Trichinopoly Resources

Online
http://medievalarchaeology392.blogspot.com/2013/05/trichinopoly-project-proposal.html
https://dawnsdressdiary.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/as-viking-knit-april-6-2015.pdf
http://www.relicuus.com/blog/2011/11/03/viking-knit-how-did-it-develop/
https://www.ancientwire.com/what_should_we_call_this_type_of_chain.htm
https://issuu.com/acriacao/docs/vikingsilver

French knit

http://www.dellacivetta.org/serafina/2012/12/05/tracking-the-history-of-viking-wire-weaving/

Loop in loop
http://theringlord.org/derakoninstructions/lilvar.html

http://theringlord.org/derakoninstructions/lil.html

Ebooks



Books and publications
: David Wilson and C.E. Blunt. The Trewhiddle Hoard

Tomantera Braid, Weave, and Foxtail. 


Graham-Campbell The Viking Age Gold and Silver of Scotland (AD 850-1100) 



Videos
Foxtail Chain pt1 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DqB4wHYiclg

What is Trichinopoly Chain?

Trichiopoly chain is a term used by 19th C archeologists for a contemporary city in India that was known for manufacturing knitted chain. There seems to be no historical context, although I do wonder if the introduction of skilled craftsmen from India to Western Civilization by Alexander the Great impacted metal work the way it impacted textile production. Which might make the association with India meaningful rather than coincidental.

At least three different types of knitted chain are labeled Trichinopoly chain in many museums. The finished chain have a very similar look and can't be distinguished without viewing using a jeweler's loupe (magnification) or being deconstructed.

Loop in loop

Fused links are bent and interlaced to form chain. This is an ancient techniaque requiring specialized equipment and skills. Before approximately 900AD, wire in Europe was rolled from thin strips of metal. The length of the wire was limited. Gold and silver are the most malleable metals and work well for loop in loop.Wire would have been create by being rolled, then formed into links, fused in a furnace (forge), and finally shaped into loops and intertwined. The completed chain was waxed then pulled through a draw plate which would make it finer and longer.

Around 900AD the technology of wire drawing reached Europe. The thin strips of metal were pulled through a draw plate allowing longer, more consistent wire to be formed even out of the less malleable metals like bronze and copper.

Viking knit

The ancient textile technique " Nålebinding which literally translates to needle binding also known as knot less netting was introduced to Europe and the British Isles via the Romans. Once longer lengths of wire became available, the Nalebinding technique was used with this wire to create chain. Most of the extent pieces date to the Viking age and were found in the Dane Law (the areas of Britain that had been under Viking rule). In the 1960's this technique was revived and dubbed Viking Knit.

French knit

Also known as spool knitting.

What I did during the Covid pandemic

 I had started learning wire woven chain, aka Viking knit in 2019 but continued making chain during the pandemic.

2019

Double knit in silver craft wire.

Copper, brass and craft wire.

Brass, triple knit. Copper single knit.

2020

And into 2021

2022

  

Double Spiral Fibula 

Extant double spiral fibula (also called “spectacle fibula by Victorian archaeologists) have been dated between the 10^th to 4^th centuries BC and are mainly associated with the Hallstatt and La Tine cultures. A double spiral fibula is made from a continuous length of bronze or silver wire and can range from 3.7 cm to 20.7 cm.

We are going to make a double spiral fibula of about 5.5 – 6 cm (that’s 2 – 2.5 inches for those of us metric impaired). This is a good size for a light cloak or a chiton. You can scale these instructions up (or down) by changing the gage of wire and the number of spirals used.

This class will not require any previous metal/wire working experience, but you will need wire and some basic tools.

What you’ll need;

Materials;

26 inches of 16 gage wire of your choice (double this if you want to make a pair) 

If using 14 gage wire, use 24 inches to get roughly the same size

Tools:

Round nose pliers (or any pliers that you happen to have)

Something to cut the wire with

Something to hammer with (since we are just hammering to work harden, this can be rawhide or a lite jeweler’s hammer)

Something to hammer on (a bench block, jeweler’s anvil, on up to whatever hard surface you might have.

Something to measure with (any kind of ruler)

Something to file the point of the pin (jeweler’s file, Dremel, bench grinder…in a pinch you can use a cosmetic nail file)

The Process

1. Cut 26 inches of 16 gage wire.
2. Bend one end ½ inch into a right angle 
3. Bend the other end 2 inches into a right angle. Make sure they face the same direction.
4. Join the two ends of the wire between the bends to find the middle
5. Make a small loop in the middle
6. Take which ever end seems longer and bend into a loop to create an infinity with the other loop
7. Start coiling from one end. I generally coil counterclockwise. Try to keep it tight and neat and coil up to the infinity in the middle
8. Repeat on the other end
9. Hammer the coils to work harden
10. Hammer the short bend to work harden
11. Bend the short bend into a catch for the pin. If it is too long, use your wire cutters to snip off a bit. File the end so it won’t snag clothing.
12. Hammer the long bend to work harden
13. Check the length of the long bend to make sure it reaches the catch. Cut the tip on an angle to start shaping the point of the pin. If your pin is just long enough cut just a bit. If it is too long, cut as much as needed. Remembering that you still need to make the ½ coil or coil
14. File the tip to create a sharp end on the pin

Note: Most extant pieces of the double spiral fibula don’t have the coil spring like other fibula of this time period. When you make the coil, you can pull the spiral out of shape.

15a. Hammer to work harden a half coil with the pin facing the catch. The work hardening will provide the spring action.

15b. Make a coil with the long bend as close to the spiral as possible. Bend toward the catch, down around your round nose pliers then back up to face your catch. Neaten up the coil and the spiral. Hammer the spiral again if it is too much out of shape.

Links to extent examples;

https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/double-spiral-fibula

https://www.bidsquare.com/online-auctions/artemis-gallery/large-greek-bronze-double-spiral-fibula-1123929

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/32959653_bronze-double-spiral-fibula-italic-8th-5th-century-bc

https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/collection-search-results/fibula/411079

First Firing in 2012

Here is where the magic happens,

Into the fire!

Bead rack in the can.

Spring is in the air and our thought have turned to thought of FIRE! We were able to do our first firing since last fall today. Hopefully the weather will stay nice and we can get back into a regular production schedule.

Beads, Beads, Beads

With firing, the waiting is the hardest part. Even with Raku. So I made a few things while waiting with the hopes that the beads and pendants will turn out they way I expected.

 

 

Coiled wire earings with newly fired Red Raku beads.

Brass, turquoise and glass bead necklace with newly fired  Raku pendant

Closeup of newly fired pendant.

Spring finally makes it to the Hill!

Spring has finally made an appearance to our part of the world. We've made it a week without snow. Wildflowers are appearing and our resident Red Tailed Hawks are on the hunt.

Raku Bronze Rabbit

Wrapped, Stacked & Layered Challenge

Almost 80 sites are participating in the Wrapped, Stacked & Layered Challenge Blog Hop organized by Make Bracelets' Tracey Statler. The challenge is just to create an interesting assemblage of wrapped, stacked and or layered bracelets. Here is my stack (you might be able to tell that I am obsessed with coiling wire right now)! #3 and #5 were not made by me.

1. Coiled brass and copper wire with Raku beads
2. Coiled Brass wire
3. Indian brass bangle
4. Silver PMC, Raku and carved horn beads
5. Indian turquoise bangle
6. Coiled copper wire with Raku beads






Thanks for hopping by and be sure to hop to the other participating sites;

makebraceletsblog.com
ahteesblog.blogspot.com
songbeads.blogspot.com
sadafulee.blogspot.com
beadlolabead.blogspot.com

stringsattachedcindi.blogspot.com
carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
cathiecarroll.blogspot.com
pinterest.com/chrisdeweerd
beatnheart.blogspot.com

storiestheytell.blogspot.com
tellyourgirlfriends.com
mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com
copperdiem.blogspot.com
copperpennydesigns.blogspot.com
greenshoot.blogspot.com
twentytwelve-mmxii.blogspot.com
delle56.blogspot.com
elizabeth-marengoalhajas.blogspot.com
treasures-found.blogspot.com

erinsiegeljewelry.blogspot.com
ferrarioriginalsyahoocom.blogspot.com
facebook.com/handcraftedserenity
PaisleyDesignStudios.com
pixiloo.blogspot.com
hintjewelry.blogspot.com
silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com
daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com
jazzierich.blogspot.com
site.jkdjewelry.com/blog

jeanetteblix.com
glassaddictions.com
jerrisjems.com
howienjoylife7997.blogspot.com
overthemoon-design.com
katerichbourg.com
pinterest.com/kk0725/stack-it-up-bracelets/
kimmykats.com
kymhunterdesigns.blogspot.com
lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com

lelamccracken.blogspot.com
etsy.com/shop/goingtribal
inspiredadonments.blogspot.com
lorelei1141.blogspot.com
freshbakeddesigns.wordpress.com
lindysdesigns.blogspot.com
maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com
maureenmeanswell.blogspot.com
maybejustperhaps.blogspot.com
beadrecipes.wordpress.com

teaandzoe.blogspot.com
miri100.blogspot.com
melissameman.blogspot.com
kenshostudio.com
beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com
havanabeads.blogspot.com
eclecticteaenshrinements.blogspot.com
roxidesigns.blogspot.com
stefaniessammelsurium.blogspot.com
thestudiosublime.com

sandivolpe.com
sharondriscoll.blogspot.com
sedillohillstudio.blogspot.com (You are here)
sunshinebliss.com
sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com
MiShelDesigns.com
aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com
blueberrycrazy.deviantart.com/gallery
uniqueboutique-creativetouch.blogspot.com
starhitchedwagon.blogspot.com

terrabeadworks.com
theresestreasures59.blogspot.com
sweetbeadstudio.com
missyrappaport.blogspot.com
mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com
fredbeansnook.com/blog

I want to share this with you...

Some of my beads were selected to be used in Erin Siegel's upcoming book!
I was flattered before, but now that she has sent out the list of bead makers whose beads are included I am blown away. It is like a Who's Who for ceramic bead makers and me. Here is the entire email she sent to the Beads of Clay list;

"On Mon, Mar 12, 2012 at 10:23 AM, Erin Siegel wrote:
As many of you are aware, I co-authored a jewelry-making book called,
Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry: 50 Designs Using Leather, Ribbon and Cords
due out this May. It's now available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Bohemian-Inspired-Jewelry-Designs-Leather-Ribbon/d\
p/1596684984
<http://www.amazon.com/Bohemian-Inspired-Jewelry-Designs-Leather-Ribbon/\
dp/1596684984>

Last year, I posted a call out to the BOC group for art beads to use in
the jewelry projects for the book. Many of you generously responded to
the request! I'm now pleased to announce beads made by the following
ceramic bead artists will appear in this upcoming publication:

Becky Guzman (Diakonos Designs)
Diane Hawkey
Earthenwood Studio
Elaine Ray
Elements Pottery
Gaea
Golem Studio
Jon Sutcliffe
Lisa Peters Art
Mary Harding Jewelry
Marsha Neal Studio
Micic Art
NKP Designs
Round Rabbit Extra
Sedillo Hill Studio
Seoul Identity
Southern Fired Designs
Spirited Earth
Vanessa Gilkes
Yolanda's Clay

Congrats to all! Thank you so very much for donating your art beads for
this book project. Business contact information for each of these
artists appears in the Resources and Where to Shop sections at the back
of the book. Also, a special thank you to the Beads Of Clay group
appears in the Acknowledgements section in the front of the book.

Please feel free to spread the word and share this news with your
family, friends and customers! If you have any questions or comments
please email me at: erinsjewelry10@yahoo.com

Erin Siegel
www.erinsiegel.com <http://www.erinsiegel.com>"

Silver PMC Bead

I took a Silver PMC bead class yesterday at New Mexico Clay. PMC is so different from earth clay. It is nice to learn something new but frustrating that earth clay techniques don't translate completely. Made a bracelet today with one of the beads. Red horn beads, green raku beads, copper chain and findings and a raku charm with a round PMC silver bead that was formed over a cork core.

New Year's Blog

Sorry for the long silence. Last year got away from me from Spring on. Became really busy at work (my day job) and seemed to use up every brain cell by the end of the work day. Add in the drought and fire danger that was ever present from the Spring through the Fall. The View from the Hill was not so good. The Los Alamos fire was visible on clear days and the pall of smoke hung over the state from wild fires all over the Southwest.

It was not a good time to be a Raku Artist in New Mexico. The risk was too real and too great to fire.

Finally, a light at the end of the tunnel! New Mexico gets some moisture in the form of snow. However, our kiln is buried under 3 feet of snow. The snow is melting and no more is forecast in the near future. We might actually be able to get back to work soon.

Meanwhile, I have been learning wire working for jewelry. I have been concentrating on learning bracelet making (OK, obsessed really). Here are a few example, with and without my beads;

Red Raku beads with coiled copper wire.

Patina green Raku beads with coiled copper wire.

Glass beads, copper charm and coiled copper wire.

Brass beads, gears and coiled wire.

Glass beads on coiled wire.

BTW - Inside my bead box

This is my Etsy box. Beads I have on Etsy or will put up soon.