Chained: Create Gorgeous Chain Mail Jewelry One Ring at a Time [Paperback]

Rebeca Mojica (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 13, 2010

Unchain your creativity!

Whether you are new to chain mail or a seasoned weaver, Chained will introduce you to the art of combining metal jump rings into intricate designs, in a new way. No other book shows how to use so many weaves in so many ways, or gives this ancient art such a beautiful and modern twist. Techniques once used for armor now have a new life and can be used to create elegant adornments.

Open Chained and find:

• Clear, detailed step-by-step photos that will take you from opening and closing jump rings to finishing your first (or fiftieth!) project
• Easy-to-navigate Weave in a Nutshell" options for many weaves that will show advanced chain mail weavers the weave of a project in just a few steps
• 22 beautiful projects plus dozens of variations, including earrings, bracelets, necklaces and pendants, each with its own skill level and time investment rating
• Endless options: choose your favorite colors, your favorite metals, customize the size of your project, and find inspiration to add your own unique stamp to any piece of chain mail jewelry

Gather your pliers and piles of jump rings and weave your way to beautiful jewelry with Chained.

"

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rebeca Mojica is a self-taught artist who has mastered 70 distinct chain mail weaves and more than 100 variations. In 2003, she founded Blue Buddha Boutique to showcase her finished jewelry and provide kits and supplies to enthusiasts of this resurging craft. Mojica is the pre-eminent chain mail instructor in the Midwest. Her instructional projects have been published in books and magazines and her work has also appeared in The Chicago Tribune and The New York Times.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books; 1 edition (December 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1440303088
• ISBN-13: 978-1440303081
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 0.4 x 10.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Metal Work
  • #61 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Jewelry & Beadwork > Jewelry

More About the Author

A graduate from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Rebeca worked in media relations and nonprofit development for seven years. She managed several of the most successful PR campaigns ever for various Chicago-area organizations. Though her successes made her happy, in the back of her head was a nagging feeling that she wanted to do "something with her hands." So she left a promising career, spent a summer working at Interlochen Arts Camp, and then backpacked through a dozen European countries. After six months of travel and working odd jobs for room and board, she settled down and lived for a year as an au pair in Germany.

While at a Renaissance Faire in Germany, Rebeca saw several people wearing chainmaille belts. She couldn't find any place to buy them, so she decided to make one herself, thus awakening her passion. Today she knows more than 100 weaves and has a diverse portfolio of both upscale and accessible jewelry.

Rebeca is considered a pioneer and one of the industry's only experts. She teaches regularly at local bead stores and art centers, and has taught at the international Bead&Button Show. She has also been a guest instructor for the Fashion Department at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her instructional projects have been published in multiple books and magazines.

Rebeca's necklace Poseidon's Embrace, made of 14,500 titanium and stainless steel jump rings, won 3rd place in the international Bead Dreams 2009 Finished Jewelry category.

Rebeca is a member of the Chicago Craft Mafia and Chicago Metal Arts Guild. She is a contributing editor to Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine. Her work has appeared on CLTV and in the Chicago Tribune and The New York Times.

When she is not weaving maille, Rebeca enjoys cooking (especially baking bread), learning languages, and contemplating quantum physics and fractal cosmology.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Instructional Guide November 23, 2010

By Rod Westwood

Format:Paperback

This has to be the best instructional guide for maille that I've read yet. The detailed close up pictures of actually working with the rings has been very helpful. There is a lot of detail to showing exactly how a weave works for beginners, and shows a fast track to refresh your memory if you're doing it again or if you have a lot of experience weaving. I highly recommend this book to people of all skill levels. And the projects are fantastic, too.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars MUST HAVE!!! November 29, 2010

By Christa K

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book has got to be added to the library of every mailler or wannabe mailler out there! The pictures are outstanding - you can see each step. The detailed instructions make even the hardest of weaves understandable. For the beginning student, each section starts with an easy weave and then progresses to intermediate, advanced and expert. The beauty of this is that you are able to learn each weave (or review it) then go on to more difficult, intrecate variations. You'll feel like an expert in no time! The first chapter provides so much useful information for people who are new to chainmaille or to those who have been weaving for a while. By far, this is the best chainmaille book I have ever seen.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Beginner's Book February 3, 2011

By ej

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have to say I was a little disappointed in this book. I was looking for some advanced weaves -- Jens Pind, Dragonscale, that cool Caterpillar thing she does, Cyclon or even Half Persian. The majority of the weaves were a base of byzantine, Japanese or helms.

I gave this book 4 stars anyway, because the book was very well written -- it was like talking to an old friend about her passion. It relaxed and conversational, and packed with TONS of useful information for a beginning weaver.

The photos are also gorgeous, and Rebeca's instructions are the best.... and I've purchased a ton of patterns ... if you can't learn it from Rebeca, you can't learn it. If you're newer and having a tough time with a weave, you need these instructions. Period.

She goes through all the pros and cons of metals, which was also nice for the beginner. I felt like there was too much time spent on opening and closing rings, but again, if you're beginning, you need to know how important a perfectly closed ring is.

It did leave me feeling like there's room for alot of creativity in weaving and using color, which I tend to shy away from because I don't care for aluminum and niobium is too pricey.

Additionally, she's confident enough to tell you where you can purchase supplies at places other than her store, which is just plain cool.

Rebeca's perfect quality of work and her use of color make her pieces shine. If you're just beginning, you'll be out buying rings in no time after reading this. If you've been addicted for awhile, you'll be eagerly awaiting her next, hopefully Expert Only, book, and I'll be waiting with you.