Who doesn’t like a bit of homemade jewelry? I know I do! And what homemade gift could be better than a handcrafted bracelet that looks like it took ages to make? Well, today I’m going to show you how to do just that, but by using memory wire to make the job really easy!
I make these as stocking fillers at Christmas for the girls in my family, and they’re always excited to see what colors and beads I use every year. Give it a try, you won’t regret it!
Things To Note
Memory wire coils can be threaded with cute beads to make an absolutely gorgeous snake style bracelet, and it can wrap around the wrist to compliment any outfit. They also keep their shape beautifully without the need of any extra kit, cutting out the hassle of having to use a clasp.
You can whip up a few in an hour if you know what beads you’re going to use. When I’m bored and fancy a quick creative project, I gather all my beads together and experiment with what looks good together. This can take a little longer, but the results can be surprisingly stunning!
Bracelet coils of memory wire are usually available in heavyweight or lightweight, and depending on what type of beads you’ll be using you might want to consider which you go for with care.
- The lightweight wire is easier to bend and manipulate but you do need to use small lightweight beads on it. This can create a fantastic, delicate-looking bracelet fit for a princess. This probably goes without saying, but be a bit more careful with this as it can lose its shape more quickly.
- For large or heavy beads go for the heavyweight wire, it’s harder to bend but keeps its shape perfectly with heavier beads and, depending on the color and pattern of your beads, it could be suitable for a guy as well.
For this wire bracelet DIY, I’ve used a selection of 8mm glass beads, 6mm acrylic pearls and some small silver 4mm beads on light weight wire for a beautiful, effortless look. Remember to check with your bead supplier that the beads you want to purchase are suitable for the wire, because as said some beads are just too large to use on light weight wire.
What You Will Need
Method
The average memory wire bracelet tends to be made with 3 or 4 coils but you can of course use more or less. I’ve seen some that are as many as 6 coils long, which look fantastic if you’ve picked the right beads. A simple, 1 or 2 coil bracelet will look lovely as well, particularly for someone who has a very minimalist style.
Step 1 Cut a piece of memory wire that’s 3 to 4 coils long. Start off with this many so you can get your feet wet.
Step 2 Once you’ve got the right length of memory wire, grab the end with the round-nosed pliers and twist it over and around into a loop. This will stop your beads from falling off as you thread them, and keep them secure at that end when you come to wear or gift it.
Step 3: Thread the beads on to the wire in any order you wish, keep threading on the beads until you are left with about ½ of empty wire at the end. Be creative, you don’t have to use all the same beads.
I like to use a 3 bead combination, as I have demonstrated with the purple bracelet in the picture. Thread one type of bead, then a different one, and then return to the previous bead type and thread another so that you have two beads of the same type and one different. Then, choose a third bead type and thread 3 of them, and then repeat. It looks so gorgeous and hopefully will inspire you to come up with your own combinations.
You absolutely can use the same bead for all of it if you wish, and this works great for showcasing a really beautiful bead type you’ve got your hands on. Even asymmetric bead combinations can look nice – there are no rules!
Step 4: Finally grab the remaining end of the memory wire with the round nosed pliers and twist it over and around into a loop as you did with the other end. You guessed it, this seals the bracelet and makes sure everything stays in place.
There you have it, a stunning little piece of jewelry that will compliment any woman’s, or even a man’s jewelry collection.
As I’ve said, I use these memory wire bracelets for stocking fillers. They’re relatively cheap to make depending on the type of bead you’re using. If you’re looking to give one of these as a standalone gift you could use a more expensive or special bead.
There are so many different types of beads that your choices of combinations are endless! But what gets me the most is with such an easy method you can quickly make yourself or your loved ones a completely unique bracelet, one that nobody else in the world is wearing!
Matching Beaded Earrings
To make it an extra special gift, you could pair it with some matching beaded earrings! You can find out how to make the earrings in the picture to go with the bracelet here, and it’s definitely something you should try.
If you have an old jewellery box (you know the one’s made out of thick card and have a little jewellery pillow inside) you can pop your creations in that as an added touch. But don’t forget to let them know it’s handmade!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this wire bracelets diy as much as I’ve enjoyed making them, and I’m sure you’re already inspired to make your own soon. Let us know in the comments section how you get on, and share your beautiful bead combinations. I love your stories!
