How it all began

A few years ago, my well meaning father dropped a rather heavy and hard backed book into my lap at Barnes and Noble and told me "You can do this". The book was an instruction guide on making chainmail jewelry. As an avid crafts artisan who had been working mostly with stone beads and some wire, I was intrigued by the idea of working with tiny metal rings to create lavish and beautiful jewelry that gives homage to an ancient skill/craft.

After buying the book and more than 300.00 worth of anodized aluminum rings, I set to work learning the weaves and patterns that would turn them into jewelry. I had to learn how to work with two pairs of pliers (one for each hand) the proper way to open and close a jump ring, and how to interpret pictures in a book into the sometimes stubbornly wriggly pieces of metal clutched in my aching, cramping fingers.

Sad to say, I put away the chainmail for awhile when my Piscean attention span (short and flighty for those of you who don't understand) dragged me in the direction of homemade soaps and candles and dandelion jelly. It was not until late last year that i found another pamphlet on basic chainmail designs and had my interest piqued again by a stunning weave known as the Byzantine. This weave had been, oddly, resisting my efforts to learn until now. Suddenly, my fingers became quick, nimble and clever, and the pieces just poured out of me; fantastic designs in all the colors of the rainbow--some pieces including all the colors of the rainbow at once. This one little breakthrough opened a whole new world of chainmail confidence and curiosity and the list of pieces I have successfully worked is huge--I recently completed an epic job of three chainmail rosaries wrought in an elegant and eye-pleasing Mobian Knot.

Happily obsessed, I am striving now towards a business that will let me use this awesome and ancient skill to support myself and travel the country in the form of craft festivals and Renaissance Faires. Nightwing Accents Chainmail will soon be an up and running website and I'll be booking venues for at least two festivals/shows this summer. Check it out and follow the journey.