Memory Wire Beaded Bracelets

Rainy Day Creations
Easy Memory Wire Bracelets

The jewelry on this page was done on a rainy day when we were without power. Looking for something to do that didn’t require

electricity, I got out my beads and started arranging them in pleasing groups. One of the things I love most about beads is how they play off one another.

In a jumble in their little boxes and drawers, they often don’t look very special. But start stringing them on wire with sparkly gold or silver seed beads as spacers and ... magic happens.

The wire creates a glow from within. The spacer beads gleam and light up the beads they frame. The contrast between foiled beads, lamp work beads and sea glass beads makes each individual bead stand out. The current style of mixing various beads for contrast rather than making a formal repetitive pattern is perfect for memory wire bracelets like these.

Memory Wire Bracelet Materials

1. About 45 mix and match medium size beads. You can choose tones of one color (like the green bracelet); two colors that create a pleasing contrast (like the blue and white); or go wild with a multi-color scheme.
2. 3 or 4mm seed beads to use as spacers. I used gold on the green bracelet and silver on the blue and white bracelet.
3. Bracelet memory wire.
4. Round nose pliers to turn and close the ends (or use end caps).
5. Memory wire cutters. (Memory wire is a very hard wire and will damage your jewelry wire cutter. So be sure you have two pair and dedicate one to cutting memory wire and the other to cutting tough materials. You can purchase a special wire cutter designed for memory wire if you like.)

How to Make Memory Wire Bracelets

1. Cut a length of memory wire that is three-plus loops long. The "plus" is the bit extra you need to form the end loops and still have a bracelet that goes around the wrist three times.
2. Turn a closed loop on one end (or secure an end cap to the end). Here are directions on how to turn a wire loop
3. This design is very free form so there is no need to lay out your design first. Just tune your eye to what looks nice next to what (in terms of contrast). You also want a somewhat random alternation of bead type. You can see this clearly on the blue and white bracelet. The beads go 1 blue, 1 white, 3 blue, 1 white, 2 blue, 1 clear, 3 blue, 1 white, etc. ... (not counting the spacer beads).
4. "String" your feature beads, alternating with the spacer beads, leaving just enough wire to close the other end with a turned loop (or an end cap).
5. Turn the closing loop as you did the starting loop in 2. When doing the end loop, it helps to bend the wire to a right angle of your beads before making the loop. This serves to anchor the beads in place and give a bit more leverage for turning the loop. A flat nose pliers is best for forming the right angle, but not necessary.

Below is another one of my "Rainy Day creations". I’ll get the directions up as soon as I can!