Merry Christmas!

It's been a while since I've put anything up, but I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Still trudging along on the massive chainmaille project, and have done a few other things lately. My mother-in-law got her PhD this month and I made her a sterling silver byzantine necklace that she loved. Also made a coworker a byzantine keychain and euro 4-1 bracelet for Christmas gifts for his family. Also made a large dragonscale cuff for one of the security guards at work, a Christmas gift to himself.

Here's to wishing all a great new year and much chainmailling to come!

The Holidays are coming!!!

 

Well, the holiday season is fast approaching. So with that I bring you the above holiday inspired pieces that really need a good home. I think you all agree a dark cabinet is no place for these creations. :-)   On the left is a sterling silver jens pind linkage earring with a swarovski crystal snowflake and on the right is a simple 3-3 chain made from bright aluminum and anodized aluminum. Both have sterling silver earwires. 

Also for the holiday season I've brought back the wrapping service upgrade that I used last year. Click here for a picture and the original blog post which includes a link to the upgrade listing on Etsy.

MASSIVE Chainmaille Project (part 3)

UPDATE 10/13/10: It's been a long journey on this project and I'm guess-timating that I'm about 33% done overall. The good news is that the first major portion of the project is completed! You can see a picture here and there's a picture will all components of the project here. Some of you might also notice that the JPL section is a bit smaller. I robbed from this chain for another project. Progress so far: JPL = 621 rings / FP = 402 rings / J8-2 cube = 8670 rings / DS = 1464. Total ring count: 11,157.

USN Ribbons Chainmaille Inlay (part 3)

I guess it's kinda fitting that this post was ready for today. Let us never forget the events of 9/11/01 and all those who have fought and those who continue to fight terrorism around the world.

Here is my completed US Navy Ribbons inlay project. Okay, so I still have to rig up something to hang it by so it still looks right, but the chainmaille work is pretty much done. Each ribbon is made up of 350 rings for a total ring count of 3,500 rings. The vast majority of these rings are anodized aluminum, but there is a small portion (160 rings) that are anodized niobium since I couldn't get the color I wanted any other way.

Oddly enough I just rediscovered this project. It's been sitting on the shelf for I don't know how long now because I didn't have the rings I needed to go any further. So I had some paypal money from a recent order and decided to order some new supplies. I dug this project out and found out I had everything I needed so I sat down and finished to up. I ended up having 1 ring to spare of the color I was low on; good thing I didn't damage any of those.

You can read my previous update to this project here.You can read about the process involved in getting a picture into chainmaille format in my previous blog post here.

Follow me on Facebook

So I've been on Facebook for a while now, but I've started an Official Baron Byron Chainmaille Fan Page. I'm still figuring out all this stuff so I apologize if not everything is working as far as links, but I'll be working on it until things are the way I like. So for now you all should visit my page and 'like' it.

MASSIVE Chainmaille Project (part 2)

UPDATE 8/14/10: A while back I decided to only update once per month, unless I make significant (i.e. noteworthy) progress, so when I got on here to update for Aug imagine my surprise when I hadn't updated in July. Progress has been slow, but the project isn't dead. I hope to be completing one major portion in the next month or so. Progress so far: JPL = 905 rings / FP = 402 rings / J8-2 cube = 6570 rings. Total ring count: 7877.
UPDATE 5/23/10: Summer and work haven't allowed too much time on this project, but it's coming along nicely. Progress so far: JPL = 905 rings / FP = 402 rings / J8-2 cube = 5426 rings. Total ring count: 6733.
UPDATE 5/23/10: New photo on Flickr. Progress so far: JPL = 905 rings / FP = 402 rings / J8-2 cube = 3110 rings. Total ring count: 4417.
UPDATE 5/10/10: Been steadily chugging away on this project, but it'll be on the back burner once my latest TRL order arrives for me to complete 2 other projects. Progress so far: JPL = 905 rings / FP = 402 rings / J8-2 cube = 1592 rings. Total ring count: 2899.

Previous progress updates: part 1

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July to all my fellow chainmaillers (and Happy Birthday to my sister Melissa)! This summer has kept me pretty busy and away from the chainmaille, but I've been coming up with some wonderful ideas once I have more time/money to buy materials. Of course the MASSIVE chainmaille project continues, sometimes it seems like I'll never finish!

What a Tangled Web We Weave

Update: 6/2/10 -- Added photo Barrel Weave.

I've been trying a lot of new weaves lately which has been quite rewarding, both for me and my future customers. So, I've decided to break down the list of what I've got under my belt so far with links to my Flickr photos. I'm always trying new weaves so this is by no means the only patterns I'm capable of doing.

Barrel Weave / Box Chain / Byzantine / Byzantine "Ladder" / Byzantine "Spikes" / Captive Inverted Round / Captive Zen / Celtic Visions / Double Spiral** / Dragonscale / European 4-in-1 / European 6-in-1 / European 8-in-2** / Full Persian / Half Persian 3-1 / Half Persian 3-1 Sheet 5 / Half Persian 4-1 / Helm Chain * / Inverted Round * /Japanese 8-in-2 Cube / Japanese 12-in-2 / Jens Pind Linkage 3 / Jens Pind Linkage 5 (JPL5)** / Mobius ** / Rondo a la Byzantine / Shaggy Loops **

Some of these I've done in different sizes and I'm trying to get the pictures updated to show each size side by side for a good comparison.

* Okay so I haven't done a piece with these weaves alone yet but the knowledge of these weaves was gained while learning others.
** No picture currently available of my work. (I'm probable waiting on a clasp before I take a photo.)

Shipping blues...

Here I am wishing UPS delivered on weekends. Yet again my latest TRL order has been sitting in West Chester, PA since 8AM on Friday. The UPS hub there is about 10mins away from my house. So, no new supplies until whenever the delivery guy gets here tomorrow.  :-(  On previous orders I have called UPS to see if I could pick up my package there, but alas that is only an option if a delivery attempt has been made without success, which means the package requires a signature, which mine doesn't so they just leave it on the doorstep.

Chainmaille Raffle for Breast Cancer

A fellow chainmailler, Janine of Athena's Armoury, is going to be taking part in the Susan G. Komen Foundation 3 Day for the Cure event. Over the course of the 3 days she will be walking 60 miles and looking to earn $2,300 to aid in the fight against breast cancer. Another chainmailler, Rebeca Mojica of Blue Buddha Boutique, has donated some pink anodized aluminum rings to Janine with with she is making a "Pink Warrior Chainmaille Collection" with all proceeds going towards her fundraising. She is also conducting a raffle with ticket sales supporting her fundraising. I'm happy to announce that I've made my own donation to Janine's raffle, a bracelet and matching earrings set.

They are both made using the Japanese 12-2 weave with bright aluminum and red anodized aluminum.

Visit Janine's blog for updates on her training for the walk as well as updates on her fundraising.