Building up designs using beads on eyepins

Chain linking is our  term for when a series of beads are linked together in a row,using eyepins  to make a "daisy chain" arrangement. It is very effective for bracelets,  but also for making  fine delicate necklaces. As well as being strung along a row, chain linking is the basis for making pendants with mutiple  links, as seen in beaded pendant necklaces or multi-bead earrings, This technique is also great for making random arrays of beads, seen in a lot of contemporary jewellery and fashion jewellery, rather than rigid symmetry.

Before reading this article, you should have read the loop turning article, see link left, or click  here.,

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So this is a specialised form of loop turning, it is slightly different in that you don't really complete the loop in one go. For beginners, we recommend making each loop completely before adding another bead link above using an eyepin, as in the loop turning article. But in fact it is more efficient, when making multiple links, to never open the eyepin, since closing it can be fraught, sometimes it is hard to ensure it is fully closed, or you can distort the shape when closing. So it's better not to open any eyepins in the first place.

Here's what to do. While turning your first loop, after starting the loop, stop about halfway, and thread on an eyepin. Then finish making the loop with the eyepin's loop inside it. This is not for absolute beginners, but once you are confident with making loops generally, it is the next step. You will soon get into a rhythm, thread your bead(s) onto the first eyepin,  trim away the spare length,start turning a loop, thread on an eyepin, finish the loop, thread on the next bead(s) on to the new eyepin,  and  repeat.