"Chain maille", "Chainmail" or, simply, "Mail" is a type of armor consisting of small metal rings that interlock, following a specific pattern, to form a mesh. The phrase is taken from the French, "Cotte de maille", meaning "robe of rings". This technique has become my new obsession.
I am a math professor by day, so I was attracted to the technique by the fact that a small calculation could change the feel and the fall of the weaving. In addition, my two older children are engineers. So, by association, I have learned that a good design, can usually be made better, cheaper and faster through enough failures and successes. (Believe me, with chain maille one has to be prepared for failures.) Finally, my youngest daughter is a historian, so I knew she would love to hear about the historical roots of these weaves. Ultimately, my upcoming chain maille designs will have to be considered family heirlooms.
These earrings were my first attempt to chain maille. They began with the Japanese flower weave...but were too small for my taste, so I added more weaving to the bottom...
I am a math professor by day, so I was attracted to the technique by the fact that a small calculation could change the feel and the fall of the weaving. In addition, my two older children are engineers. So, by association, I have learned that a good design, can usually be made better, cheaper and faster through enough failures and successes. (Believe me, with chain maille one has to be prepared for failures.) Finally, my youngest daughter is a historian, so I knew she would love to hear about the historical roots of these weaves. Ultimately, my upcoming chain maille designs will have to be considered family heirlooms.
These earrings were my first attempt to chain maille. They began with the Japanese flower weave...but were too small for my taste, so I added more weaving to the bottom...
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