to rings and pliers
It is best to use your pliers to pick up and weave rings. Fingers tend to be too large and clumsy. (Yes, you'll be clumsy at first when using pliers, but you may find yourself adapting more quickly than you thought to your new "fingers"). When you grasp an open ring with your pliers, try to grab it in the 2 o'clock/3 o'clock position (right handers), or 9 o'clock/10 o'clock (lefties). Approach the weave from the front, and weave away from you, rather than trying to enter the weave blindly from the back.

Keep the weave in your hands!
Try to keep the weave in your hands as you weave, rather than setting it down. Keep your pliers in your hands at all times. If you need to use your fingers for something, move the pliers back in your hands so your fingers are free, but don't let go!

Following the tutorials

When reading the handouts, first read quickly all the way through the instructions, taking note of any Tips. Then, tackle the weave one step at a time, making sure to carefully read each step all the way through.

Rest!

You should pause every 15 minutes or so to rest and stretch your hands, neck, shoulders and eyes.

Speedweaving

Most of my instructions ask you to pre-open and pre-close rings. This is so you won't worry about that while trying to understand the pattern. However, for some weaves, once you can easily do them, you may find it faster to skip the prep stage and open and close rings as you work. For example, if a weave step asks you to add 2 closed to 1 open, you would add 2 raw rings (untouched, straight from the bag). After you close the open, you would then close the 2 raw rings. This may save time, because you don't have to manipulate a ring and set it down, only to pick it up again later. It's not a rule though. Simply do whatever works best for you.