I begin with 14 gauge galvanized steel electric fence wire. It is strong, economical and won't rust.
I coil it into a reasonable amount to work with on my desk.
Then I wrap the wire around a metal rod to make a "spring" that I can cut into rings.
I stretch part of the spring so that after I cut, some rings will be "open" and others will be "closed."
I need a mix of open and closed rings for my work. After they've been snipped, the open rings are ready. I need to adjust the alignment of the closed rings.
I am attaching the 3-1-3-1-3-1-3-1-3-1-3-1-3-1-3 chain to a sheet of maille.
It took a while for me to keep track of the pattern and where each ring
needed to be attached. Eventually, it has become second nature.
needed to be attached. Eventually, it has become second nature.
For fun I've been tallying my hours. This sheet has taken me 17 hours so far...
One row done!!!!
Now only three billion,
nine hundred ninety nine thousand,
nine hundred ninety nine rows to go.
Now only three billion,
nine hundred ninety nine thousand,
nine hundred ninety nine rows to go.