Far from its original utilitarian use—to create armor—the chain-mail technique has been adapted over time to create beautiful, unique jewelry. In Chain and Bead Jewelry Creative Connections, chain-mail expert Scott David Plumlee shows jewelry makers, beaders, and crafters at all skill levels how to incorporate beads into a variety of chain-mail weaves to create showstopping pieces. First, Plumlee walks readers through basic skills and provides detailed information on traditional chain designs. He then presents more than 20 wire-wrapping and bead-setting techniques that incorporate beads seamlessly into a variety of designs, from the creative “Chaos” wire-wrapped bead to the sinuous Snake. With step-by-step instructions for assembling age-old chain patterns—from simple to complex—and gorgeous designs that can be executed using only simple hand tools, Chain and Bead Jewelry Creative Connections is sure to inspire jewelry artisans at all levels to expand the creative possibilities of their work.

In Chain and Bead Jewelry Geometric Connections, wirework jewelry designer Scott David Plumlee shares his techniques for creating an amazing array of original designs using copper, silver, brass, and gold jump rings, all inspired by geometric shapes. By adapting and building on the traditional Byzantine chain configuration, Scott creates unique collections of earrings, bracelets and necklaces, from three-sided Tripoli to the four-sided Quatrefoil to the five-sided Pentagon, plus innovative Organic designs, including fish, five- and six- pointed snowflakes, and a butterfly. The thorough “Chain and Bead Basics” chapter, which guides readers through all the essential tools and techniques, makes it easy for beginners to re-create these stunning pieces.

Theresa Meister’s fine-scale wirework provides structure, and her beaded patterns bring on the color! Colorful seed beads, pearls, and crystals are used to create delicate jewelry components. Now link all these components together with wirework connections including wire loops, chain, and jump rings. The results are thirteen jewelry sets (each set includes a necklace, bracelet, and earrings) plus variation ideas giving readers a lot of options for exploring techniques. All jewelry makers will find this wearable jewelry to be classy and timeless.

Handcrafting Chain and Bead Jewelry shows how to create beautiful, dimensional silver, copper, and brass chains using simple tools. The main style is based on the elegant, classical Byzantine pattern, and uses the Golden Ratio to determine the circumference of a chain’s interlocking rings based on the thickness of the wire. Illustrated step-by-step directions show how to calculate the circumference of the rings, how to wrap wire into coils, how to cut, and finally, how to assemble the chain. Starting from the basic Byzantine, new chain makers can then progress to increasingly Byzantine variations, including linear, knot, crown, and combination chains. Incorporating beads and charms offers endless possibilities for crafters who will soon, surely, be locked up in chains!

Welcome to the next plateau of your beaded chain jewelry adventure, as we step beyond the basics of cold-connected chain patterns and overcome our fear of the flame, to explore twenty simple solder projects. Learn to solder silver, bronze, copper, and gold jump rings into stunning beaded chain jewelry designs with renowned book author and workshop instructor Scott David Plumlee.

Create unique, imaginative jewelry that tells a story! With simple step-by-step instructions and a creative can-do attitude, beautiful inspired jewelry is easy to make. Links will show you how your family and friends, nature, striking colors and, of course, the ingredients of your bead box can influence deeply meaningful creations. Once you know where to look, inspiration can be found in every corner of your life and translated into beautiful bracelets, necklaces, earrings and pins. Find your own personal links with: More than 50 beautiful step-by-step projects and variations using simple jewelry-making methods, including beading, wire work, chain maille and metal clay. A user-friendly techniques and materials section, giving you all the skills you need to get started making jewelry today. Creative Connections featuring insight from other artists and Creative Challenges from the author for bonus inspiration. Let Links be your guidebook on a journey to create beautiful, storytelling jewelry that is all your own!

Instructions for more than fifty-five projects to create bead jewelry by using the skills of weaving, looming, stringing, wiring, and making beads.