Also known as Byzantine, this is one of the first jewelry weaves that most maillers learn. My favorite ring sizes for Birdcage are quite tight – large wire gauge when compared to the mandrel size. Ring sizes that do well for Birdcage will also make a nicely snug European 4-in-1.
A little ingenuity goes a long way with Birdcage:
This is a somewhat picky weave. You want a ring size that’s tight enough to support the structure and keep the pattern stable, but not so tight that the rings jam up on themselves and make the chain bind when it tries to bend.
All the sizes listed below make a lovely, tight (but not too tight!) Birdcage weave. However, 6:21 and 11:16 are the two that I end up using all the time. 6:21 is dainty enough for the smallest wrist, yet is plenty strong for everyday wear. 11:16 is seriously hefty, and has a perfect weave density.
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 | 38 | 30 | 28 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| inches/ozt | 20 | 17 | 13 | 10.3 | 8 | 6.5 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2 | 1.6 |
| chain diameter | 4mm | 4.5mm | 5mm | 6mm | 6.5mm | 7mm | 8mm | 9mm | 10mm | 11.5mm | 13mm | 14mm |
Please note that there is no “great” 22ga Birdcage 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 | 39 | 36.5 | 32 | 26 | 24.5 | 22.5 | 19.5 | 18 | 15.5 | 13.5 | 12 | 10.5 | 9 |
| inches/ozt | 27 | 20 | 16 | 13.5 | 10 | 7.5 | 6.4 | 4.7 | 4 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2 | 1.6 |
| chain diameter | 3.5mm | 4mm | 4.5mm | 5mm | 5.5mm | 6mm | 7mm | 8mm | 9mm | 10mm | 11mm | 13mm | 14.5mm |
If you don’t already know how to make Birdcage, you can find instructions for this weave (and six others) on my first DVD. 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 Birdcage, and they range from 22ga through 10ga. Try out a wide range, and decide for yourself which size(s) you like the best.
