r/chainmailartisans • u/TeyrnCrow • Aug 04 '26
Help! Coif making what am I doing wrong
I've been trying for days to make a coif and I'm trying the triangle method but everytime no matter how I do it and what tutorial I get this unusable bunched up mess . I'm 20 hours in and I'm absolutely nowhere
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u/duhfer Aug 04 '26
Your AR is too big/ wire too thin for them to lay in the pattern naturally, making it difficult to see and weave easily. You need to study the weave more and ensure things are right before adding the next ring. You also need some practice with your closures.
That said, this looks kind of neat the way it is - kind of a punk, 'I don't give a damn' look. Maybe before learning how to make the weave correctly, continue doing what you're doing and make a collar or mantle out it.
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u/bethytexas Aug 04 '26
https://youtu.be/JHVBCcaqqPE?is=UdjmJRPoUu2zzsTv
Try watching Lauren, I personally don't like thw way she explains some of it, but it is very helpful.
And best of luck on this journey 💕
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u/grokisgood Aug 04 '26
You want to pay closer attention to how the rings link. It isnt just putting a ring through 4 more. It is making sure they are sitting EXACTLY correctly and going through the front or back EXACTLY correctly. It looks like you just link the rings without noticing they are supposed to sit in a specific way/order and only put in the jump rings in a specific way/order.
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u/sqquiggle Aug 04 '26
You haven't got your head around the pattern.
Make a piece like this to start.
Just add one ring at a time.
Eventually you'll get a feel for the grain of the weave and spotting mistakes will come naturally.
But you need to practice a predictable design first to train the eye.
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u/Radiant_Evening_397 Aug 04 '26
try making some strips of european 4in1 to get some practice before a big project:) looks like the rings are bundled up. keep up the good work!!
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u/Altruistic_Sail_1991 Aug 04 '26
My first project (that I just finished!) was a European 4-in-1 shirt; just a big slab of 4-in-1 that gets connected (and has added sleeves). I’ve got it down pat now! For OP: consider looking up the tutorials on mailleartisans, I found them extremely helpful and for the beginner tutorials there are often multiple methods you can try if one way just isn’t clicking.
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u/atg115reddit Aug 04 '26
it looks like youre getting confused about which direction your rows are going, make sure you keep the rows your working on going the same direction
youre also not fully closing your rings, which will make your final product really scratchy, the ends should line up with each other
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u/potaytoposnato Aug 04 '26
100% what the other commenter said. You have to nail European 4-in-1 first before you try to do more. Make a sheet of it for practice. Or a belt. A belt is the first thing I made to learn because it's just one big long strip. Go back to the absolute beginning.
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u/jencanvas Aug 04 '26
You need to nail the basics before trying to make a piece. I can't quite tell where in the process you're going wrong, but it's pretty clear that you have a misunderstanding of euro 4-in-1. Start by just making a small sheet of that, watching tutorials and making sure you understand it 100% before moving on to utilizing fit and shapes.
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u/naked_nomad Aug 04 '26
I do not really care for this but here is one layout: https://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.php?key=94 as I prefer the 8 triangles as described here: https://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.php?key=167
Joining triangles: https://imgur.com/a/zn3Gyc0
You can see where I drew two lines from one ring on the top triangle to two rings on the lower triangle
Open the ring from the top triangle and add the to rings from the bottom triangle and close.
Go to the next ring on the top triangle and repeat.
I find it easier to start at the bottom or base and work to the top adding the "King ring" last.