About Macaw Crafts
Hi and welcome fellow crafter! I bet, like me, you have tried many different crafts over the years. Some have stuck and others haven't. One that has stuck with me is making jewellery using the ancient chainmail technique.
You'll have seen chainmail being worn in period films and TV series like Vikings, The Lord of the Rings and anything else set in ancient and early medieval times. The Celts are credited with inventing chainmail, which makes sense considering their love of interwoven links. Originally used to protect warriors from arrows and swords, these days the chainmail technique of weaving round metal rings has been taken to a whole new level and is used to create intricate pieces of art and jewellery.
Since it is not easy to source pre-made metal rings for creating chainmail jewellery in the U.K, I have been on a long and sometimes frustrating journey to learn how to make my own to the high standard I wanted. Now I've mastered the technique, I can use my own rings to create tutorials, make kits and run workshops for you to have a go!
I know some of the jewellery pieces look dauntingly difficult to make, but that is the beauty of chainmail jewellery - it looks difficult but those tutorials and kits labelled for beginners really can be created by anyone - even if you're not crafty, even if you have never picked up a pair of pliers before, you can do it! Then go out and show your creations off to everyone and watch their jaws drop on the floor when you tell them you made them yourself :)
Let's create together! Ruth