European 4-in-1 is what most people think of when they think “chainmail.” It was the weave used for armor in the olden days, and purses in the Victorian era. It’s also one of the most versatile weaves, able to expand and contract in much the same way that fiber knitting does – one “stitch” of adjustment at a time.
This weave is pretty forgiving about ring sizes – it looks nice in a wide range. For reference, here’s a range of 18ga ring sizes all used to make a patch of European 4-in-1. Size 9:18 is what I recommend for this weave in 18ga, but it’s possible to go tighter. It’s also possible to go much looser, though the chain gets weaker at the “airy” end. The sizes I’ve recommended in the charts below are at that sweet spot: fairly snug, but not as tight as possible. Your preferred Euro 4-in-1 may vary!
And just for fun…
The ring counts and chain widths listed here assume that you’re making a band five rows wide (as shown).
Inch Sizes
| size | 6:21 | 7:20 | 8:19 | 9:18 | 10:17 | 11:16 | 13:15 | 14:14 | 16:13 | 18:12 | 20:11 | 22:10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rings/inch | 55 | 45 | 38 | 33 | 31 | 28 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 |
| inches/ozt | 13.6 | 11.7 | 9.4 | 7.5 | 5.5 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| chain width | 11mm | 13mm | 15mm | 17mm | 19mm | 21mm | 24.5mm | 26mm | 31mm | 34mm | 38mm | 41mm |
Please note that there is no “great” 22ga Euro 4-in-1 size in inch rings. Use the millimeter size 2.25M22 instead, which falls between 5:22 and 6:22.
Millimeter Sizes
| size | 2.25M22 | 2.5M21 | 2.75M20 | 3.25M19 | 3.5M18 | 4M17 | 4.5M16 | 5M15 | 5.5M14 | 6.25M13 | 7M12 | 8M11 | 9M10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rings/inch | 55.75 | 53.25 | 46.25 | 38.75 | 36.25 | 30 | 26.25 | 25 | 22.5 | 20 | 15.75 | 14.25 | 12.5 |
| inches/ozt | 19 | 18 | 11 | 9 | 6.9 | 5.6 | 6 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| chain width | 10mm | 11mm | 13mm | 15mm | 17mm | 19mm | 21mm | 24mm | 26mm | 29mm | 34mm | 38mm | 43mm |
If you don’t already know how to make European 4-in-1, you can find instructions for this weave (and six others) on my first DVD. If you’re interested in using European 4-in-1 to fit the human form (and other 3D shapes), I recommend getting a copy of Dylon White’s Art of Chainmail book. If you’d like to explore this weave, I recommend that you purchase one of these aspect ratio samplers. All the rings in this sampler work well for European 4-in-1, and they range from 22ga through 10ga. Try out a wide range, and decide for yourself which size(s) you like the best.
