Vote for April’s “Featured Product” contest winner

CAST YOUR VOTE NOW!

Submissions for April’s Featured Weave Contest are closed and the B3 team has done the difficult job of narrowing down the submissions to our group of finalists which means it’s time for YOU to cast your vote to determine the winner. This month, we challenged folks to create pieces using Japanese 12-in-2 in creative ways.  The results may in fact have been the toughest group to narrow down yet!  Rock on you guys!

To share the survey, we recommend you copy the link to this blog post and use that in any emails, blog posts, or social media posts you’d like to make about it (we’ve noticed some weirdness in the past with sharing the link directly – it sometimes like to bump people out of voting that haven’t already.)

Get a sneak peak at the all of our finalists below:

                   

FEATURED WEAVE FOR MAY – Helm Chain


For May, we’re featuring Helm Chain. This weave has been requested a few times by our community on Facebook which we can only imagine means you guys already have ideas!  We do have a few samples to get you started posted here in our Weave Samples album on Facebook, including this tapered Helm Chain created by one of our team members, April.

 

Want to see which B3 sizes work well for this weave? Visit our base metal stats & uses page and our sterling silver stats & uses page.

Never tried this weave but feeling up for the challenge? You can learn how to create Helm chain and lots of variations on the weave in Rebeca’s book CHAINED.


 

 

Vote for May & June’s “Maillers’ Choice” kits!

Below you can vote for the kit we will release in May as well as the 3 kits we will release in the first week of June to coincide with the Bead&Button show!  Woo!



        

Below, you can vote to customize four different kits!  The first, “Coiled Butterfly”, will be released in May (along with  B3 tutorial for the project, originally seen in the Fall 2012 issue of Wirework magazine.)  The other 3 will be released in a special 3-day “Maillers’ Choice” extravaganza in June.  Lots to look forward to – have fun voting!!

 


Cre8time Movement: Jewelry Project in 8 steps or Less – COILED EARRINGS

Here’s a quick project that was created for CHAINED book, but didn’t make the cut. It’s a great project for our enameled copper mixes and a fun way to try out using those big ol’ X12 rings.


COILED EARRINGS

Easy Chainmaille earring projectMaterials needed:

2 extra-large anodized aluminum jump rings – X12 – 12ga 7/16″ (11.1 mm)
36 small enameled copper jump rings –  D20 – 20ga 1/8″ (3.2 mm)

To create a fade like the example shown:
4 x color #1
8 x color #2
12 x color #3
12 x color #4

8 medium anodized aluminum jump rings – F18 – 18ga 5/32″ (4.0 mm)
2 earwire (try using anodized niobium earwire to add even more color to this project!)

Tools recommended:

2 pairs Euro Tool Ergo or Ultra Ergo flat nosed pliers
2 pairs Duckbill Pliers (recommended for closing the X12 rings)

To keep from marring colored rings (especially enameled copper which can be quite delicate) we recommend coating your pliers with Tool Magic.


Prep: Open the large rings and 6 of the medium anodized aluminum jump rings. Close all of the enameled copper rings and the remaining 2 medium anodized aluminum rings.

1. With an open extra-large ring, scoop 18 tiny rings in this order:

1 color #1
2 color #2
3 color #3
6 color #4
3 color #3
2 color #2 and
1 color #1.

Add a closed medium anodized aluminum ring onto the extra large ring, and close the large ring.


2. Add a chain of 3 more anodized aluminum jump rings to the anodized ring you added in step 1.  Before closing the third ring, add the earwire.


Try one of these color fades (using our enameled copper mixes) or create your own!


Denim


Merlin


Meadow


Persian

Congratulations to March’s “Featured Weave” contest winner

Voting for March’s Featured Weave contest is officially closed and the winner as chosen by you is……

 

Kathleen Q. with her piece “Aluminum Icewyrm Bracelet”


Congratulations, Kathleen! Your creativity has earned you a B3 gift certificate for $25! To claim your prize, please send an email to [email protected].

 


FEATURED WEAVE FOR APRIL – Japanese 12-in-2


For April, we’re featuring Japanese 12-in-2. This weave can be manipulated in many ways to create different shapes, curves, zig-zags and more. Want some ideas? Visit our “Weave Samples” album on our page on Facebook. There are lots of neat ideas for Japanese 12-in-2 in there and we think they’ll definitely get you thinking!

Want to see which B3 sizes work well for this weave? Visit our base metal stats & uses page and our sterling silver stats & uses page, or check out these weave ideas posts right here on our blog.

Never tried this weave but feeling up for the challenge? You can purchase Blue Buddha instructions for Japanese Lace (Japanese 12-in-2) here in our projects section.

Featured Weave April: JAPANESE 12-in-2


FEATURED WEAVE FOR APRIL – Japanese 12-in-2


For April, we’re featuring Japanese 12-in-2. This weave can be manipulated in many ways to create different shapes, curves, zig-zags and more. Want some ideas? Visit our “Weave Samples” album on our page on Facebook. There are lots of neat ideas for Japanese 12-in-2 in there and we think they’ll definitely get you thinking!

Want to see which B3 sizes work well for this weave? Visit our base metal stats & uses page and our sterling silver stats & uses page, or check out these weave ideas posts right here on our blog.

Never tried this weave but feeling up for the challenge? You can purchase Blue Buddha instructions for Japanese Lace (Japanese 12-in-2) here in our projects section.


HOW TO PARTICIPATE:




Make a project which primarily uses the featured weave or a variation of the featured weave. The project can use any and all B3 supplies and can use other weaves, but the featured weave should be the star. Please see the complete rules and details below for more information about qualifications.




Take a picture of your project and submit it using our official Featured Weave Contest form (link below.) You may post the piece online somewhere and provide us with a link, or upload it directly in the form. You will be asked to provide your name and an email address we can use to contact you in case anything goes wrong with your submission—or if you are the winner of the contest!

GO TO THE SUBMISSION FORM

Submissions are closed at midnight CT on 15th of every month and are limited to 2 entry pieces per person.



Get Votes! Submissions will close on the 15th of each month at which point the B3 Staff will choose our favorites. The top entries will be eligible for voting through a survey which we will post to our blog. If you are one of the finalists, feel free to share the link with friends via email, Facebook, Twitter or any other means.

Voting will close on the last day of the month.


 


We will award the top voted finalist each month with a $25 B3 Gift Certificate and will feature YOUR project in a special blog post and possibly even future B3 ads to inspire fellow chainmaillers all over the world.




Complete contest rules and details: Submissions are limited to 2 per person and must use the featured weave of the month as determined by Blue Buddha Boutique. The project is not required to be made from Blue Buddha Boutique rings, however any winning projects that use primarily rings from another supplier or rings made by the artist will not be eligible for posting on our blog or use in our ads to prevent false advertising. Pieces do not have to be specially created for the contest but should be no more than 12 months old. Current employees and interns of Blue Buddha Boutique are not eligible for this contest. Finalists are chosen by Blue Buddha Boutique and voted upon anonymously by the public to determine a winner. Submissions may be disqualified at the discretion of Blue Buddha Boutique if they are deemed inappropriate in any way. If a winner does not claim their prize within 15 days of notification, the second place winner will be awarded the prize. Please note: As of March 2013, participants are not eligible to win two or more months in a row.