Making Viking Knit Chain

This time of the year, with all the sports on television, is the perfect time to make my Viking Knit Chain for next season. This particular piece is made from 24G half hard sterling silver wire.

First I weave it onto a metal dowel which is about as thick as my thumb.

 I try to create as few wire joins as possible so I use about 8 feet of wire at a time. For this piece the final length on the dowel was 21 cms.. When I take it off the dowel, it's wonky in spots and the chain isn't totally even.

But now I start to pass it through my hand made draw plate.

Some use metal plates but I prefer wood because there is less chance of scratching or damaging the wire. A soft wood like pine works well but the wire is strong enough to quickly damage and enlarge the holes. So I have settled on a nice piece of oak. I make two passes through each hole and for most of my bracelets and neck chains, I stop after the 7/32 inch hole.

As you can see the chain is now much longer (40 cms.) and has become much more uniform. The weaving has become "locked".

Now all that is left is to pull it against a wooden rolling pin to remove any kinks and make it nice and supple. This length will be used to make three nice women's' bracelets (one already spoken for). I'll make a few more in silver but will make more using 24G copper.

Creating this length will have taken me about 4-5 hours in total but most of that is spent in front of the TV watching sports so I don't begrudge the time.

Cheers!

The Viking Knit Chain

 A few years back my Norwegian wife taught me how to weave this beautiful Viking Knit Chain and I use it regularly to create awesome pendants with my agate cabochons.

Normally I use 24G copper wire but when I want a challenge, I'll use 22G. The wire is "woven" around a wood or metal dowel.

As you can see, at this stage it's pretty irregular and doesn't look like much. After I have a length of about 8 inches, I'll take it off the dowel. By this time I will have used over 50 feet of wire. The diameter is the same as the dowel.

I have made myself a draw plate out of oak and this is what I use to "stretch" the chain.

Starting with the largest diameter, I draw the chain through successive holes until I get to a diameter of 7/32 inch. Now the chain will look like this.

As you can see, the weave has become much tighter and the chain has a little more than doubled in length. To make sure it doesn't unravel and to enable the addition of a clasp, I have to make end caps. These can be bought but I prefer to make my own out of 16G copper wire.

I then attach sliding copper bails to the stone so it can be hung on the chain. Some I make but the filigree ones are commercial.

Then the piece is completed with a hand made copper clasp.

The chain can also be used to make bracelets.

Every once in a while I make the chain out of sterling silver wire and then I use a spectacular sterling silver sliding bail.

It takes me about 4 hours to weave the chain and another 1.5 hours to do the finishing but it's a lot of fun and the finished product is well worth it.

Fall Comes To The Artist's Mark

 Well, the weather certainly has changed. No more lounging on the deck and no more work in the "Lap of Lapidary" because all the work has to be done in water and that water is now COLD!

Fall brings with it new birds (the Jays are back) and animals.

This guy is now a regular customer at the salad bar that grows in the French drain at the back. And some of the existing animals have started seeking warmth and comfort.

We still get spectacular sunrises but it now comes up in a different spot.

And since the pace is a little slower, there are family get togethers. Here we are with grandgirl Sydney and daughters Lisa (from the Bahamas) and Sandra at a great Indian restaurant called Dhaba in Halifax.

If you like Indian food, this is the place for you!

But mostly, fall is when I move from working on stones to making jewelry and guitar picks with them. The first order of business is to choose the stones I want to work with for pendants and ear rings and, where necessary, drill them. This has been done with only a few disasters. Next, I have to make more Viking chain. I'm starting with a few in 24 gauge copper but will eventually switch to 22 gauge copper and 24 gauge sterling silver. Here's how they look unfinished.

This chain was only about 8 inches long when I wove it from about 50 feet of wire but after drawing it through my oak draw plate it is now thinner, tighter and about 18 inches long. By the time I add the clasp it will be 20 inches- perfect pendant length. I'll also be making bracelets from the chain.

I have some absolutely beautiful stones to work with this winter so check back and see how this one turns out and what other pieces come off the bench.

And if you are looking for holiday gifts or yarn, just call the number on the blog and we'll open for you.

Spring IS Coming

Out here on Digby Neck, the sun is getting stronger, snow is pretty much all gone and winter is, grudgingly, giving up its hold on our amazing slice of Nova Scotia. Sure, we'll probably get a late blizzard but that snow will soon melt. The earth is warming up and I have it on good authority that pussy willows are emerging.

Here at the shop, we are doing a lot of fabrication in studio to produce pieces for the retail shop. We have experimented with new materials such as this leather "barbed wire"- truly unique.

More beautiful copper and silver Viking Knit Chains have been completed and paired with beautiful agates.

New techniques have been perfected- including this show stopping pendant using a really cool cold connection method.

We even have an amazing sterling silver vintage ring from Russia which features an awesome sillimanite cat's eye.

When we got it it was totally black and in need of repair but it has been professionally cleaned and repaired. It is very small (size 4/5) but it is a beautiful example of Russian craftsmanship- complete with Russian hallmarks.

We plan on opening next month if the weather cooperates and even if you have been before, come again as our store is like a box of chocolates- you never know what treasures you will find.

What's New at The Artist's Mark

 I haven't posted for some time because we have been so busy. Lots of work to do to get ready for winter plus we celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary few days ago. But we have had time to do some new pieces.

This is the time of year I make my Viking Chain. Here's how it looks when I weave it on the dowel (about 8 inches long)

And here's how it looks after I have drawn it through successively smaller holes in my draw plate. Now about 17 inches long. This one was done in 24 gauge copper but my next attempt will be with a thicker, 22 gauge wire.

I have also been collaborating with Vickie on some pieces. Vickie is a master of polymer clay and has developed several of her own techniques while perfecting museum quality jewelry. This time we used one of her beads, featuring a technique she calls her "Burlesque Blend" and hung it on an upcycled guitar string. Vickie also fashioned the wire work and bead work while I did the connectors at the back

I was able to use the original "eye" and attach another to make a really unique clasp.

I have also been making a lot of earrings and while I won't show them in this post, I will show you the display we made using some cool driftwood and plastic mesh. I even added some hooks at the bottom to hold three necklaces and eventually everything on it will be from the "Phoenix" collection featuring upcycled guitar wires.

 

Next time I'll feature more individual pieces.

Cheers!

What's New at The Shop?

 Like the rest of the world, we have been in a state of suspended animation and isolation. We thought we would have the shop open all summer but then we had another total shut down and now it looks like early July might be our opening- if we open at all this summer. We sure do miss all our visitors!

Anyway, life goes on. I am back in my Lapidary workshop- the Lap of Lapidary- and have had both the 10 inch Hi-Tech saw and the Cab King Lapidary unit along with the trim saw attachment humming at various times. I have cut a LOT of rock, which I'll show in subsequent posts but today I'd like to show some of my recent completed projects. Last year I cut a beautiful piece of rhodochrosite from a mine in Argentina and I've just completed a set using one of the pieces.

The rock is so beautiful and since it was found in a silver mine, I thought it appropriate to combine it with sterling silver. I just love the way it turned out and I have two slices left!

I have also worked several stone to completion. The one in the center of this pic was sold to a lady who saw it on Instagram. It is a great piece of Mexican Crazy Lace Jasper and I can't wait to see what she does with it!

The weather here is still not great- sure wish global warming would show up! But the tumbler is on its third load and I have spent the really cold days making Viking knit chain in copper and sterling silver.

Just love the way they transform when drawn through smaller holes on the draw plate.

So we're keeping busy and if the shop ever opens, will have plenty of great pieces for you to see along with our amazing selection of hand dyed premium Seawall Fibres yarn.

In the meantime, check out our on-line shop- The Seawall Emporium, at www.seawallemporium.com

Stay safe and sane!