Customer Reviews

Beaded Chain Mail Jewelry: Timeless Techniques with a Twist (Lark Jewelry Books)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A great chain mail jewelry book that uses quality metal materials and glass beads to make classy pieces for all ages. The book has the usual intro section on making/buying the jump rings, bending them right, info on tools with tips to use and care for them.

Chain work includes variations of basic cable 2-in-2, spiral chain (on the cover), euro 4-in-1, byzantine, "rings of Saturn", and a persian star pattern. This book includes instruction for all the weaves and incorporates them into 26 projects for you to try.

I think this is a great book to look at linking rings or chain making in a whole new way! I think of "chain maille" as something pretty time consuming, but most of the projects in this book could be made in one sitting if you're worried about the time involved!

Lots of creative ways to use crow / roller beads, but I gave it 4-stars for NOT showing designs with gems, stones, PMC or polymer clay. 1 pendant has a swarovski crystal. The book mentions hole-size as the problem there, but I know a review-reading artist like you can over come this! Plenty of ways out there to make or buy something a jump ring can link through, but it doesn't look like the author really gave this honorable mention. He's in it for the chain and beads are an afterthought, whereas I'm more focused on beads and want spiffy ways to display them. ;-) All-in-all a wonderful learning book with eye candy type inspiration to make your own variations!

Any renaissance faire goer is going to LOVE the Gypsy Cuff earrings! As a lampworker I adored the Drops of Jupitor design as my personal favorite! Definitely going to make me one of those! I also thought his method of caging a donut looked impressive, and I can't imagine why the Adromeda necklace wasn't chosen as the cover piece! I'll upload pictures of my favorites in a minute!

My friend showed me their copy of this book and now I absolutely must have it for my own! Mom? This is what I want for Christmas!! I just can't get enough of Dylon Whyte's instructionals!

I have purchased some of Dylon's tutorials off his Etsy website and have his first book, The Art of Chainmail Vol. 1, plus a book that he illustrated for Lark Publishing including serveral different chainmail designers, "Chain Mail Jewelry: Contemporary Designs from Classic Techniques" - I just have to say that Dylon's instructionals are fantastic! Whether they are self published by the master himself, or done through a big publisher like Lark - they are high quality and professional through and through! Super easy to understand and that's saying something, because English is not my first language and very hard for me to understand when in written instructions. The picture tutorials make it well worth the effort to pick up a copy of this book!

I've been making chainmail since 1994, when I first made a chainmail shirt for an SCA event out of 12 gauge, stainless steel, handcut... yeah, can you imagine? HAHAHAHA! Thank you Dylon Whyte and other great chainmail folks out there whom have shown me that there is definitely more to this whole chainmail business! And yes, I said business... if you are out there looking for ideas of things to make and sell or even give as gifts, the stuff in this book is just surely a bang for your buck!

Oh my goodness! I just love Dylon Whyte's chainmail jewelry. I have several pieces that I have purchased off his Etsy website. When I heard this book was coming out, I just had to order it and I am so glad I did! It is absolutely stunning!

Dylon is light years beyond my skill as a chainmail artisan, but his variety of work has given me so much encouragement to look at chainmail in a whole different way! I love his clearly illustrationed tutorials, they are so easy to read and follow! The instructions in the book are so simple and not at all difficult to understand. No scratching my head and puzzled look on my face trying to figure out what the heck it means!

Thank you Dylon Whyte for your time, energy and creativity to put out such a beautiful book on the art of chainmail! It is sure to be a classic on my bookshelf and will definitely be some nifty eye candy of inspiration! Also, a perfect gift for my chainmailin' friends!!

With each book he improves how and what he shares with his fans.

Imaginative designs, colorful materials and easy to follow directions.

What more could a jewelry maker want... whether a novice or an expert these pieces are inspiring and there is something for everyone. I purchased 2 copies of the book so I could gift one to a favorite chainmailing friend who actually introduced me to Dylon many years ago.

I must admit after reading the reviews I was unsure what to expect because they are so distinctly different. One reviewer seems to be looking at the same book I have in my hand... while the other seems off the beam entirely... I am so glad I decided to have a look for myself and went ahead and ordered, it would have been a shame to miss this jewel of a book...

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves looking at chainmail pieces along with anyone who wants to learn how to make them...

I have seen a lot of chainmaille in my time. Dylon Whyte's quality has always superseded anyone's work.
This attention to detail and superior craftsmanship comes through in the book he has written.
There are many unique patterns he has made that you won't be able to find anywhere, even on the vast world wide web.
I've recommended this book to other chainmaillers in my area and they've all thoroughly enjoyed it and have all learned new techniques they had never thought of.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in making great looking jewelery from chainmaille.

I have taken one chain mail class on byzantine chains, and I purchased this book to see what else I might do. The book is very good with step-by-step instructions. And it also provides all of the key jump ring measurements by the various metals and vendors (Inner Diameter and Gauge). As a novice, I am thrilled with how easy it has been to understand and follow the necessary step to creating truly unique and beautiful chain jewelry. This is a great book and I highly recommend it!

I love the book. The instructions are easy to follow & the graphics are great. I'd give it 5 stars if the dimensions of the products needed were in metric. All the materials I have found are measured in mm and the materials called for in the book are measured in inches.

This collection offers plenty for anyone interested in maille jewelry, whether or not the beaded additions appeal to you. White starts this book with a few basics about tools, materials, and basic techniques, then starts right in on a wide range of projects.

Dylon's illustrated instructions make even complex links easy to understand. Sequences of color-coded diagrams clarify each step of assembly, and include linkages not shown in White's earlier books. In fact, that's what I like best in this text: the number of novel combinations, as isolated baubles or as full-length chains, that serve as launch points for my own imagination.

Maille has advantages for beginning jewelers in its relatively inexpensive materials, minimal tooling, and richly varied results. That shouldn't put off more experienced crafters, though. There really is something here for people working at any level.

-- wiredweird

I enjoy making chain mail but sometimes people don't have the right reaction to it - 'are you one of those people who dress up' or 'are you into that scene'. There were several pieces in here that anyone could enjoy. The orbital earring collection has gone over nicely and I'm hoping to do the golden lady earrings soon. I also liked the zipper pulls. All of which I can wear with my business suits.

Patented? I don't think so. I would return this book, if it wasn't so much trouble. I wanted the instructions for the Wrapped Donut. That was the only thing in the book that might be worth making.
The instructions aren't user-friendly. Too much information is stuck in one paragraph and it makes it difficult to follow.
There are a lot better books out there, or instructions are on the Internet.
Some interesting purchased pendants are used. It sure would be nice to easily find out where they came from!