Euro 4-1 and spin-offs.

So far I have only learned a few chainmaille weaves, partly because I was primarily into wire wrapping rather than maille, and secondarily because I took a break from jewellery over the summer. The second weave I learned was European 4 in 1 (I know, usually it's the first :D, but I really liked Byzantine!). Aside from the rings I occasionally make with it, I found I could incorporate it quite well into pieces that really weren't chainmaille at all. This necklace is an example of where I made sections of beaded wire with loops at the end which I connected using the Euro 4-1 style just as if they were rings.

Seen here is a more traditional use of this weave in this copper finger ring. Not so traditional is my method of adding the bead. I have seen cases of the ring being made, and then a bead simply being attached over top of the maille. I wanted the bead to be part of the ring itself, so I threaded it on a short piece of wire and made a loop in each end. Then I took each end of the Euro 4-1 band and attached it to those rings. I may not be the only person to have thought of this, but so far I haven't seen it anywhere else.

Finally, this last piece is a choker consisting of "S" shaped links which I also connected using the Euro 4-1 style, and then accented it with some gunmetal coloured beads. The band narrows to a single chain at the back so that the size is adjustable. It is one of my personal favorites.