4 in 1 Construction Page
You have now reached the 4 in 1 construction page. If you don't see all of
the graphics on this page, I suggest you reload because they help a lot. In
each step, red links indicate newly placed links. All other links should have
already been done from previous steps. Most steps have an actual photo above,
and a 3d rendition below. Good mailling!
Step 1:How to close links
Closing links is fairly simple; all you need to do is take the link, and then
using your trusty pliers, bend the ring into a closed position. Using the
method in this guide, about half of the links you use will be closed even
before you attach them to any other links. With that in mind, you may want
to start off by closing a lot of links.
As you can see in the picture, there is a gap left after closing the link.
It is there, and will always be there. But if you do a good job of butting
the links the gap won't be (and shouldn't be) too apparent.
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Step 2:Assembling 4 in 1 units
This step is fairly simple. Just take an open link, and attach four closed
links to it. When the units are actually used, they will be layed out like the
actual photo, and the 3d image to the right. Make a lot of these units!
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Step 3:Assembling 4 in 1 chains
Now that you have a number of 4 in 1 units, it is now time to assemble them
into 4 in 1 chains. To do this, take two units and connect them together
using a single link. Make sure when you do this that the rings are oriented
so that each row of single links lays in the opposite direction as the one
next to it. This is better shown in the pictures below. After two links are
connected, continue to link on units in the same manner to produce a chain,
as in the pictures above and below.
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Step 4:Connecting 4 in 1 Chains to Create Maille
Once you have some chains assembled, it is time to connect them together to
create solid pieces of maille. This is done by laying the chains side by side
and then adding a row of connecting links, as in the pictures above and below.
Keep in mind that every connecting ring will pass through four other rings.
In fact, all rings pass through four other rings. Hence the name 4 in 1. Keep
adding connecting rings until the chains are fully connected. Continue adding
chains in this manner until you have a sizeable piece of maille. Note that
with the chains laid in front of you, you can work from the bottom up, as shown
above, or from the top down, as shown below.
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And that brings us to the end of the Quick Guide to Making Maille here at
Chainfire. You should have a good idea of where and how to start making maille.
Finally, here are pictures of small swatches of completed maille, one real and
one virtual, so you can examine the pattern more closely.
Back to the Quick Guide to Chainmaille
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