Interlocking ring

I got the original pattern from the pages of Snowgoose.. SNOWGOOSE So this isn't my brainstorm at all.
The next step of doing interlocking split rings came from my demented mind.
The pattern on the Snowgoose page has the rings in a circle. If you want the rings to line up then you need to leave a longer thread between each ring. Even at that they want to curve.

Step 1:
Tat a ring of 20 double stitches. DO NO CLOSE THE RING YET
Pass the shuttle through the ring from right to left.

Step 2:

Keep a firm grasp on the ring. Now take the thread that is coming out of the last ds of the ring and pull on it to close the ring. As you close the ring , the loop is going to get longer and longer. Keep going back to that last ds, to pull the ring close. This keeps the loop from getting to twisted and keeps the shuttle from being pulled out of the loop.

When the ring is closed you will have a loop of thread coming from the closed ring. One end of the loop is coming out of the last ds the other end is coming from your shuttle.

Step 3:

Lay the ring down and look at it. The last ds of the ring is on the left and the shuttle is on the right.
Turn the ring over, to the right so that the last ds is on the right. (like turning the page of a book backwards)

Pick up the ring, place the last ds between your thumb and index finger.
Enlarge the loop so it goes around your left hand. The thread coming from the last ds, should be around the top of your left hand.

The thead coming from the shuttle should be coming across the palm of your left hand.

Make a ds, leaving 1/8 inch space. Test to see if it slides. If it does the threads are in the correct position and you can make another ring.
Remember not to close the ring until you pass the shuttle through first. If you forget, we can fix it
The longer the thread you leave between rings the more they will move around. In the white motif, I left about 1/2 inch between the rings. The rings have quite a bit of play. Almost like links on a chain. When you are using two thread colors, you have to keep the spaces between rings fairly small or you will have the thread of one color laying across the ring of another color. Not an attractive look.
The second picture shows the placement of the threads when you start the second ring.

Thanks for looking and giving me your imput. Suzann

This unbelievable chain was created by Mimi Dillman. It was made using 4 shuttles and double interlocking split rings! In the Split Ring Olympics Mimi gets the Gold Metal !

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