Have any of you made the foldover chain from Jean Stark’s book,
Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains? I need some help with the clasp.
(Randy Smith posted a photograph at
The clasp is a link like the others, just a little longer. There is
a drawing of the clasp link and the instruction, “Adjust the clasp
link until there is tension when the clasp is inserted into the loop
of the last link.”
I am not sure what kind of adjustment is needed to keep the bracelet
from falling off. Can somebody provide a description or drawing of
how it works?
Janet, I haven’t made this bracelet, but if you look at Jean’s
picture on page 32 figure 3.23 you can see both sections of the
chain. The clasp looks like it is simply folded over and adjusted as
any hook would be adjusted. It obviously just fits over the end link.
It looks like you would fold the clasp link down and then fold up the
balled end a bit to give some tension to the hook. Look at figure
3.27 on page 36. I think it would be a matter of putting a little dip
at the end of the folded over clasp link just before the balled up
end.
Hope that helps. I love this chain and keep meaning to make one.
Maybe I’ll do that this week.
picture on page 32 figure 3.23 Kay, Thanks for pointing out this
picture–I hadn’t noticed that it showed the end of the chain. Do
you think it looks shorter than the drawing on page 36? I am going
to try making the last link–the one that connects to the clasp
link–a little longer than the others, with a slightly elongated
eye. That may make it easier use with the clasp.
There’s an online store that sells this bracelet with a different
clasp: HugeDomains.com
Note the price: $350! Do you think it moves at that price? The local
elementary school is asking for goods to be raffled off in a
fundraiser, and I am strongly tempted to give them one of these
bracelets. I’d be mortified if it didn’t sell, though.
What have you made from Jean Stark’s book? I find this chain to be
the easiest and quickest to make, because the fusing doesn’t have to
be perfect. If the fused loop looks rough, I orient it so the rough
part is melted for the ball end of the link.
The biggest challenge for me is controlling the melt so the ball
ends are all the same size. Another problem: Sometimes capillary
action will draw the molten metal up between the wires, so they look
soldered together.