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crazed-fangirl — Chainmaile Byzantine Tutorial
Published: 2007-04-27 23:37:33 +0000 UTC; Views: 13125; Favourites: 117; Downloads: 430
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Description
I've not been able to find a tutorial on how I do Byzantine weave, so here's how I do it! ^_^It's easier for me to do, especially when I'm using tiny links to make earrings or something like that.
What do you think? It's my first tutorial, and kinda bland-looking, but I hope it helps.
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Comments: 40
OMG, this is so much simpler and easier than what I've seen others do! I'm using your method from now on! Thank you so much.
I've seen a guy on youtube the other day simplify the European 4 in 1 in a similar way, by making a lot of 4 in 1 "flowers" then connecting them, like you're doing here, making them into chains, then stitching the chains paralelly to each other... Much simpler than what people usually do
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nice job with the tutorial I've been making chains for over two years and this is probably one of the best tutorials i have ever seen and if your ever looking for another chain tutorial take a look at cgmaille.com or mail artisans both have a pretty good selection of tutorials
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Thank you! ^_^ I've been mailling for about six years now and even though I learn Byz pretty quickly, I just didn't like working that way. I prefer to make things in small units. Kind of like Legos.
I visit those places pretty regularly. ^_^ Phong actually used to live here in Pittsburgh and we hung out a good deal.
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Wow, what a wonderful and easy to follow tutorial 
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No problem! I hope it helps you. ^_^
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Wow. I've already started trying different chain techniques... i've been making byzantine link by link >.<
I am going to try your method because it looks waaaaaaay easier than what i've been doing XD
Thanks!!!
And it's quite a good tutorial
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Thank you! ^_^ Glad it helps.
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thankyou for this tutorial - I find it really easy to follow (which is unusual for me!) I'm definitely gonna have a go at this
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No problem! Let me know how it turns out. ^_^
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omg. thanks. i thought i was good making a straightforeward chain (just link andter link after link). ive tried making this, and its really helped xD ive made half a neclace, but i ran out of my wire, so ill have to get some more xD. i was making it ad my mum saw me, and told me she had a bracelet like it. she brought it down and its the same as this, just with a few diffrent sized links to make it slightly different, and she said she paid around £40. anyways, thanks !!
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No problem! ^_^ I'm glad you enjoy the weave. Byzantine is a very popular jewelry weave, and has been used to make chains for years.
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thanks for hte reply xD its the first maille ive tried, dunno if ive jumped into the deap end or what, but i seem to understand it fine xD. can i ask, what would you reccomend is the best way of making the jumprings/links? ive seen a few ways, and i thought id get the best idea froma expert (i.e you). thanks again xD
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I would say that it honestly depends on what you're doing with your maile (is it fine jewelry, or a full-length hauberk?) and what it's made of.
If you're making things just for yourself and it's more or less practice maille out of cheap galvanized steel or aluminum, then I'd say to get some bolt or flush cutters. Especially for beginning maille, because you don't want to sink a ton of cash into it and then discover that, after a few rows or some chains, you're getting bored out of your skull. I know people who like to make maille earrings, but if you ask them to make even a small patch of armor-like maille they'll refuse.
To make the coils that you're going to cut, I recommend power-winding if you've already got access to a drill. I didn't have one when I started, so I did it all by hand. I went to a hardware store and got some smooth metal rods in different diameters. Most places sell them by length, and I just had the guys there cut them to how I wanted them. For a bit of extra cash, they drilled holes straight through towards the ends for me. Like making a giant needle. When I got home I put the end of my wire through the hole and started winding with my hands. If you do this, wear gloves. Trust me. My carpal tunnel was so bad way back then that I could only get one coil wound in a day, so I had to hand it off to my husband. Then we got a power drill! But still wear gloves, because it can be dangerous. I'm lucky I've got all my fingers.
Anyway, when you've got a big enough coil, slide it off the rod and then cut. You'll have a nice pile o' rings when you're done.
My husband actually put up a nice picture and breakdown of our old tools (has it really been that long?) back when I was just starting out. Here it is - [link]
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aww, thanks for all that infomation xD i really really appreciate it! the link you sent me is loading as we speak. i like maille, the only thing ive tried so far is byzantine, and i took it to school to show all my friends - unfortutaly they all think i bought it and trying to pass it off as my own :l . kinda annoying, lol. can you reccomend any weaves, cause ive got no idea what keywords to search to find them, or what is actually out there. oh, and whats your fave xD. i know youve probably got more important people to talk to, so if you dont reply i understand. thanks for all the help youve gave me xD
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Sure. ^_^ I actually have a nice selection of links on my website: [link]
On the right-hand sidebar, you'll see a section labelled "Community", and in there you want to go to M.A.I.L - It is THE on-line chainmailler community. I've got a lot of other handy links in that sidebar as well, so poke around.
My favorite weave? Hmm, probably Half-Persian 3-in-1. There's a lot you can do with it. The Persian family in general is just plain fun. I would say Byzantine comes in as a close second.
That's too bad about the other people at school. though. I recommend a live demonstration - That'll shut them up. A lot of times when I do events I get guys coming up to me and asking "Where's the chainmailler?" because since I'm female I OBVIOSLY didn't make anything. >_< Or they talk to my husband instead of me when they come to the table at events. Luckily ~SR388 is cool and points out that he's pretty much my assistant...
Anyway, good luck! ^_^
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thanks once again for the reply xD ive got myself some: stainless steal wire, some tinned copper wire, and some galvanised steel wire. dunno which is best. omg, can i just say, i congratulete you on learning how to do the half persian 3 in 1. seriously. i cant find a tutorial ANYWHERE!! the only 2 tutorials i found were so insainly hard to understand. if you know of any good websites that can help me, that would be good xD. oh, and i hate all the "woman arent better than men" or "women should get a lowers salary" stuff. its so sexist. anyways, i know it must get annoying me saying this, but thankyou so much xD
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I really like this tutorial. I think it will really help me create a necklace as a gift for my mom and sister.
I especially love how you just make a bunch of them "easier" parts first and then just take the time to connect them.
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I'm glad it helps!
I like making chainmaile in "units" when I can; for some reason it's just easier for me that way.
I'll even break it down further and have a pile of closed rings next to a pile of open rings.
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Your wonderful tutorial has been featured here.[link]
Thank you for providing the gallery with such awesome Resources.
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Yay! Glad to be of service!
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Okay that's just cheating XD LOVELY tutorial. I'm printing it for reference 
{I'm doing a project in which I have a quartz marble wrapped and I'm going to make a chain to wear it as a necklace out of a bit of byzantine}
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THere ya go! ^_^ That sounds nice.
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My husband likes to work with chainmail on occasion. He's always pleased to learn a new style.
Thanks for the tutorial
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No problem! ^_^ I have a links page on my website - [link] - with links to all of my favorite maile pages, if he's interested.
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lol im a noob at making chains and such (i've just made one so far but im planning on making a few more once i find something more interesting than the boring chain i made), and what do you know, i just found something a lot more interesting!
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this is really awesome thanks for the tutorial
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No problem! It's how I do Byzantine, which is not the normal way, apparently, but I have a friend who just couldn't do it with the present tutorials floating about, so I made this for her and all the others who may be annoyed by the current ones.
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Pretty!
knowing me, I'll try this with a bunch of keychain rings or something.
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That would be chunky and huge!
And annoying - Split rings aren't too fun.
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At least its practice! >w<
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since I never commented here.. thank you! ^_^
makes so much more sense than what everyone else was doing..
you'll have to remind me to show you the micromaile bracelet I'm working on when you guys get back from NY. hehehe.
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byzantine is in my tutorial too. though your method is different ^^. nice one
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Looking around now on Maile Artisans I see it's normally how one would go about doing Beez to Butterflies!
Now I gotta try that weave.
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Compared to how I make Byzantine, this looks a lot more complicated than it should be. On the other hand, if I made a tutorial for how I made mine you would think it's complicated to the way you do yours, but either way, it's a good tutorial!!
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Thanks! ^_^ You should toss some of your chainmaile up here.
That's one of the reasons I like Byzantine so much - There's a million ways to do it, so people can choose how to do it how they like. I actually made this tutorial for ~Oscelot who couldn't understand any of the other byzantine tutorials that she was finding out there, but now she's got it.
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very nice, I haven't thought of it that way before!
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I learned Byzantine from Derakon's site, and after playing aorund with it a bit, I thought that this way was easier.
And for me, it is, especially when using really teeny rings. I was able to teach my then 8-year-old little brother how to do it, and he made himself a byzantine necklace.
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