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1a. What size rings should I use for my project? and 1b. How many rings should I use for my project? There is no easy answer to these questions, because it depends on what weave you are doing. Chainmaille is such a sensitive craft, that half a millimeter can be the difference between a weave working well, and it being impractically stiff. To decide what rings to use, I suggest first figuring out what weave you'd like to make. Once you know that, you'll need to figure out the best ring size. If you're a beginner, I suggest starting off with rings that are at the very least a size H (3/16", 4.8mm). Any smaller, and you may become frustrated, unless you're used to working with tiny things! The following pages may be helpful in choosing ring sizes: Silver Rings Counts — This page will help you calculate how many sterling rings you'll need for some of the most popular weaves. I update this page frequently, so if there's a weave you'd like ring counts for, just let me know. A base metal page will also be posted at some point. Silver Stats — Exact measurements of the rings I sell, plus a bullet point listing of recommended uses. (So if you want to use a specific ring, you'll know what other weaves work well with that size!) Base Metal Stats — Same as above, only for aluminum, copper, brass, bronze and stainless steel. For more information, check out the Jump Ring Sizes and Aspect Ratio articles below. 2. If I purchase your kits or instructions, may I sell the pieces I make? Most definitely! For any of the weaves that we have kits for, you can feel free to sell (or teach) any of those designs. Rebeca would be grumpy if you went around telling folks that the Bulls-Eye was your original design, but if you're not doing that, then you have our blessing. Of course, we wouldn't mind if you credited us for any weaves we've come up with, but is not necessary to do so. We wouldn't offer kits and instructions if we didn't expect folks to sell and teach those designs. Likewise, there are a few designs, such as the Quantum Rose that we will never teach or sell instructions for—you know, there's just some secrets an artist would like to keep! But other than those few designs, you can certainly feel free to reproduce as many of our kit pieces as you'd like. We hope they sell well for you! We don't see it as competition. Our philosophy is: when more folks make chainmaille, more people buy chainmaille, causing more people to discover chainmaille in the first place. And the more people that discover maille, the better, as far as we're concerned. *grin* by Rebeca Mojica What is Chainmaille? A brief overview of the history and uses of chainmaille. Common Terms Maille jargon explained and common abbreviations decoded. Jump Ring Sizes Conversion table for inner diameter (inch to metric), comparison table of wire gauge (for the rings I sell), and an explanation of my unusual numbering system. Aspect Ratio Crucial to understanding which rings will work for a particular weave. (A work in progress). Care and Cleaning Information specific to chainmaille jewelry, but also applicable to many other jewelry items. Working with Different Metals Pros and cons of working with common maille metals. Pricing Your Jewelry Practical advice for those looking to sell their jewelry and wondering what to charge. |
