| Overview: The Flat Mesh Weave
The Flat Mesh chain mail weave (European 4-in-1) has 4 rings linked to each ring.
Look closely at the ring with the blue dot. The four rings with red dots all pass through the ring with the blue dot.
If you were to draw an "X" through the middle of the ring with the blue dot, you would find that the closest rings on the diagonal are the ones with the red dots.
This mesh weave drapes and curves very much like a flexible fabric. The rings are like scales that expand and contract as they move.
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Step 1-a: The Starting Row
Close 12 rings and open 3 more.
Lay the rings out on your work surface so they match this photo.
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Step 1-b: The Starting Row
Use your pliers to pick up the open ring in the first group. Scoop up the four closed rings and then close the open ring.
Repeat for the other two groups of rings.
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Step 1-c: The Starting Row
Arrange your three groups of rings so they match the photo. Look at the 2 rings at the very left of the photo and notice that the bottom ring is leaning against the top one.
Open two more rings.
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Step 1-d: The Starting Row
Pick up the open ring with your pliers and grab 2 adjacent rings from the first group and 2 more rings from the second group. Close the ring.
Lay out the rings so they match the photo. The ring with the red dot is the one you just added.
Notice that the bottom left ring is leaning against the top one.
Repeat this step with the other open ring and the remaining group.
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Step 1-e: The Starting Row Completed
Again, lay out your work so that it matches this photo.
Note: Now is a good time to take a scrap piece of wire or thread and tie it through the top left ring. This will make it easy to orient your work correctly at any time. Look at the step 3-b photo.
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Step 2-a: Row 2
Open 5 jump rings. These rings are going to link, in pairs, the six rings marked with yellow dots.
Pick up the first open ring and join the the 2 bottom left rings with yellow dots. That ring has the red dot in the photo.
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Step 2-b: Row 2
Repeat with the next open ring.
It may help you at first if you lay out the rings after adding each jump ring. Having a marker on the top left ring also helps.
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Step 2-c: Row 2 Completed
Continue adding the next 3 rings.
Your work should look like this photo.
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Step 3-a: Row 3
The rings with yellow dots are those just added in row 2.
Open 6 rings.
Take the first ring (red dot) and slip it through just the one ring at the left with the yellow dot. Lay out your work and flip that ring (which is flopping about) over to the left.
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Step 3-b: Row 3
The second open ring (red dot) will connect the first two rings at the bottom edge (yellow dots).
Continue adding rings to connect the ones with yellow dots. The final ring at the right edge will only pass through the last ring at the right. It too will tend to flop around, just like the first one in the row.
This photo shows a wire tab marking the upper left corner.
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Step 3-c: Row 3 Completed
We're now ready to add the ear wire and the drop.
Before we move on, notice that there are 11 columns across. The odd numbered columns of rings tip in one direction, and the even numbered columns tip in the other direction.
If you were adding another row, you would be joining the bottom rings that you just added. The new row would add a ring to each even-numbered column.
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Step 4-a: Add the Ear Wire
Open 1 jump ring.
Lay out the mesh part, the open ring and the ear wire to match the photo.
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Step 4-b: Add the Ear Wire
Pick up the open ring with your pliers. Insert the ring through the 3 rings along the right-hand side of the mesh. Add the ring of the ear wire as well. Now close that ring.
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Step 5-a: Add the Drop
We need to taper the bottom of the mesh piece before we add a decoratvie drop or bead or charm.
Open 2 jump rings. Use one ring (see the red dot) to connect 2 rings at the left edge.
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Step 5-b: Add the Drop
Use the second ring to link the other 2 edge rings. See the rings with red dots.
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Step 5-c: Add the Drop
Open another jump ring. Using your pliers, add the drop and the 2 rings with red dots. Close the ring..
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Step 6: Earrings Completed
Make a second earring to match this first one.
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Other Drops
Instead of the heart charm shown above, you could use a Bali-type daisy spacer bead. Or you could wire-wrap a briolette to dangle from that bottom ring. Or you could just leave it plain—no embellishment at all.
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Variations
Here is a diamond shape created by decreasing at the edges. The first row runs vertically down the center of the shape.
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| Variations
The plain mesh bracelet can be elegantly enhanced by an elaborate clasp.
Another option, shown in the current issue (April/May 2006) of Beadwork magazine, is to embellish the surface randomly with wire-wrapped pearls and gemstones on headpins.
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Variations
This necklace links a series of triangular mesh components
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Copyright 2006 Marilyn Gardiner.
All Rights Reserved.
Used with permission by the Beading Times.
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