Chain Reaction Bracelet (Tutorial)
by Rena Klingenberg. © 2003-Present Rena Klingenberg. All Rights Reserved
Make a chain bracelet that creates a statement!
Seven sassy strands of chain join forces to create this stunning piece.
If you mix chain types and colors as I did, try adding one chain with a pop of color that stands out from the rest.
Supplies:
- 7 strands of chain, each strand about 130mm (5.1″) long.
I used chains in a variety of link styles and colors, in narrow to medium widths. - 2 large jump rings – one for each end of the bracelet.
I used heavy gauge 15mm jump rings in antiqued brass color. - 14 smaller jump rings – one for each end of each chain strand.
I used sturdy 5mm jump rings in antiqued brass color. - 1 smaller jump ring – for attaching the extender chain to the bracelet.
I used a sturdy 5mm jump ring in antiqued brass color. - Optional: Short piece of chain with medium-size links – to be an extender chain for making the bracelet a good fit.
I used a 51mm (2″) piece of antiqued pewter chain. - Clasp – for closing the bracelet.
I used a heavy-gauge hook clasp about 22mm long, in antiqued copper. - Chain nose pliers.
- Flat nose pliers.
- Wire cutter – if you’ll be cutting pieces of chain.
- Ruler – for measuring your chain strands.
These are the jump rings and clasp I used:
How to Make a Chain Reaction Bracelet
We’ll start by cutting 7 strands of chain.
Each strand should be about 130mm (5.1″) long.
If you’re using chains with various types of links (like I did), it’s impossible to make each strand the exact same length.
So just do your best to get all the chains as close as possible to the same length.
Now here’s how to make those varying chain lengths work for this bracelet.
Below you can see my cut chains, and how I put the longer chains at the ends of the group, with the shorter chains in the middle of the group.
This arrangement makes the varying chain lengths turn out just right after you’ve attached your chains to the large jump rings:
Next, we’ll attach a small (5mm) jump ring to each end of each chain.
Use your flat nose and chain nose pliers to twist open the first small jump ring:
Then thread your opened jump ring onto one end of the first chain.
Now use your flat nose and chain nose pliers to twist the jump ring closed again.
The first end of your first chain should look something like this:
Attach the second small jump ring to the remaining end of your first chain, so there’s now a small jump ring on each end of the chain:
Continue with attaching one small jump ring on each end of each chain strand.
When you’re finished, your chains should look something like this:
Now we’ll attach the large (15mm) jump rings to the chains.
Line up your chains with longest chains on the ends, and shortest in the middle.
Use your flat nose and chain nose pliers to twist open one of the large jump rings:
. . . and slide the first chain’s small jump ring onto the large jump ring:
Slide the next chain’s small jump ring onto the large jump ring, right next to the first one:
Continue sliding the remaining chains onto the large jump ring, until all seven are attached to the large jump ring.
Then use your chain nose and flat nose pliers to close the large jump ring again.
This first end of the bracelet should look something like this:
Now let’s move to the second end of the bracelet.
Use your chain nose and flat nose pliers to open the remaining large jump ring.
Slide these chain ends’ small jump rings onto the large jump ring.
Here we have four of the chain ends on the large jump ring:
And here we have all seven of the chain ends on the jump ring:
But don’t close the big jump ring yet.
We’re going to attach the clasp to this big jump ring:
Slide the clasp onto the large jump ring, and use your chain nose and flat nose pliers to close the large jump ring:
Your bracelet is finished now!
It may look something like this:
The fastened clasp may look like this:
And if you want to attach an extender chain to your bracelet, now is the time for it.
Get out a small (5mm) jump ring and your 52mm (2″) piece of chain.
Use your flat nose and chain nose pliers to twist open the small jump ring:
. . . then thread the extender chain and the big jump ring onto the small jump ring.
Use your flat nose and chain nose pliers to twist the small jump ring closed again:
When the bracelet is worn with an extender chain, the clasp will work like this:
Your finished Chain Reaction Bracelet may look something like this:
