Today we have Sam from Unintended Chainmail Design who has been mailling since 2007. It's always a joy to see what they have been creating. They currently have 3 items on display in London as part of the Come As You Really Are exhibition and has recently been interviewed by Craft magazine for the exhibition.
How did your journey start?
I started making pieces for LARP (live action role play) while at Uni some ('many' - their words not mine) years ago, mostly necklaces and bracelets. It fell to the wayside a bit as things do in life. Then about 6 years ago, after my kids were born I thought it'll be good for them to see their parents crafting and creating things.
"I wanted my kids to see both their parents creating and crafting things"
My partner is amazing at sewing and knitting, and I didn't want them to see crafting and creating as something one side of the family does. But now they demand ownership and quality control of everything I make
What was the first project you ever made?
I made a chain shirt, or attempted to. I used garden wire wrapped around tent pegs, which took a short while. I managed to get the front finished and half the back, and attached some buckles to the sides which don't work. I've worn it a couple of times and now sits quasi-finished on a mannequin. I've been thinking of coming back to it recently, add some embellishments now I'm more adept at the craft, but picking something up after so long has a big weight of expectation, I guess.
Can you tell us about a piece you've created that holds special meaning to you?
I made a face of Jack-in-the-Green from scales and chainmaille for my partner's mum back when I started getting back into the craft. Looking back, there's a few things I would do differently; like plan ahead and experiment before I make it. But that's part of the learning experience and I'm sure one day I'll learn to test and plan before I begin, which I'm really excited for.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Through a lot of experimentation and seeing the amazing stuff others are doing! There are so many talented people, what's possible with this craft, it's beautiful to see!
I find what I want to do mostly while I'm doing something else. I was working on a piece with Persephone units when I realised if you add another ring in, it kinda looks like a spider. So I wanted to try and make a cobweb for it. Then I thought about a piece that looks like tattered lace, and so on.
I also like trying to make things which feel like they're part of a story. I made a tiara out of copper and green glass gems, imagining it for a pauper royal. Chainmaille has a lot of connections to history and the fantastical, it's fun to play around with that - especially bringing it forwards into a modern or further forwards setting.
Do you have a dream project you would like to work on?
I've had an idea for a Calla lily for a while, but not set down to figure it out yet. Probably made from Oops (an european 4 in 1 variant built on the bias), but recreating that scrolling swoop in the flower and the colours is something I would love to achieve. It feels like it would be fun to try, and frustrating.
Want to see more of Sam's work? You can follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Facebook - Unintended Chainmail Design
Instagram - Unintended Chainmail Design
Comments