Easy? Advanced?

A few years ago two women came up to my booth and said they were surprised to see someone making chainmail in Victoria. I wondered about this and learned that they owned a gallery in the area. They had recently brought in someone from Australia, I believe, to teach a weekend course on advanced chainmail. The weave the "teacher" chose was Byzantine.

Advanced? Well, all right. I guess some might consider that advanced, but it did surprise me. I always think of it as a beginner's weave.

Upon further questioning, I found out that she had them make their piece out of 20g wire, 1/8" internal diameter, or something along those lines.

Ok. That's just a bit difficult. Time consuming, even. But not advanced.

And this, dear Reader, leads me to my thought for today: the difference between simple and complex, easy and difficult.

Simple, in case you are unaware, means that there are very few steps involved. Complex means numerous steps.

Easy means that there is not a lot of energy involved in the making of the piece. Difficult means that a lot of energy is used, usually in terms of time and sweat.

When considering what weave to teach a group, it is important to keep these things in mind.

Byzantine is a simple weave. There are not a lot of steps involved. It is, essentially, 2 to 2 to 2, flip, split. That's it. If you're reading this blog, chances are that you know it is an easy weave.

Making it in tiny links doesn't make it a complex weave; it just makes it difficult.

1/2 Persian, for many, is a complex weave to begin, but simple to continue. It may be difficult to start, but is easy to finish. If you don't know the easy way to start it yet, just click on the video below:

Even this weave is what I would call a beginner's weave.

When giving a beginner's course, you should probably consider something that is both simple and easy, allowing them the time to both learn the process, as well as finish the piece.

For an advanced course, I would select something that is complex, but not too difficult. One example of this would be a Moorish rose pendant. It is a complex piece to make, but relatively quick. Oh, and I would do it in aluminium, as that makes it easier to close those last links without too much forcing or invectives. Below is a beautiful example of this weave by Steampunk Garage, made in steel and niobium. If you don't want to make it yourself, theirs is well worth it.

Many of us confuse difficult with complex, and when we are teaching others, this confusion can lead to a lot of unnecessary frustration. But when we understand the difference, then our students are just the richer for it.

Goals

Earlier today, someone posted the following questions on a chainmail forum. I found them wonderful enough to not only respond, but to share here, too. Thoughts and comments are most welcome.

What drives us every day?
What makes our hearts sing?
How do we help our customers achieve their dreams?
What is our core value?
What do we stand for?
What is our place in the world?

My response was as follows:

For years, as a fashion designer, my goal has to been to help others see the beauty within themselves. As an artisan, my goal is to help bring beauty to the world.

I have long been conscious that my main goal at my booth is not to sell every last item that I can, but instead to do all I can to ensure people leave my booth happier than when they arrived.

I spend a lot of my time talking with people about spiritual ideas, the essential oneness and unity of humanity, and strive to help people feel better about themselves and others. I long to see people leave my booth with hope.

Chainmail is all about making connections, and that is what I see as my purpose in life. it is no mere coincidence that I have chosen this medium.

When I began in this field, back in the 80s, all I saw people making was armour. If they made a bracelet, it was as strip of armour on the wrist, and about as attractive. I longed to raise this up to fashion design and beautiful jewelry. I did all I could to share these ideas, against the hordes who condemned my work as unworthy because "it wouldn't stop a sword". I worked hard against the perception of this medium as a mere craft for hobbyists, as opposed to an art form in its own right, which is why I rail against the silly names for weaves on various sites. I have watched as this medium has grown far beyond what I had hoped, and rejoice as people discover more of what can be done with it.

Now, I hope to see more and more people look to discover these beautiful weaves for themselves, as they learn how to explore the world around them, instead of merely asking for a tutorial for anything new they may see.

This is the medium I have chosen to help people move away from the low cultural standards of the world around us and rise up to a greater awareness of the beautiful intricacies of existence, eager to explore and filled with the courage to dare.

This is the medium I have chosen to help people overcome their prejudices and see the entire world filled with links just waiting to be joined into a woven web of wonder. These mere circles of metal demonstrate that there are no ring sizes that are better than others, no particular metals that are better than others, no colours that are superior to any others. And these links are a great metaphor for people, too.

This, to me, helps me realize my own place in the world.