Memory Wire Bracelet With Bumble Bee

Learn to how to bead this Memory Wire Bracelet With Bumble Bee. We love beading with memory wire. You don’t need a clasp so the whole project is just the fun of beading! We designed this bracelet to feature a sweet Bumble Bee bead that will sit with its wings across the whole bracelet. And we used curved tube beads to create big clean sections that separate our bead clusters.

Here’s a video we made showing how to measure the memory wire, how to cut the memory wire, and how to coil a small loop in the end to keep the beads from sliding off. In the video, we show you how to add the beads following our pattern. And how to finish the other end like the first. Follow along then use the steps and pattern below to make your own Memory Wire Bracelet.

Video How-To: Memory Wire Bracelet With Bumble Bee

Disclosure: This post has some affiliate links for products we think you’ll like. Even if you don’t want to buy the items online, we think it’s helpful to see what they look like, so you can buy them at your local craft store. If you make a purchase from one of these links, we’ll make a small commission. There is no additional cost to you at all, but it helps us a little so we can pay for our web hosting and the tools and materials we use in these videos and blog posts. All opinions are our own from our own personal experience.

How To Bead A Memory Wire Bracelet With Bumble Bee

Materials

1 Bumble bee bead, silver, 14mmx21mm
20 Chip beads, turquoise, 5-10mm
10 Faceted rondelle beads, Amazonite, 3mmx6mm
6 Faceted rondelle beads, Amazonite, 3mmx4mm
16 Round hollow beads, silver, 6mm
28 Round hollow beads, silver, 3mm
16 Curved tube beads, silver, 20mmx2.5mm
Memory wire, 60mm diameter, silver

Tools

Round-nose pliers
Heavy-duty wire cutters or Memory wire cutters

Steps

1. To get started, measure and cut the memory wire. We measure the memory wire by counting out complete loops. For this bracelet, count out three complete loops or coils. Do not cut yet though.

2. Add two extra inches to the three complete coils. Then use your heavy duty wire cutters to cut the memory wire. You can buy cutters that are specifically designed to cut the heavy wire of memory wire. If you love making memory wire bracelets, you might consider investing in some!

3. Next, bend a small loop in one end of the memory wire using the round-nose pliers. To do this, grasp the end of the wire with the round-nose pliers and twist or roll the pliers. The memory wire is very strong, so just take your time bending the wire a little at a time. Reposition the pliers as you go to get good leverage.

Continue to roll a loop until the end of the wire meets up with the memory wire forming a complete loop.

4. Next, feed the beads onto the memory wire starting with the large round silver bead. You can refer to this pattern as you bead.

5. Next slide on a silver tube bead.

6. Then add another large silver bead.

7. Now you can start beading the first Amazonite bead section. Slide on a large Amazonite bead.

8. Then add a small silver bead. Repeat until you have a section of five Amazonite beads separated by small silver beads. End with a large silver bead.

9. Now slide on three silver tube beads. We love these curved tube beads on a memory wire bracelet. They create large smooth sections that separate the beaded sections.

10. Next add a section of chip beads. To do this slide on a single chip bead.

11. Then add a small silver bead. Repeat until you have a section of five chip beads separated by small silver beads.

12. Continue adding the beads for the first coil following the pattern above.

13. Start the second coil with a three tube beads.

14. Slide on a three small Amazonite beads separated by small silver beads.

15. Slide on the Bumble Bee bead.

16. Then repeat the pattern of 3 small Amazonite beads and 2 small silver beads. Finish the second coil with a large silver bead and three tube beads.

17. Bead the last coil following the pattern above, finishing with a large silver bead.

18. Push all the beads down to the end of the memory wire where you created a small loop. Make sure there is no slack in the beads. Then trim the end of the wire to about one half inch.

19. To finish the end, coil a small loop. To do this, grasp the end of the wire with the round-nose pliers and rotate to start the loop. Reposition the pliers and continue rotating until you have a complete loop bent in the end of the wire.

We love working with memory wire. No clasp! And it is so fun to create patterns and see how the beads line up as you wear the bracelet. This bracelet has the added fun of the Bumble Bee bead. When you wear it, the bee’s wings will lay down over the beaded coils and keep the bee from flipping. It’s like it is sitting on the bracelet! What do you think? Are you a fan of memory wire? Leave us a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

Happy Crafting,
Jennifer & Kitty