Exploring the Depths of Helm
Variations on Helm Chain

By Cynthia Clinton

This book was a surprise to me too :o)  When I cracked this weave, I didn't know what it was called and couldn't find a name for it ANYWHERE.  Fellow wire worker, Maaria, in Finland posted on a forum some Helm Chain she had made.  I confirmed it was the same chain and voila!  I finally had a name for this weave after it going nameless for so long.  Honestly, if I didn't find a name for it, I was going to make one up.  Funny how, when I finally find someone who knows the name of it, she is all the way across the world ;o)  My Finnish friend also states that the english name for this weave is Parallel Chain.  I think I like Helm much better.  Many thanks to Maaria for without her I would have called it "Belt Chain" or something equally unromantic!

This book came about because I was documenting how I made this weave so I wouldn't have to figure it out again later.  I learned my lesson the hard way.  I've cracked a couple of weaves only to stop making them for a few months and then have to crack them all over again.  Not only is that a study in frustration, but it's also foolhardy to waste that much time.  I really had some fun documenting this weave and I made so many cool variations with this chain that I decided it would be fun to share.  This is an easy weave that can have so many faces.  In this book I'm sharing step-by-step instructions with photographs every step of the way on how to make the standard chain, then I share several of my favorite variations.  It's the fun variations that I feel are the greatest part of this book and I hope they inspire you to come up with many of your own.

Due to be released in September 2002

 

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This page last updated on: October 05, 2002