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You scroll through Pinterest and a DIY jewelry tutorial pops up in your feed. You let out a little sigh as you think to yourself, “I I wish I could make that!”
If you think jewelry-making is beyond your reach, I’m going to let you in on something.
Making jewelry is easier than you think!
It’s all about starting simple, and starting with the right tools. (In this case, I HIGHLY recommend these flat nose pliers. When I first started making jewelry I was using the wrong type of pliers and it made everything so much more difficult. Avoid the literal pain I went through!)
The 3-ring chainmaille mobius spiral is one of the simplest jewelry techniques you can do.
(Easier than wire-wrapping or some beadwork, in my opinion!)
But don’t let its simplicity fool you. This mobius spiral is the basis for making numerous gorgeous pieces of jewelry you will find in other Linkouture tutorials, such as these elegant freshwater pearl earrings, these fancy earrings, and this popular super chic and feminine pearl necklace.
It’s also a great way to practice properly opening and closing jump rings before you move onto more complicated pieces.
SUPPLIES NEEDED to make the mobius spiral:
Here is what you will need to make the basic chainmaille Mobius spiral.
- 2 pairs of flat nose pliers
- 3 open jump rings (for this tutorial I’m using 16 gauge 9.5 mm inner diameter rings)
Close up one of the jump rings nice and firm. (you know it’s closed well when it makes a nice click and the two ends are flush). Take a second one and loop it through the first jump ring and close it tight. Take the two looped jump rings and hold them so that there is a space between where they overlap. Think of it as you are making a very small Venn diagram with your jump rings. In that space, loop the third jump ring and close it up.
You’ve got the spiral! Once you have this technique down, you’re ready to get started making a beautiful piece of jewelry!
By the way, if you are new to making chainmaille, it’s so important to have the right pliers. I started out with needle nose pliers and they made opening and closing all those rings hurt my hands. I highly recommend cushioned flat nose pliers similar to the ones pictured below.
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Seriously you are just so talented with your jewelry making skills. I am always in awe here. But also love learning some of the tricks of the trade, too 🙂
Aw, thank you, Janine!
What are the best size jump rings to stock up on? Is there a place that is best to get them or do you make your own?
Great questions, Ginger! I’m generally a fan of 18 and 16-gauge jump rings in a variety of sizes. The ones I have used most commonly for 18-gauge are 3.5mm inner diameter (or 5.5 outer diameter), 4.5mm inner diameter (6.5 outer diameter), and 7mm inner diameter (or 9 mm outer diameter). For 16 gauge I really like around 9mm inner diameter (about 12 mm inner diameter). I generally buy rings from Rio Grande, but you also try Beadaholique (affiliate link).